Raffling off a project for a cause

[jtpr]

My brother in law and closest friend (fellow woodworker) suffered a massive brain bleed back in September. Anyway he is currently in a skilled nursin g facility and will probably be coming home in June. This will be tough on his wife financially as there are a lot of things that need to be done to accommodate his needs. Plus, he was the primary bread winner, and he is on ly 55 so she could be looking a a LOT of years of care.

So, I was thinking; what if I made something and either raffled it or aucti oned it off to help raise funds for her? I was looking around online but n ot really finding what I need. Also, how would people know I was legit? H as anybody done this sort of thing with something they have made? Any sugg estions?

I could use the web site I made her

to advertis e it, but they don't really have a huge number of people visiting it.

Thanks,

-Jim

[MJ]

Jim,

Sorry to hear about your BIL's condition. A number of our woodworkers have contributed items to charities and non-profits to raise cash for that organization. Perhaps the best thing to do would be to contact a non-profit that might fit in with your BIL's condition and see if THEY would hold the auction.

Another thing would be to use ETSY.Com where people sell all sorts of handmade items.

And finally, I don't know what your expecting to get for your piece, but given what expenses might have to made with your BIL's care, and his family's needs, unless you're an exquisite woodworker, you might find that the public might not value that item as much as you'd hope. I would try to use the non-profit route. They have the mailing lists, publicity contacts, etc. that would spread the news of the auction widely.

Best of luck.

MJ.

[Swingman]

brain bleed back in September. Anyway he is currently in a skilled nursing facility and will probably be coming home in June. This will be tough on his wife financially as there are a lot of things that need to be done to accommodate his needs. Plus, he was the primary bread winner, and he is only 55 so she could be looking a a LOT of years of care.

auctioned it off to help raise funds for her? I was looking around online but not really finding what I need. Also, how would people know I was legit? Has anybody done this sort of thing with something they have made? Any suggestions?

it, but they don't really have a huge number of people visiting it.

If you know some folks online and particularly in social networking sites, you might want to consider doing this for them:

A family friend set up a medical fund at that site for my youngest daughter, 27, and has raised $4k+ in the space of a couple of weeks to help her pay for experimental drugs to treat a rare, disfiguring disease that the insurance company will not pay.

She is pretty much overwhelmed with the support she has received from that quarter, and it has proven to be a godsend for both her morale, and well as helping pay her bills.

I think they take a 10% fee, but the donor can also pay that if they wish.

If you want to leave no stone unturned for your BIL, give it a shot, and then let _everyone_ know about it. There's a lot of generous folks out there ...

[jtpr]

sive brain bleed back in September. Anyway he is currently in a skilled nu rsing facility and will probably be coming home in June. This will be toug h on his wife financially as there are a lot of things that need to be done to accommodate his needs. Plus, he was the primary bread winner, and he i s only 55 so she could be looking a a LOT of years of care.

uctioned it off to help raise funds for her? I was looking around online b ut not really finding what I need. Also, how would people know I was legit ? Has anybody done this sort of thing with something they have made? Any suggestions?

rtise it, but they don't really have a huge number of people visiting it.

Actually I did do that just the other day

ormel).

But now I'm not sure where to go with it. I mean we let people know in his original circle when I set up the website and most either gave something o r helped out in some other way. But none of these are wealthy people and I feel odd using this Giveforward site to solicit more. So I heard about re garding another cause and looked it up and created the page, then kind of h it a wall as to how to get it out there. Maybe I could use it as sort of a second phase, his coming home. I guess where I'm going is trying to reac h out beyond the people in his immediate world. I just don't want to see h im in nursing home the rest of his life, the cost of which would probably c ause his wife to lose the house. Better he come home and she can care for him with some help. Damn guy is 6'5" and hard to move around;+}

[Han]

Swingman wrote in news:NJSdnUBq1LV2N7PMnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

I don't mind giving for causes like this. What is your giveforward site, Karl?

[Han]

jtpr wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Put it on FB ...

[Swingman]

Actually, I found out about it after the fact, Han. It was setup without my input, or her knowledge, by a family friend, strictly for her benefit. She's very independent and had a problem with accepting it at first, but the reality of her bills piling up so fast has tempered that reluctance. Just so you know, this young lady has lived with this since birth (with a wise and kind inner strength beyond her years), had to recently undergo surgery to save her eyesight and, despite being dealt a 'tough row to hoe' in life for young woman (it took fifteen years of research and a team of doctors to diagnose and decide upon a treatment, which may or may not work), has never failed a self imposed obligation to help those even less fortunate by volunteering, since her early teens to help children with disabilities at MD Anderson here in Houston. She is driven to do this for those kids, and who better than someone who can empathize with persona experience? AAMOF, while currently undergoing this experimental treatment, which is so debilitating that many who embark upon on it stay in bed for the entire year of its course, or quit, she has the fortitude to both continue to work, as well as to be back in school working on an Education Certificate to better teach kids with disabilities ... if anyone is worthy ... nuff said.

