Motley Moose – Archive

I did this last year, but I think everyone is in need of some inspirational stuff, and I’m going to try to spread some good feelings around.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve certainly had better years. But I’ve been trying to think about helping others who need it, as a way of getting out of my own space. I do the Hill Country Ride for AIDS every year, because the agencies it benefits help people out every day. They have a food bank, for people who really need it – and people with AIDS have to be very mindful about nutrition, about the timing, and what they eat…. so there are people who counsel about that. There’s legal assistance, medical subsidies, volunteers to drive people to appointments….. Just help, that their clients really need.

So I was thinking about why. Why help? What do I get out of it? I did some searching, and the results of my quest are below the squiggly thing. Of course, if you want to skip the inspirational quotes, the video & the U2 song, you could donate at my Hill Country Ride page now.

Oh – and a picture. Here’s a picture from the year I was top fundraiser (not gonna happen this year, I’m very late getting started this year), but anyway:

orange version will auto-post at 7am central

Hi. If you look at my timeline, you’ll see I do a lot of diaries about the  Hill Country Ride for AIDS. I haven’t done as many of these this year as I’d like, I’ve been a bit distracted. But I have a commitment to raise at least $2,000 for the Ride. If you want to cut to the chase, here’s my Hill Country Ride for AIDS page, but I hope you’ll come with me below the fold for a good story. And of course music.

Oh – and a picture. Here’s a picture from the year I was top fundraiser, with the amazingly wonderful David Smith, who was the director that year :

A word about David. His 50th birthday was yesterday, and his FB timeline was filled with greetings, as it should be. But they were different than the usual “happy birthday”. Almost to a person, we all posted messages about what a blessing David is, how lucky we are to have him in our lives, and how the wold is so, so much better because he is here.

My birthday is Sunday, and it is time to start training for the Hill Country Ride for AIDS, which will be in April. And fundraising for it, too. So for my 50th birthday — can I get the Moose community to donate to my 16th Ride? How many $50 donations can I get? There will be music & stuff below the fold, but if you want to skip that part & just donate, here’s my Hill Country Ride page

Next February, I’m walking the half of the Austin Marathon, with a group I’ve been training with since August. My team raises money for Austin Children’s Services, formerly known as the Austin Children’s Shelter. They changed the name because they now embrace a broader continuum of services to address the needs of children and their families. Their programs include Austin Children’s Shelter residential care (Emergency Shelter, Transitional Living Program, Teen Parent Program and Respite Care), Foster in Austin, Care Academy child development and family support center and a child abuse prevention program through Strong Start.

Our team slogan is “Creating a world without child abuse & neglect, one step at a time.” If you want to skip the pleading, you can donate to my ACS campaign page

I joined this group that’s training for the Austin Marathon & Half Marathon. I’m doing the Half – walking the Half, though I hope to maybe be able to run a bit by then. The team raises money for Austin Children’s Services, formerly known as the Austin Children’s Shelter, and each of us pledges to raise $750. Having just finished a fairly successful fundraising campaign for AIDS Walk Austin, I’m fresh out of ideas, and that’s where you come in. Help me come up with another way to raise the money? Unless you just want to donate to my Austin Children’s Shelter page

AIDS Walk Austin is 9 days away, on Sunday the 19th. The Walk as a whole has raised about 32% of their $250,000 goal. Which is not close enough. Yeah, there’s still 9 days, and I’m no mathematician, but that’s a heck of a lot of money to raise per day.

This day, Friday, they have a challenge. If the Walk as a whole can raise $5,000 that will be matched. Come with me below the fold and I’ll tell you why you should donate.

http://aidsa.convio.net/site/T…

Hey, y’all 50 donations of $100 are matched today and tomorrow, so today would be a great one to make a sizable donation. AIDS Walk Austin is in less than a month – on Sunday the 19th. I’ve only raised 61% of my goal of $2,000, so I thought I’d share some music & ask for donations. If you want to skip the U2 song & my babbling, you can make a donation at my AIDS Walk Austin page. This is the 27th year for the Walk & my 27th year of walking it, and I really want step things up this year. And here’s me, talking about why I’ve walked every year of the Walk:

Wanted to post something with some happy, peaceful music — and of course to say something about the AIDS Walk. But mostly I wanted to post a meta-free place where people can take a deep breath & listen to some happy, peaceful tunes.

It is September, though, and the Walk is only 6 weeks away, so if you can, please donate, even $5, to my AIDS Walk Austin page

If you look at my diary history, you’ll see that about 90% of mine are about the Walk or the Ride. That’s because I care that there are people who need help & aren’t getting it. AIDS Walk Austin & the Hill Country Ride for AIDS both raise money for what I think is the most important thing in the world — directly assisting sick people. Food bank, subsidies for meds, case management…. these are all things that the Walk raises money for. I’m going to get all mushy & sentimental below the fold, so if you want to avoid that, you can just donate to my AIDS Walk Austin page now.

I’m doing the Hill Country Ride for AIDS on Saturday. This Saturday. I’m nowhere near my fundraising goal, but I’m not moving the goalposts until after the opening dinner the night before the ride. And we’re just not gonna talk about my fitness level. (even though I’m doing the shortest route, prayers would probably be appropriate this Saturday morning) This diary is to tell you about the people helped by your donations. If you want to bypass all the heartwarming stuff, you can just donate here at my Hill Country Ride Page. But if you want to read some great stories about people getting the help they need, come below the squiggly thing. Be warned, since the Ride is only at 72% of their goal, and I’m at 20% of mine, I’m going to pull on your heartstrings all I can. my Hill Country Ride Page