GABIT attendees thread

[EH-T]

Sorry...."bricks and blocks" - what is that? Don't think I've heard of that one.

This is from the website:

As of today our “Bricks and Blocks” campaign starts. Over the next few months we are going to build a village of virtual adobe houses- each home is $2000, with a brick costing $20. So 100 bricks build a home! Just think how many adobe houses we can build in three months and then disperse to our international charities!

[MidwifeOnBoard]

If so, be sure to let me know. Happy to provide you with a place to stay, etc. I have mentioned the new birthing centre is just a coupe of blocks from my place.

Thanks EH-T! I'll know more what is going on in the coming weeks. Still really nervous about everything that has happened, but working on making the best of it.

Excellent idea but better mention it to her soon. I'm sure the 100 copies will be gone quickly.

Lots of great fundraising lately. Love the book idea as well as the bricks and blocks. I plan to buy a brick in honour of each of the kids in my life.

If anyone is interested, I'm forming a fangirl 'team' to try and buy a whole house of bricks from a group of fans. If you want to join us, pm me with your email addy and I'll send you the deets by week's end.

[ScifigirlSG]

I'm all for the "bricks and blocks" campaign...

[Chelle DB]

Lots of great fundraising lately. Love the book idea as well as the bricks and blocks. I plan to buy a brick in honour of each of the kids in my life.

Sorry...."bricks and blocks" - what is that? Don't think I've heard of that one.

This is from the website:
As of today our “Bricks and Blocks” campaign starts. Over the next few months we are going to build a village of virtual adobe houses- each home is $2000, with a brick costing $20. So 100 bricks build a home! Just think how many adobe houses we can build in three months and then disperse to our international charities!

I'm all for the "bricks and blocks" campaign...

I'm all for the bricks & blocks campaign too but haven't a clue as to how it works or what we can or should be doing. If anyone gets the heads up, please send a linky here. Cheers.

[Trindajae]

Sad times. The books sold out already.

[llp]

Sad times. The books sold out already.

I was lucky enough to get one of the books, however for the right amount of money (all to be donated to S4K) I would gladly pass it on to some generous person. This message is also going on another site. But if the bid is too low, than I'm not giving it up. Anyone interested? Privacy is allowed so email me on this thread if you like!

[Celandine]

I thought the book cute, but decided to wait on buying as the S4K store is supposed to open up in January and I wanted to see what else they had.

Also, and it might just be me, but I don't really like buying signed copies of anything. It's more fun to go to a con and get it personally signed right in front of you. Lots more memories.

Congrats to everyone who wanted and managed to get a copy though! Such a limited number and I heard the books sold out in 18hrs! Having the store is gonna be a GREAT thing for helping to raise additional funds for S4K.

[mthet]

That's sensible what with shipping and stuff.

It's about time they did something merch-wise to cash-in - I hope they make lots of money.

But maybe I'm a bit stupid and optimistic for hoping that people would just continue to give them money anyway, regardless of whether or not they got goods in exchange for the cash Lol

[EH-T]

That's sensible what with shipping and stuff.

It's about time they did something merch-wise to cash-in - I hope they make lots of money.

But maybe I'm a bit stupid and optimistic for hoping that people would just continue to give them money anyway, regardless of whether or not they got goods in exchange for the cash Lol

Not stupid at all. I think that the majority (at least of the Gabit folk) do donate regardless, I certainly do. Optimistic? Probably.

There is an advantage to having merchadise. When I do "get" something, I give it away. In the case of the books, they are for my great-nephews and when they are old enough I will explain to them that most children are not as lucky as they are and, as a result, they need to help others. So the books create a ripple effect, to borrow a Gabit phrase.

Similarly, the t-shirts, etc create awareness. I have been asked often about S4K because of the t-shirt or wrist band. I have had similar responses to a t-shirt I have from a Foster Parents Plan campaign called "Because I am a Girl" which promotes girls' and womens' rights.

I read an article recently that mentioned charitable donations in Canada are down by over two billion dollars and there was a lot of speculation about the cause of the drop. Regardless of the cause, there has been a drop. Unfortunately, that means those raising money have had to become more creative and that, it seems to me, is what S4K has done. Would I prefer that it wasn't necessary and that everyone gave what they could just because they could? Absolutely. Maybe we are both a bit too optimistic.

[MidwifeOnBoard]

So glad so many people want to contribute to what is now affectionately being dubbed 'fangirl house'! PM for details if you want to play too.

[mthet]

Not stupid at all. I think that the majority (at least of the Gabit folk) do donate regardless, I certainly do. Optimistic? Probably.

There is an advantage to having merchadise. When I do "get" something, I give it away. In the case of the books, they are for my great-nephews and when they are old enough I will explain to them that most children are not as lucky as they are and, as a result, they need to help others. So the books create a ripple effect, to borrow a Gabit phrase.

