Gloves & Deadlines

The deadline has been extended! Due to some promised donations still arriving, I'm going to extend the deadline to May 1st to allow for the possibility of sending a surplus to the clinic. (Plus, I still have a babysitting job this week.) I'll send a check that day if I've surpassed my goal.

Because of these donors, our ugly little bear was gifted some rad Spiderman gloves* this week:
Christine D
Luke/Arushi
Emily R (again!)

I really can't thank you guys enough.

*in other words, if I had used the thermometer method of fundraising tracking, it would be filled 86% of the way

New total: $707.98
Amount left to reach goal: $103.45

And as always, I find it important to recognize those donors who have helped me thus far:

Kathleen S
Chester L
Raoul/Lynn
Marie D
Marisa H
Emily R
Emily L
Julie/Mel
Bonnie/Anson
Harold B

Remember: any extra money will go in a check to Pro-PAPA Missions.

To donate, you can:
1. Send a check to me:

137 W 116th St, Apt 6
New York, NY 10026

OR

2. Click on this link (PayPal keeps 3%)

Thanks for your support!

Honduras Trip, By the Numbers

• Number of patients served during entire brigade: over 600
• Final Cost: 6 days @ $30 + insurance = $204 (+ $450 flight = $654)
• Medical supplies total: $157.43
• Donor support: $318.01
• Babysitting funding: $296.00
• Number of patients I helped fit for new glasses: over 120
• Number of patients I personally registered: over 200
• Amount still to raise: $197.42
• Days left to fundraise: 7
• Diseases I contracted: 0 (that I'm aware of right now)
• Number of patients who hit on me: about 5

Thank you SO MUCH for your generous support:

Kathleen S
Chester L
Raoul/Lynn
Marie D
Marisa H
Emily R
Emily L
Julie/Mel
Bonnie/Anson
Harold B


Remember: any extra money will go in a check to Pro-PAPA Missions.

To donate, you can:
1. Send a check to me:

137 W 116th St, Apt 6
New York, NY 10026

OR

2. Click on this link (PayPal keeps 3%)

Thanks for your support!

Quick Update before Takeoff

Before I fly out to Honduras on Thursday night, I want to give an update to interested parties.

I decided to increase my fundraising goal after talking to my aunt on the phone the other day. It looks like they could benefit from vitamins and other essential goods, so I'll be heading to a nearby CVS to fill up a box of goodies worth about $125.

Therefore, the new goal is $725.

However, that increase is just about the same amount of my babysitting earnings this week; therefore this bear unfortunately won't be adding to his wardrobe.

To sum it up, the new total is $584.48! That leaves $140.52 to reach my goal! As I said, though, any additional money will be used to buy goods for the clinic OR put into a check to send them. I'll be raising money until April 1st.


Thanks again to all of the generous donors that have not only provided financial support, but also have motivated and encouraged me in my efforts next week at the clinic:

Raoul/Lynn
Marie D
Marisa H
Cara/Kevin
Emily R
Emily L
Julie/Mel
Bonnie/Anson
Harold B

To donate, you can:
1. Send a check to me at:

137 W 116th St, Apt 6
New York, NY 10026

OR

2. Click on this link (PayPal keeps 3%)

Thanks for your support!

Well NOW we're really getting somewhere

Four more donors and one babysitting job later, we're looking at a new total of $484.48! Amazing. There are still three more weeks of fundraising, and this bear is practically ready to go out in public already.

Thanks, new donors!

Raoul/Lynn
Marie D (and thanks for the bear's earring request)
Marisa H
Cara/Kevin

And of course, I must recognize all the previous donors:

Emily R
Emily L
Julie/Mel
Bonnie/Anson
Harold B

You all are fantastic, and I truly appreciate your help.


Once again, the information:

(*3% of your online donation will go to PayPal by clicking on this link. Otherwise you can mail a check to 137 W 116th St, Apt 6, New York, NY 10026.)

Details:

• Updates: new blog every few days to post first names of givers and the updated total fundraised (email me if you don't want your first name listed.)
• Goal: $600 (any funds raised exceeding this goal will go in a check mailed to the clinic)
• Deadline: April 1st, even though I will be volunteering March 11-17.

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FACTS ABOUT HONDURAS (from WorldVision): Today, the government of Honduras has implemented a national poverty reduction strategy to combat the 28 percent unemployment rate and to help the 51 percent of people who live below the poverty line. Education reform is a key element to this strategy, including the provision of school food for all children. Other goals of the strategic plan are debt relief, health-care reform, utilization of national resources, and international cooperation.

Despite reform efforts, the quality of healthcare is still in decline due to a scarcity of medicines, supplies, human resources, and facilities. One out of four Honduran children under five years of age suffers from chronic malnutrition. In some rural communities in the western area of the country, that total can reach 88 percent. Poor housing conditions (including hay roofs, dirt floors, and interior cooking fires) also contribute to ill health among thousands of families.

Fundraising Update

In my initial fundraising blog I posted that I would update you every few days on the fundraising. Well this time there's not much to report except my last week babysitting job brought the total to $258.27. I'm almost halfway to the $600 goal!

As you can see, these additional funds earned this bear a hat and a tattoo. (For those of you who are unaware, I decided not to do a thermometer to show the amount of funds raised, but rather to dress a random cartoon animal figure as more money comes in. Much more exciting, no?)

