Fundraisers that are especially important to you

[Trekchick]

I have recently sent some free stuff to members of SkiDiva, EpicSki and AlpineZone with the request for two things...

• The recipient covers shipping costs
• The recipient of the said item donate to a charity

During this time I've been exposed to some really great charities that do some great things, some of which have been relatively unknown organizations.

If you have a few extra bucks to give, where do you give it?



These are a few of my favourite places to give:

• Susan G Komen (mom has breast cancer)
• Alzheimers charities of many varieties(grandma has dementia)
• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation(because I've been touched by a child who is overwhelmed by this, but not defined by it)*I'll post a few pics of this amazing kid later
• Humane Society(because I hate puppy mills and want to see more people adopt from shelters)

Cue Marc

 

[Marc]

Yeah, I'm guessing I don't have to tell anyone here what mine is.

 

[drjeff]

Yeah, I'm guessing I don't have to tell anyone here what mine is.

The Goat Rescue Foundation of Greater Toledo??? :lol:

My Favorites:

Camp Quinnebaug - the local summer camp for special needs kids
My local Community College - I'm on the Board of Director's for their Fundraising Organization
Special Olympics
Leary Firefighters Foundation

 

[Trekchick]

Thanks for bringing up local school fundraisers.
I am the head of Home and School(which is like PTA) a a small local school
We do a citrus fundraiser throughout the winter with orders once a month from November to February for Grapefruit, Navals, Mineolas and Tangerines. We make a majority of our funds through this fundraiser and supply the school with a lot of great programs like Lego Robotics, Swim classes, ski program and other things that these kids wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to experience.
If anyone is looking for a fundraiser for their group, check this out. Great folks to work with.
http://www.goldenharvestsales.com/orange/index.php

 

[Warp Daddy]

The Queen and I endowed a scholarship at the college i worked at for over 3 decades .
We support the regional medical center ( I am on the board )
We support Catholic Charities especially to assist the poor and working poor
We donate to a number of special collections annually by our church that are designed to enhance various populations around the globe .
We tithe a % of our income to our church.
And we volunteer time in a number of community based organizations

 

[dmc]

I give to a bunch of charities...

Mostly anonymously.. For different personal reasons..
But they tend to be charities that affect me and my family in some good way..

 

[Grassi21]

Donald W Weese Foundation - Raises money for research on depression and offers scholarships to athletes at Yorktown High School

Alex Archie Foundation - Offers scholarships to boys and girls HS lacrosse players at Pomperaug HS and the Hill School in PA.

Pomperaug HS Booster Club fundraisers - This helps fund off-season training and in-season events for the team I coach.

And just recently...

A Vision for Ava - A little girl the next town over was born with no eyes. The fund goes towards raising money for her medical bills and care. They threw a great wine tasting/silent auction this past weekend. Great event for an adorable little infant.

 

[Trekchick]

[*]Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation(because I've been touched by a child who is overwhelmed by this, but not defined by it)*I'll post a few pics of this amazing kid later

I have an two uncles who died from complications of diabetes, which made the JDRF close to my heart to begin with. Then we met UGASkidawg from EpicSki, who hit it off with us and our Michigan Posse each time we went to Colorado to ski. He eventually opened up his home to us to use on our trips west, which is where we stayed when the ladies took our trip to Abasin for Mothers Day weekend.

While getting to know this family, Lil Olivia of Team Spaghetti -O's (O standing for Olivia) touched our hearts and impressed us with the sheer fact that she has diabetes but diabetes does not define her. She has challenged Mr TC to a race in Patrolman chute at Copper, and has already proven that she is fearless.... This is a link to a video of her skiing at AGE FIVE!!
http://s275.photobucket.com/albums/jj285/d_westall/?action=view&current=CIMG0479.flv

We witnessed a small window into the day of Olivia on the slopes last year when she couldn't have hot cocoa while the rest of us took it for granted. After a short snack, which we saw as healthy evidently had too much sugar and she needed a shot before noon. She cried
This little girl has a whole life ahead of her with shots and pin pricks multiple times a day just to live a somewhat normal life.
As recently as two months ago she went on her very first sleep over(at age 6.5) because the mom assured Olivia's parents that she'd wake Olivia up in the night to check her sugar(which is a normal thing for Olivia)

Each year she has a team for the JDRF walk, and each year I donate gladly, in the hope that some day Lil O won't have to deal with needles or cold days on the slopes with out hot cocoa.

