LIVE From the GNB Blueberry Pancake Desk...
The Group News Blog first fundraiser is complete.
Congratulations.
Great job everyone! We did it!
The fundraiser was scheduled from July 1 -- July 15. All was going just fine. Not explosive or off the charts. But we certainly were hitting our numbers and completely on budget. There wasn't any need to make a big deal of the fundraiser. That's what I consider a GOOD thing.
Then... kaBloom. We were tagged this past Saturday with two non-budgeted expenses.
a) $350.00 -- OTR (off the record.) It's a GOOD thing.
b) $400.00 -- embargoed till today. I couldn't tell you. Now I can.
I will. Later today.
I launched a full-blown all-out fundraising drive: $1,000.oo in 72 Hours.
Everyone came through. You did. My colleagues did. Bloggers everywhere.
We not only raised the $1 grand, we did a little better. We are solid for Denver and have your response to thank.
Which is why the fundraiser is over today, a day earlier. Because you got it done.
Seriously, check you out... Even though we had to respond in an urgent manner to a big deal problem, you handled it and more without breaking stride. I am SO blown away by what you have accomplished the last two weeks.
Fundraising is about momentum, about causing stuff to happen. It is about POWER: the differential ability to cause results in the world. The access to power is PROMISES: giving and keeping your word.
I was certain we could accomplish our original goals. But then the extra $1K need came in and only three days to raise it.
I looked hard before I put it up as a challenge. To put up a "goal" which a blog doesn't hit, especially early on in its history, sets up a pattern which tells people:
- it's okay to not keep your promises (the goal),
- nothing really happens when you fail,
- we're not good enough or strong enough to make it,
- we not really a team, and
- I don't count.
No kidding people. I thought LONG and HARD before I put up $1,000.00 in 72 HOURS, that is, *laughs*, I thought for about 30 seconds... Just long enough for me to calculate out it was really 70 hours and 10 minutes. Because I needed to tell you the real truth about the time. *smiles sweetly*
Why was I so sure?
I know y'all. I know the staff.
I thought I did, anyway. Three days to One Grand. I was so damn wrong.
It took two days, not three.
Each day there was one specific donation which turned the tide, flipped the momentum around. We were struggling but then one donation out of the tide came along and BOOM, momentum turned and everything shifted.
I have more to say in thanks.
This post is just a quick one to let you know fundraising is officially over. Which isn't to say you can't donate anytime. But we are done asking for funds for GNB till January 2009. Not to say if you have a promise you made that you'd donate TODAY (the final day) that you shouldn't keep your word. You ABSOLUTELY should. As I said, keeping your word is at the HEART of how Group News Blog has been so effective, of who GNB is.
If you promised us you were going to send us a check, or drop us a PayPal or credit card, then please, keep your promise.
I'll post later today or this evening, on the story of the $400 that was embargoed till today. I just don't have time this moment.
I'm so proud of you and all you've accomplished this fortnight. Please take the time in this thread to thank yourselves and congratulate yourselves on a job really well done.
Thank you cards and notes will go out AFTER I return from Netroots next week.
LIVE from the GNB Waffle Desk. With bacon, this is Jesse Wendel reporting.
Nom nom nom nom...
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