Let's save the big $$ fundraisers for the Xmas kids(hmmmm)...so, that no woman has to actually come here and test the 'generosity' of this 'slush' fund and be humiliated for her sheer audacity...
Originally Posted by Aphrodite
Hmmmmm What?
Really? You want to take a shot at that? People are supposed to step up to assist other working people that do not carry insurance and set aside monies for emergencies that life deals us? I was taught the need for that in High School and by my parents.
I will say one thing in regards to Fundraisers that few remotely understand or appreciate have they never gotten involved with one. They are physically and Mentally EXHAUSTING.
Ever see or hear the stories of what Jerry Lewis deals with in dealing with his cause? I get a taste of it every year and this last year put me into medical care due to the sheer exhaustion at the end of it. I left the Christmas Party, went to the hotel and collapsed. Try juggling a busy career and the needs of a family with children and grandchildren and friends and all the normal holiday stuff and THEN
Find time to deal with Austin Traffic to go to 31 different locations and sit with people for an hour to talk and show your appreciation for their support. Each and every time takes 4 hours out of your life. You have to smile and make nice and truly be gracious when what you really want is to sleep.
I am full of gratitude. I appreciate every penny everyone goes out of their way to provide.... Every item they shop for... every gift card donated..... every person that shows up and helps......
On top of the 120 hours of your life actually BEING somewhere in order to facilitate collections toss in another 1-2 hours a day to respond to emails, talk to people wanting information, hustle up others to make an appearance that will help draw others out.....
About 200 hours of my life between ThanksGiving and Christmas gets devoted to that cause. Ztonk and TheGoodJames give a lot of themselves as well.....
Every year a call goes out for help and people post in threads how they want to help... that they want to get involved.... Hey... Great PR for the ladies and puts a guy in the right light for others right?
Who the fuck shows up without excuses when it is time? About 1 out 10.
Who got their asses up to be at an HEB at 6AM to buy and fill a huge truck and overflow into other vehicles. The Good James... Who stepped up and did all the shopping to fill the lists?.... I could go on and on......We raised a lot of money and helped a lot of kids..... Half of those that had offered their time had actually shown up when we posted we needed help it would have helped immensely.....
But like a lof of things.... Some people just want to talk...
Who Loaded a 40 ft trailer with all the bags that had been sorted? Sixxbach, TheGoodJames, rogueGent and a couple of others who's names elude me but I'll look them up later..... One guy that is guested took the day off and drove here from San Marcos with his trailer to help...
Everyone talks about it and very few step when it's time.....
From your comment I suppose you are suggesting that I rally the people that actually DO care about what I care about and get them to help with other causes through out the year?
We actually tried 2 yeas ago... The Mods of this forum, myself and a couple of others responded to a lady in need 2 years ago .... She had a worthwhile need involving several kids and I was asked to get involved because of connections in the community. We put not only money in place but services that would have required her to normally deal with weeks of redtape that would have been worth many thousands of dollars of support to her and what did she do? Nothing. She did not make the call to schedule the meeting with a case worker that was needed. She was able to take 5 minutes to post a request but not an hour to get everything she asked for and more. But a few of us wasted about 5 hours out of our lives trying to help her. It seems that if people would not send it to her via paypal or drive by and drop it off it wasn't that important....
I'm sorry Aphrodite. I just do not have it in me physically. If you think there needs to be some sort of organized effort here to step up when there is a cause that is deserving then step right on up.
With all these boards have provided over the years why is it that there is NOT a group of ladies that have done just that and run some brunches or garage sales or bake sales through the year that builds a fund for exactly these kind of purposes? I've always wondered why none of the seasoned ladies here reach out to and warn new ladies of the predatory nature of some here. Or seek to help each other by being proactive.
Here is an idea..... Post a thread that in two weeks 10 of you ladies will be selling personally baked items to raise money for VikkiLynn or whatever cause is important to you and I'll get you a conference room to do it in and buy a damn cake for $50. I'll arrange for the tables, chairs and I'll provide refreshments......
The OP had a valid question and piss poor timing. But it IS a good question. The answer is that the board does allow for it. Y'all can ASK for anything. Be prepared though for the hateers that are going to question how y'll can make moch more per hour that the avg guy here and not be prepared for things that go wrong.
A last comment in regards to the the
"Xmas kids(hmmmm)..."
We are not helping the parents. We are not giving a penny to any Agency or Organization. Nobody came begging or asking for help.
In almost every case, although the lives of these children's parents have included a lot of misfortune as well as poor judgement, none are coming hat in hand wanting anything. Some even refuse and we had one father that would not allow his son to accept anything that he had not worked for.
We don't help the agency..... we don't help the parents.... we don't question what the fuck happened to get them where they are...... We simply step up and help the kids that would not have a Christmas without it.
Once again I Thank and appreciate all those that have supported the fundraiser each year. You as well Aphrodite. I appreciate the time you gave.