If you're interested in more of this little girls story, check it out on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Denver-CO/team-spaghetti-Os/58166260227
Lil O thanks you for letting her share...

Thanks for reading...

 

[gorgonzola]

Our main focus the last few years is to support my daughter Antonia with Team Antonia helping the American Heart Association. We just had our annual Heart Walk, what a great day!
We also are involved with the Greater Lehigh Valley Coalition for Organ and Tissue Donation with volunteerism to educate, not really fund raise

 

[billski]

Micro-finance to impoverished nations.

We as Americans have so much. Too much. Best health care in the world. I've tired of giving to Higher Education. We now have 7 educational institutions requesting our money.

21% of the world lives in extreme poverty. Opportunity International gets my vote. The Gates Foundation agrees.

 

[Sky]

Jerry's Kids

Shriner's Children's Burn Hospital

Hospice Care (locally)

Lance Armstrong's charity (sorry Marc...two other friends hit me up)

 

[Trekchick]

Micro-finance to impoverished nations.

We as Americans have so much. Too much. Best health care in the world. I've tired of giving to Higher Education. We now have 7 educational institutions requesting our money.

21% of the world lives in extreme poverty. Opportunity International gets my vote. The Gates Foundation agrees.

Billski, I agree with you on this and in fact, I make an annual donation to an organization that Philpug's wife enlightened me to which is called Nurturing Minds. It is an organization that educates young girls in Tanzania. The follow up I've gotten has been awe inspiring.

If one girl is educated, it makes an impact on an entire village!
http://www.nurturingmindsinafrica.org/

 

[Marc]

Jerry's Kids

Shriner's Children's Burn Hospital

Hospice Care (locally)

Lance Armstrong's charity (sorry Marc...two other friends hit me up)

Don't feel the need to apologize Sky, it's all going to the right place.

 

[Sky]

it's all going to the right place.

Agreed!

 

[ccskier]

I have changed my ways a bit. Due to my job/community involvement I get hit up all the time. I end up donating a decent amount of money of the year and this year changed my ways. Sorry to say but no more american cancer society, heart society ets.... I am putting my money into causes that I can see, be involved in, local local ones etc.... Although I have lost family members to cancer, I really can't see donating to that huge cause, pan mass/dana farber yes, but not huge natioals. Just my view.

 

[deadheadskier]

Past five years or so the majority of my charitable contributions have gone to www.rocktheearth.com I've also probably contributed 300 hours of my time to the organization as a volunteer.

 

[deadheadskier]

I have changed my ways a bit. Due to my job/community involvement I get hit up all the time. I end up donating a decent amount of money of the year and this year changed my ways. Sorry to say but no more american cancer society, heart society ets.... I am putting my money into causes that I can see, be involved in, local local ones etc.... Although I have lost family members to cancer, I really can't see donating to that huge cause, pan mass/dana farber yes, but not huge natioals. Just my view.

not a fan of the larger organizations mainly due to the salaries of the executives. Yes, you need to pay to attract talent in the non-profit sector, but when you have Regional CEO's of the United Way getting 7 figures, I'm sorry, that does not rest well with me.

 

[dmc]

Past five years or so the majority of my charitable contributions have gone to www.rocktheearth.com I've also probably contributed 300 hours of my time to the organization as a volunteer.

Nice... I'm thinking about doing a Habitat for Humanity in Phuket Thailand... Met a guy who did it and said it was amazing..
I've done a few of them in Jersey when I lived there.

 

[denvervega]

Camp Sunshine www.campsunshine.org in Casco ME. A very special place for kids w/ life threatening illnesses and their families. My family has been volunteering time and fundraising $ for a number of years. We look forward to our weeks spent there all year.

 

[ccskier]

Just today, I was meeting with a client and I have given a little bit to their cause before and after meeting with her, I went online and donated again just after listening to the story again. The way I also look at it, my free time is not so free, if I can pay a few dollars to help out financially I would rather.