Because it All Adds Up: Doing What We Can

One of the most rewarding pieces of work the MilBlog community has become involved with is raising awareness of, and money for, such worthy organizations and charities as Soldiers' Angels, Sew Much Comfort, The Injured Semper Fi Marine Fund and more. These organizations do so much for our wounded warriors and their families, and every dime our community has raised has helped them continue their important work.

We're approaching our Third Annual MilBlog Conference, and we fully expect that the conferences will continue for years to come. Some Soldiers' Mom emailed me with a fabulous idea, and we're going to implement it this year, and in the years to come. Beginning with the 2008 MilBlog Conference, we'll adopt one worthy organization per year and use our conference as an informal fundraiser.

There is absolutely no pressure on any attendee to contribute, it's a "donate if you wish" deal. We may raise $40. We may raise $400, or we may raise $4,000. Every little bit helps, and since we'll all be together in the same room, this is just a good opportunity to collect whatever we can for the organization. And who knows, some of the sponsors may want to kick in some funds, too. Last year, USAA generously donated $9,000 to Project Valour-IT (one thousand dollars in the name of each 2006 MilBloggie Award Winner).

There will be a donation jar at the site, and whatever is donated will be sent to the organization. Checks and cash will be accepted, but checks are preferable (much-preferred). The organization we have chosen this year is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, so your contribution is tax-deductible and if you pay by check, you will have an instant record of your donation. However, if you wish to donate cash, we will collect a list of names and corresponding cash donations to send to the organization. Although, once again, we hope that you choose the check option....

We will announce this year's pick at the conference. The donation jar will be available to attendees all day on September 20th. Our selected organization is a modest one, and would likely insist our funds go elsewhere if they were aware we were throwing an impromptu fundraiser for them, which is one reason we're holding off until the conference to make this announcement.

One tradition continued. One newly-invented.

Comments

[Johnie Lee Qualls]

Good afternoon:
Soldiers of Today and Yesterday and Yesterday aids with subsistence for the Men and Women and their Families that are deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.So far we have given out over $ 100,000 Dollars.
We will be rec, another large Grant soon to help even more.
Johnie Lee Qualls
President/CEO