A Modest Proposal for a Heart-Warming Gummie Easter Project
Last Tuesday was a stinky day for me, but the evening fully dispelled the funk, with a couple of gifts in the form of e-mail messages. The first gift was from fellow Gummie Oregon Frank, with links to the world of Aaron Neville. I posted a Thank You message to arch1 for brightening my outlook. I had hardly posted that message when I re-opened my Gmail account and found another wonderful gift. This one was an e-mail from my sister (wintering in Mexico) with a link to a website where our 4-year old grand-niece, Cate, is asking support for her project to raise funds for an Eastern Ontario childrens’ hospital by way of pledges in response to a commitment to cut off a large hank of hair for use as wigs for kids with cancer.
Cate’s goal was to raise $500, and I was privileged to be able to make a donation that put her just over her goal. But I was struck by the similarity of the effort to that of Travis’ Pan Mass Challenge (PMC), and wondered about asking Gummies if they’d be interested in participating. I checked the SG site for disclaimers, rules, policy etc. and finding none, e-mailed Travis for a comment. I explained that I had no wish/expectation to dilute his PMC initiative, nor did I wish to create a precedent for a spate of similar requests.
Travis replied that there was no policy about this, because no one had ever proposed it before. However, he allowed that he could entertain my suggestion of Starting a Discussion to gauge the Gummune’s reaction to the case I might make.
I would appeal especially to Canadian Gummies who would have the benefit of a tax receipt for a charitable donation (received within hours – Tip of the Hat to Hair Donation Ottawa), and specially especially to Gummies in Ontario-ari-ario (is there any place you’d rather be?). Cate lives in Metcalf, 10 or 20 miles south of Ottawa and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), whose Foundation is working with Hair Donation Ottawa.
Their Mission Statement:
Hair Donation Ottawa RAISES FUNDS FOR CUTTING EDGE CHILD AND ADULT CANCER RESEARCH and empowers kids with hair loss by providing them with free wigs.
At the same time, I would mention to U.S. Gummies that $US exchange would be an attractive multiplier to any amount, however small, they’d like to contribute.
So I am all ears for Gummie comments on the propriety of my proposal, and if a consensus can be reached in favour, and with Travis’ permission, I would post the link to Cate’s donation site.
As to making a case for my proposal, HERE’S THE THING ;>) I am not at all sure whether Travis means making a case for the charity (I think it pretty much makes its own case), or making a case for Gummies to embrace an appeal for charitable donations within the GS site.
YOU SEE, I would expect a few negative comments from the “we’re here to make money from biotech investments” crowd, but I would argue that, apart from numerous other themes herein that are not strictly in that context, this initiative is in fact an investment of sorts in a laudable biotech-related endeavor, though admittedly not tied to a specific trade-listed enterprise.
BUT THIS OPPORTUNITY MAY SOON DISAPPEAR. In the interest of timely exposure of this opportunity, I am posting this before I’ve been able to complete a couple of issues of due diligence regarding the venture.
LET ME EXPLAIN. I’ve been told that there may be a raising of the goal for Cate’s pledges, and also that the campaign may only be in place until the end of March. I’ve not yet been able to determine the veracity of those claims, but I will continue following them (up), as they may become germane to the discussion.
Yours in Gummunity,
Ken in Kelowna (v4t1n4)
And ONE MORE THING: Thanks again to Travis for allowing me to post this!
This is a discussion topic or guest posting submitted by a Stock Gumshoe reader. The content has not been edited or reviewed by Stock Gumshoe, and any opinions expressed are those of the author alone.
Thanks — what’s the fundraising link?
Cate’s page is at https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?langPref=en-CA&RegistrationID=3280361#.VujxyYyYbdA.mailto
That’s where I’d be happiest to see folks go to, of course.
But if they’d prefer to donate direct to Hair Donation Ottawa, it’s at http://www.hairdonationottawa.com/
Hope I’ve got these right.
Thanks once again, Travis
(Incidentally, I believe I included the first link here as an FYI in my e-mail to you)
Happy and Blessed Easter to the Johnsons
Well, talk about due diligence… I’ve since learned that the donations sought at the Hair Donation Ottawa are, perhaps not surprisingly, strictly for hair donation. I’d also like to expand on the biz of the $20 minimum for tax receipts. In speaking with a contact there, I’ve learned that all donations made online will elicit receipts.
I also asked about the policy of adjusting participants fundraising goals, and the duration of the campaign. It seems that decisions on both of those policies are not hard and fast, but are made after consideration of the course (success) of the year’s campaign.
Finally (for this note), I’d like to advise Gummies not to be alarmed at the amounts donated to date – those are family-related responses. Loonies and toonies and small multiples thereof will mount up nicely. And be much appreciated.
Easter blessings to all.