Similarly, the t-shirts, etc create awareness. I have been asked often about S4K because of the t-shirt or wrist band. I have had similar responses to a t-shirt I have from a Foster Parents Plan campaign called "Because I am a Girl" which promotes girls' and womens' rights.

I read an article recently that mentioned charitable donations in Canada are down by over two billion dollars and there was a lot of speculation about the cause of the drop. Regardless of the cause, there has been a drop. Unfortunately, that means those raising money have had to become more creative and that, it seems to me, is what S4K has done. Would I prefer that it wasn't necessary and that everyone gave what they could just because they could? Absolutely. Maybe we are both a bit too optimistic.

I like that the new stuff will have the url on it for precisely the PR reason!

Donations are apparently down over here too - though interestingly, not as far as they were expected to plummet given the economic climate - that fuels the fires of optimism a wee bit.

On an only partially related note, many charities here will send you free stuff through the post when you donate (like stationary & stuff) automatically.

I hate it, I mean, it's a nice gesture... but I do wish they'd give you the option of declining so they could save the pennies and postage costs for folks who said no thanks.

[EH-T]

I like that the new stuff will have the url on it for precisely the PR reason!

Donations are apparently down over here too - though interestingly, not as far as they were expected to plummet given the economic climate - that fuels the fires of optimism a wee bit.

On an only partially related note, many charities here will send you free stuff through the post when you donate (like stationary & stuff) automatically.

I hate it, I mean, it's a nice gesture... but I do wish they'd give you the option of declining so they could save the pennies and postage costs for folks who said no thanks.

I hear ya. I have enough notepads and envelope labels to last me a lifetime!

I get a magazine called Money Sense. Every issue they have a profile of a family in need of financial help and they list the family's income and expenses. I am so frustrated that the profile always shows more being spent on things like dinners out than charitable giving and that the families are not embarrassed by that fact.

I was lucky in that my parents taught me how important it is to give back both in money and time (if you can't do it in dollars then you can by giving time). In my profession some are more concerned by the bigger house or the bigger car and it is easy to fall into that trap. In my first year of working I finally had a good salary. I always had a thing about watches so I bought myself an expensive watch. Then, thank goodnees, the values instilled by my parents kicked in. I thought "I could feed a hungry child for a year on what I spent on that watch". So I did. Joined Foster Parents Plan. I now sponsor 3 girls. The watch has since died but I have spent 25 years making life a little better for young girls and their families which makes that watch the best purchase I ever made. Ironic, eh?

[llp]

I recently read an article that said charitable giving is down about 13% in the US - mainly from the wealthier people. The poor still donate no matter what. Strange isn't it. If you don't have a lot you are still willing to share. If you have more than most, you hoard it more!

Personally, since I retired and my living is solely off of my savings, I have been a lot more generous, but my concentration has narrowed. I no longer indescriminately give, but give only to S4K, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, and a few charities whose sole purpose is to help animals. Oh and occasionally to one of those huge disasters funds such as for Haiti or Japan, etc. I make sure my dollar has as much punch as possible. S4K is a great provider for that! It is the first charity I've ever heard of where 100% of the funds goes to help the kids. But that is because Amanda, Damian and Jill pay for all expenses out of their own pockets. That is a very rare situation.

[Chelle DB]

As long as I have a job & my family are fed, I will continue to donate to S4K and other charities that I know the funds are going to make it to their destination.
A couple of years ago when the fires swept through Victoria, we raised a phenomenal amount of money for those who lost their homes. Today, that money still hasn't been distributed. So I'm now less likely to donate again. That's the sad reality of it from my prespective. But there's another angle to that story which has left a bitter taste in my mouth when it comes to donating money to disaster victims.

The way I see it, and they way I'm trying to show it to my kids, is that I look around me at what I have and I know that we're lucky. Ok, my hubby's still peeved that we don't own our own house but we have a roof over our heads...and a very nice roof it is...and we have food in our belly's and we have cars - plural - and we really don't want for anything, so why not give to those who don't have the basic things in life to survive.
I've become very picky who I donate to. We used to doante to The Salvation Army, RSPCA, The Red Cross & The Royal Melbourne Childrens Hospital, but not anymore. When you see where the money doesn't go to, you start to rethink how to put your money to better use. I found that with S4K.

[Skydiver]

True. I'm very skeptical when I don't know where it goes. Especially in cases like one charity where it's spokesperson gets a 300,000 annual salary. Seriously? this person isn't broke, in fact, at the time, her husband was very well off and in political office.

Or things like Jerry Lewis Telethon....where he got the first 15 million that was raised every year. I stopped donating to that charity once I learned that I was basically supporting him.

I want to help those in need, not help millionaires get richer.