Blogathon 2007.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      7 comments      link this post     




Blogathon 2007 has arrived. I'd forgotten it was coming so soon. I had a vague idea that it was in a month that started with a vowel, but apparently...it's July 28. I just got an email saying as much. Which means...it caught be me by surprise.

Never fear: I plan on doing it, and I have another "clever" idea.

Yes, it'll be Bob again.

My first Blogathon I drew pictures for 24 hours every half hour. The next Blogathon was the first time Bob appeared, which can now be seen in a book. And last year, it was Bob again, but into the West.

My chosen charity this year is Joni and Friends. My mother frequently purchases the cards that Joni Eareckson Tada illustrates (they're beautiful) and I've been rather fond of her organization for many years.

However, it isn't out of fondness or loyalty that I've chosen Joni and Friends as the charity of choice this year. This past year's trip to Nicaragua has shown me the need for the work Joni and Friends does for the disabled all over the world. The organization I'm with (Nicaragua Resource Network -- North Dakota) is currently trying to find a wheelchair for an elderly Nicaraguan woman who we've helped move from where she was living in the city dump to a house. This is the kind of thing Joni and Friends does and the need for it has been made very real to me because of this situation.

Joni and Friends is a Christian organization. In the past, I've tried to find "benign" charities so that readers who were no wanting to give to religious organizations would not be off-put. I've come to the realization that that's not right. And so I've also decided that if you like my blog and enjoy reading it for free:
  1. My choice shouldn't surprise you since you know of my Christian faith.
  2. This is the only time of the year I ever ask anything of my readership, and that is to sponsor me so that your money goes to a charity that does good things.
  3. This is the charity I have chosen, and if you respect me or my writing, I would hope you'd respect and trust me on my choice.
  4. If you don't want to sponsor me and still want to enjoy the 24 hours of posting on Blogathon day, be my guest. That is perfectly fine, it really is. I hope you enjoy what I have planned. (I think you will.)
  5. If you do decide to sponsor me, this is the first year where I'm not offering a post-Blogathon freebie to my sponsors. I've decided that if you want to give, it should not be with an annoying carrot waving in your face because that is kind of insulting to you.

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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger  7/06/2007 12:01:00 AM   (7) comments   Links to this post    

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7 Comments:

Julie - I will donate toward that wheelchair. Do I wait till after the blogwhatever or can I do it now? I love Joni, she is one of my heroes. How do I earmark my gift to go to the one you requested?

spcrick@msn.com

By the way, I am really attached to the picture of you with your hand over your mouth. I suggested to my wife a similar pose. (did I say that?)

By Blogger Henry (Rick) Frueh, at 6/7/07 10:35  

Hi Rick. You can sign up to sponsor now, following the link I provided. You don't pay anything until after I'm done. When that happens, simply go to the Joni and Friends web site to the donation page and submit the amount you agreed when you sponsored. That's all there is to it; it's very much based on people's word and that they keep their promise.

The example I gave with the wheelchair for Nicaragua was perhaps confusing; I meant to use it as an illustration of how important Joni's work is in such countries where there are many needs. However, that specific wheelchair project does not involve Joni's organization. We're working on that on our own (as of yet). So there's really no place to specify funds for it.

Basically, this is a general donation to the organization as a whole, although on the Joni and Friends site, you can select where you'd like your donation to go if you so choose.

(I'm glad you like the picture. I'm sure some people wish that the hand-over-the-mouth gesture might mean I'd shut up and be quiet, but alas, it isn't so.)

By Blogger Julie, at 7/7/07 00:23  

I will.

By Blogger Henry (Rick) Frueh, at 7/7/07 08:37  

I'll give a plug to your blog-a-thing on KFGO. Who knows?

By Anonymous jackson day, at 7/7/07 11:33  

That would be excellent indeed. Thanks!

By Blogger Julie, at 7/7/07 11:50  

Hi Julie, I'm Pelf from Malaysia, and I'm blogging for a Malaysian charity for people living with disabilities too -- Eden Handicap Service Centre :)

By Anonymous pelf, at 11/7/07 23:43  

ooops! I already donated to Joni & friends and charged it to my card. I didn't read the part about waiting until after the blogathon. I referenced robbie/lone prairie. Hope thats ok?

By Anonymous robbie, at 13/7/07 11:41  

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