Pull out your pocketbook... (please!)

SO, life is expensive, times are tough, money doesn't grow on trees, etc. Totally get that.

Buuuut if you shouldst happen to find yourself with a few extra dollars in your pocket or with the ability to obtain a few extra dollars, I'd like to share a couple venues to share that money with very worthy causes.

We'll start with the more... light-hearted(?) of the two: Chuck has a cousin in Salt Lake who's a super cool slam poet. His team, the Wasatch Wordsmiths, is raising money so that they can compete in the national poetry slam championship in Boston later this... summer, I think.

Here's where it gets fun: instead of just soliciting donations, Brian and his fellow poets are offering some pretty sweet incentives: one of them will write an original poem specifically dedicated to each donor! $5 gets you a haiku, $10 a sonnet, and so on. The poet will record him or herself performing the poem and upload it to youtube for easy viewing and sharing. The Wordsmiths met their first milestone goal and have now re-started the fundraising counter. Here's the website where you can donate: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/wasatch-wordsmith-road-to-nationals

And here's the awesome poem that Brian composed just for me:

Thanks again Brian, er, Gray :). 

(I'd give him a hard time for going by a name other than the one his parents intended/his cousins all know him by, but Chuck did the same thing, which is why half of his extended family still calls him William...)

And now for the more serious, emotional, life-or-death cause: our friend Brandon has cystic fibrosis and is in need of a double lung transplant. Some friends of his made this incredible video to share a bit about him:

Go Team Brandon from Tyler & Kindra McAllister on Vimeo.

As I wipe tears from my eyes, I don't think there's really anything I can add, except to say that I am in awe of this family and their strength and their love for each other and I want so much to see them have more time together on this earth.

It's been pretty inspiring to watch this fundraising effort come together; there's a Go Team Brandon website (now with t-shirts!) and here's a link straight to the donation page: http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/go-team-brandon/55283

Also, if you live in the Treasure Valley, there will be a benefit yard sale THIS Friday and Saturday, May 10th and 11th (8 to 5 each day!) to help raise funds. Location is 2325 3rd St. South here in Nampa (the Murphys' house), and because the ladies that are putting it together believe in going BIG or going home, there's also going to be carnival games for the kids and a bounce house and a bake sale and a photo booth and popcorn/cotton candy/ICEEs, etc.  I'll be there all day Friday running the games, so please please stop by and say hi!

And thus concludes my virtual shakedown of all you nice blog readers :). Thanks!!