So, since you asked:

[Han]

Swingman wrote in news:damdnR5n64_bxbLMnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

I had tried searching on your last name at the main site, without seeing a result. Hence my question.

The costs of these treatments (even for a long-known and long-used compound such as interferon) is beyond what regular people can sustain. I hope my little contribution will help.

[Swingman]

I noticed that myself ... it's kinda out of my hands, but I did mention it to Linda to bring it up to the friend who is administering the site. (I'm not real comfortable with the concept myself, but it is neither my call, nor my decision)

I'll pass that on, and hereby Thank You for her, Han. It's like grains of sand ... combined, they can make a beach.

[Han]

"Mike Marlow" wrote in news:kgo4mv$bci$ [e-mail]:

We lived next to the mother of a true pioneer of American law, Paul Hearne, who was instrumental in passing the Americans with Disabilities act. He had OI too. A wonderful, loving and dear person who succumbed to the horrible disease at 48.

I'll be thinking of your friend's boy. Paul's life story and accomplishments should be an inspiration for his parents and him.

[Brian Hoyt]

+1

another grain of sand

brian

[Swingman]

Wow! ...Actually, Michelle is at the hospital as we speak getting one of those weekly shots administered (done late in the evening on Thursday and Friday so she at least has the weekend to crash) ... I texted her an update based on your above and her exact words: "You have no idea how much that means ... and Thank all of them for me!"

[jtpr]

Mel received a couple of donations to his site the day after I posted my or iginal question. Funny how these things affect somebody but it actually ma de me cry to think people that I have never even met would take not only th e funds but the time to do this.

You all touched me very deeply with your donations. But I cannot tell you the effect this will have on Mel's wife. She has been totally dedicated to him throughout this ordeal, spending 6-8 hours a day with him, every day, in hospitals and now a nursing home. The staff has told her that many spou ses in this situation actually walk away from it. I have been married to h er sister for 32 years, and never knew what inner strength she had. Her ov erwhelming fear at this point is how she will care for him once he get's ho me. I can help build the mechanics of it, but the day to day is just too m uch to think about.

Anyway, thank you so much for the donations and the thoughts, you have rene wed my faith in people.

Your advice was good, I'm going to pursue that website.

-Jim

[Mike M]

and another grain, I appreciate all that you post here.

[Swingman]

my faith in people.

And likewise ...

[Swingman]

That's a bucketful, Bubba! :)

Thank you, Mike. Shot #6/208 last night, #7 tonight. Ya gotta know how much seeing those donations yesterday meant to her in facing the remaining 207.

[Swingman]

effect this will have on Mel's wife.

You just got to the very heart of the matter with that last above, Jim.

From what I can tell, and having just been given the opportunity to observe the effect of a gift/donation on the recipient, it has made me understand that the monetary element, regardless of the size and while of necessary importance, turns out to be about half the benefit.

These folks are sick, or tired, or both, and their energy levels and ability to carry on are being taxed to the utmost.

When seeing folks, sometimes complete strangers, willing to help _them_, you observe in the recipient the other half of that gift of kindness and generosity: a renewed energy to carry on.

Gives that old saying, "The milk of human kindness.", a new meaning and understanding, eh? :)

[Han]

Swingman wrote in news:k6qdnXcf96vFlq3MnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

Makes me feel even better now!

[Han]

Swingman wrote in news:ydudncYiIJ93O63MnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

Karl, you know how much continuing communication has helped Rob & Angela, and I am now referring to Facebook in large part. May I suggest that M does something like that? At least I would not mind encouraging her on FB, if (and only if) she so desires.

[Swingman]

As far as I know she, and all her college friends, shut down their FB accounts a couple of years back.

She was on Facebook when you and I were saying "Face ..what??", but apparently many of this particular age group no longer use Facebook (probably because us old fogies started using it?) and, I"m guessing here, have moved to Twitter? :)

Thus far I have found no reason, personal or business wise, to succumb to "tweeting" ... too busy chasing kids off my lawn. ;)