| cross-posted at Daily Kos & Texas Kaos
So, I know I haven't been around BOR much lately - sorry about that. But I popped in to tell you that the Hill Country Ride is in a little over 3 weeks, on Apr. 25. I've raised $2091, which is quite good, and includes donations from folks who have donated more than once, and one really gigantic donation (thank you, Karen, you are the best!!). And sfbob & I had quite a nice response to the WGLB diary on DK a couple of weeks ago - that was really a lot of fun. But I really want to do better. (Ideally, I'd love a repeat of last year's "top fundraiser" performance, it was fun & I'd be really proud to do that again) If you have already donated - and many of you have - please pass this message on to any friends you think might be able to donate. The agencies benefiting from the Ride have had their budgets slashed to the bone. |
| I know we are all being asked to do more for charities these days, and the economy sucks and no one has any money. Well, I'm going to join the chorus, because if you think you have no money, imagine what it is like at the agencies that help people with AIDS. This is the biggest fundraiser of the year for most of these agencies, the event is a little over three weeks away & they've only raised 42% of their goal. As they say on their web page, no donation is too small. Even if you can only give $5 or $10, it all adds up. We can do this! I believe we can do even better than last year's record-breaking $641,333.84. It will take a lot of work, and every one of us. As the Ride director said in an e-mail that I've kept: "Ask anyone who is living with AIDS, and they will tell you that every single day is a gift, every day worth a celebration. One of the many reasons to love this Ride is that it is a powerful example of what it's like to see life that way. It's when we are giving back and helping others that we are most alive and that we see we are in love with life itself. Yes, every day is worth celebrating, and by giving just one day to do this Ride, you can give a gift to someone for the next 365 days of the year. Your gift goes beyond the food, medical care, and housing you make possible, it's also the gift of letting someone know you stand with them. We need YOU, not just because we need more people to meet the need, but because YOU bring to the Ride something only you can bring: your unique, one in a million way of bringing the gift of life to the Ride, and to the thousands of people who benefit from your courage and dedication." I added the underline, because I know that this is what bloggers do - we stand with people, we gather around those who need our support & we support them.
So, my friends, even though they are facing cuts in basic services, we're still optimistic that we can make our goal. I know everyone is doing the best they can. I just ask that you keep AIDS Services of Austin, the David Powell Clinic, Project Transitions, & the many other agencies that benefit from the Hill Country Ride in mind.
Please donate by going to the Ride website by clicking on this link. Or, you can make a general donation at www.hillcountryride.org. If you want to donate by check, let me know, we'll talk via e-mail & make arrangements. And if you are in the Central Texas area and want to volunteer, I'm sure they could find something for you to do. |