Thanks again to my generous supporters from last week:
Emily R
Emily L
Julie/Mel
Bonnie/Anson
Harold B

Once again, here's all of the info, including the link to donate:

(*3% of your online donation will go to PayPal by clicking on this link. Otherwise you can mail a check to 137 W 116th St, Apt 6, New York, NY 10026.)

Details:

• Updates: new blog every couple days to post first names of givers and the updated total fundraised (email me if you don't want your first name listed.)
• Goal: $600 (to be completely transparent, my costs are $30/day (I'll be doing the brigade for six days) and over $450 for the flight; if I raise any more than my goal (God willing!) the extra money will go in a check mailed to the clinic)
• Deadline: April 1st, even though I will be volunteering March 11-17.

I appreciate your support!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FACTS ABOUT HONDURAS (from WorldVision): Today, the government of Honduras has implemented a national poverty reduction strategy to combat the 28 percent unemployment rate and to help the 51 percent of people who live below the poverty line. Education reform is a key element to this strategy, including the provision of school food for all children. Other goals of the strategic plan are debt relief, health-care reform, utilization of national resources, and international cooperation.

Despite reform efforts, the quality of healthcare is still in decline due to a scarcity of medicines, supplies, human resources, and facilities. One out of four Honduran children under five years of age suffers from chronic malnutrition. In some rural communities in the western area of the country, that total can reach 88 percent. Poor housing conditions (including hay roofs, dirt floors, and interior cooking fires) also contribute to ill health among thousands of families.

Mama Bear Needs a New Pair of... Pants!

I'm overwhelmed by the immediate generosity! Only two days have passed, and I've already raised $180 from you all! (Well, $173.27 after Paypal took its share.) That's almost 30%!

To make this a little more fun than a boring fundraiser thermometer, I decided to dress this bear as I reach my goal. Don't ask me why, but just go with it.

Thus far, you have the following people to thank for this creepy bear's shoes and underwear:

Emily R
Emily L
Julie/Mel
Bonnie/Anson
Harold B

(Shoes and underwear account for 30% of one's daily wardrobe, right?)

What's next, you ask? Donate to find out! Once again, here's the donate button* and miscellaneous info:

(*3% of your online donation will go to PayPal by clicking on this link. Otherwise you can mail a check to 137 W 116th St, Apt 6, New York, NY 10026.)

Details:

• Updates: new blog every couple days to post first names of givers and the updated total fundraised (email me if you don't want your first name listed.)
• Goal: $600 (to be completely transparent, my costs are $30/day (I'll be doing the brigade for six days) and over $450 for the flight; if I raise any more than my goal (God willing!) the extra money will go in a check mailed to the clinic)
• Deadline: April 1st, even though I will be volunteering March 11-17.

I appreciate your support!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FACTS ABOUT HONDURAS (from WorldVision): Today, the government of Honduras has implemented a national poverty reduction strategy to combat the 28 percent unemployment rate and to help the 51 percent of people who live below the poverty line. Education reform is a key element to this strategy, including the provision of school food for all children. Other goals of the strategic plan are debt relief, health-care reform, utilization of national resources, and international cooperation.

Despite reform efforts, the quality of healthcare is still in decline due to a scarcity of medicines, supplies, human resources, and facilities. One out of four Honduran children under five years of age suffers from chronic malnutrition. In some rural communities in the western area of the country, that total can reach 88 percent. Poor housing conditions (including hay roofs, dirt floors, and interior cooking fires) also contribute to ill health among thousands of families.

Heading to Honduras

It's that time to head back to Central America. But this time, I won't be working in a rainforest office, nor will I be going for jogs during which I have to fight off vicious stray dogs, nor will I be rappelling down waterfalls.

Nope, this time will be different.

A few months ago I emailed my aunt, Sr. Laurinda, about visiting her and helping at her medical clinic in rural Honduras during my 2011 spring break. She put me in contact with the right people, and, long story short, now I'm heading there in about two weeks.

Even though I'm doing some babysitting fundraising of my own, I thought I'd check to see if any of my family and friends were feeling generous. (And there might be a fun postcard on its way to the supporters.) Read below for more information, and if you would like to donate click here:

(FYI: 3% of your online donation will go to PayPal by clicking on this link. Otherwise you can mail a check to 137 W 116th St, Apt 6, New York, NY 10026.)

Details:

• Updates: new blog every couple days to post first names of givers and the updated total fundraised (email me if you don't want your first name listed.)
• Goal: $600 (to be completely transparent, my costs are $30/day (I'll be doing the brigade for six days) and over $450 for the flight; if I raise any more than my goal (God willing!) the extra money will go in a check mailed to the clinic)
• Deadline: April 1st, even though I will be volunteering March 11-17.

I appreciate your support!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FACTS ABOUT HONDURAS (from WorldVision): Today, the government of Honduras has implemented a national poverty reduction strategy to combat the 28 percent unemployment rate and to help the 51 percent of people who live below the poverty line. Education reform is a key element to this strategy, including the provision of school food for all children. Other goals of the strategic plan are debt relief, health-care reform, utilization of national resources, and international cooperation.

Despite reform efforts, the quality of healthcare is still in decline due to a scarcity of medicines, supplies, human resources, and facilities. One out of four Honduran children under five years of age suffers from chronic malnutrition. In some rural communities in the western area of the country, that total can reach 88 percent. Poor housing conditions (including hay roofs, dirt floors, and interior cooking fires) also contribute to ill health among thousands of families.