Monday, May 7, 2012

Thank you! (Week 3)

The fundraiser is winding down, but Team Just a Lil Walk is getting geared up.  I went to visit the screenprinter on Friday after work.  It was. . . interesting.  I know these guys do quality work, because they've been making shirts for my sister for years, and they've done stuff for the Penguins and some big local bands. 


TShirts

I pulled into their parking lot like the Dukes of Hazzard.  I almost missed the turn, and when I saw it, I turned sharply onto a heavily graveled drive, spitting stones and spinning tires while shouting yeeeeeehawww at the top of my lungs.  Possibly I made that last part up.  I parked more calmly than I entered and walked into their shop.  It was like a bomb blew up and the shrapnel was shirts.    It wasn't like a retail shop where everything is shelved and displayed for purchase. . . this was a little mini shirt factory, where the shirts go in boxes and those boxes go to the retailers for pretty displays.  But between the dryer and the boxes. . . there is shirtmageddon.  Imagine a big garage where you could perform maintenance on four or five trucks at once, only instead of trucks, it was filled with old screens from past jobs (one screen per color. . . our shirts will have five screens), random tshirts and sweatshirts stacked over and under tables with graphic art magazines and color chips, and a huge shirt printer/dryer machine that filled half the bay.  The dyes they use get mixed in these little pots or cans, and it's thick like putty, and apparently they don't just toss the remainder when they're done because I tiptoed past pots like unexploded land mines as I went back to meet with George.  


George's partner sat in an old recliner in the middle of the room.  He was wearing shorts and a tank top.  He said hi but made no move to stand.  George took me to his desk and pulled up the drawing.  Papers, magazines and newspapers flanked the monitor.  An old photograph of some woman's ass peaked out from behind the clutter like a pinup calendar in a 1970's body shop.  Screen printing is like the industry that time forgot.  They told me some screen printer horror stories. . . last minute changes, screwy sizes, huge customers with crazy deadlines, and then talked about our little job.  We went over the artwork, picked the colors for the print, and decided on shirt manufacture (Hanes).  I paid George his deposit, promised I'd have total count and sizes by Tuesday and went home.



International Pledges

I talked to the organization about out of country pledges.  They're a little miffed about the Walk's change from the old fundraising site to this new one.  Apparently there have been lots of problems.  But they DID offer a solution to the folks out of country who wanted to show support.  You can log into THEIR site http://aboard.web.officelive.com/supportABOARD.aspx, and click "Donate".  This takes you to their internal fundraising site, which allows Pay Pal.  You can donate and specify (I'm not totally clear about whether it allows you to say somewhere "We want to donate to the "Just a Lil Walk" team for the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community" or if you just tell me and I tell them and they'll add you to the supporter site and credit the thermometer.  


Fundraising and Support To Date

Right now we have 42 walkers (+/- a couple who are signed up but may not actually be walking so much as dropping kids off to walk).  I ordered 48 shirts.  Once I lock in the sizes on Tuesday there'll be no going back. I'll feel bad if someone doesn't get a shirt because they signed up late, but honestly, we've given lots of time.  If things stay as they are I'll have a couple extras. . . we'll see what we can do with those.


Like I said, the fundraising is slowing down.  We have right up until the 19th to get our money in.  We have about $260 in checks in hand that will add to the thermometer total, and pledges for more (though we don't have all those checks yet).


This week our total is up to $1,720. Up $235.  I graphed how the weekly donations look and used the power of my gigantic brain to estimate the final online donation tally.  Through week 5.  

As you can see, the total is approaching $2,000 asymptotically, which means we'll never get to it. . . EXCEPT that the total only includes the online donations, NOT the pledge now pay later.  Essentially we're tricking the fundraising gods into THINKING we'll never get to $2,000, but we will totally get there.  I think.


Gratitude

This week, thanks go to the following people!


Amy & Taylor - Mother and daughter, more of Emma's friends!  Taylor thinks I'm funny.  Clearly she knows talent.
Annette & Michaela - there's a theme here. . . mothers and daughters walking together, friends of Emma.  Emma went to see the talent show she didn't make so she could support her friend who DID make it, Michaela!
Cindy, Ally & Katie - Mother and daughters again, a friend of Emma's, her little sister and her mom (only I messed up the order).
Derek Hicks - I. . . don't know!  Help me, Derek!
Dianne , Mia & McKenna - Mother and two daughters, friend of Emma's.  She's going to be so excited when she sees how many people are walking for her little sister!
Donna & Bob - Our vacation buddies.  Long time friends of my wife's family.  Thanks Uncle Bob and Aunt Donna!
Helen - Coworker of Leslie's once upon a time, they still get together for drinks on occasion. . . 
Jen - Possibly the first blogger I followed, but if not the first, one of the. . .  She writes over at http://www.iamstilllookingup.com

Judy & Abby - Mother daughter friend of Emma combo!  Although. . . we're playing her team in softball this coming weekend.  We'll see how the walk goes since it'll be the week AFTER the game.  
Loretta - Aunt Loretta!  My former brother-in-law's sister.  Very supportive.
Melinda  - CURRENT coworker of Leslie.  I think she's giving money on the sly because her current employer is also going to be in the Walk also.  I won't tell a SOUL.
Pamela & Mallory - Mother/daughter/friendofEmma.  Seriously. . . she isn't going to know what to do with all these friends.  
Patty - Lily's godmother and former coworker of Leslie!  Thanks, Aunt Patty!
Sandra & Emily - M/D/FofE - see. . . I told you.  This walk is FILTHY with mothers and their friendly daughters! 

And that's this week's wrapup!  So many generous people. . . and some of them I don't even KNOW!  Isn't that crazy?

15 comments:

  1. What a fantastic success!

    I enjoyed the statistical analysis :p

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  2. Are you sure you weren't in some back building in Missouri? That shirt shop sounds like something you'd find around here.....except there'd be a BBQ pit out back.

    yay on the funds!!!

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    1. I didn't see a BBQ pit. . . but I wouldn't say it's out of the question.

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  3. "Power of my gigantic brain" made me giggle. You and your GIGANTIC BRAIN, Jim.

    Look at the donations! I am SO EXCITED!

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    1. Nobody else giggled at that. . . because they RECOGNIZE!!!

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  4. Hey man, nice graphical representation of not-yet-achieved results. You are rockin' the donation circuit!

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    1. Thank you. . . I'm all about the graphing.

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  5. I think your method of calculation should be taught in math classes everywhere.

    And the shirt factory with George in recliner, shorts, and tank top? Did you hear country music? Sounds like Texas to me.

    Oh and one more thing - when you finished your business with George, did you slide across the hood of your car and climb in through the window?? Yeeeeeehaaaaawwwww!

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  6. Thanks for keeping my secret Jim. I like my current employer but I love you cause.

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  7. "Shirtmageddon" is awesome - I think I might use it in other references without the "r" or see if Words will accept it... ;)

    Great job!

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  8. Wow, I was like the first blogger you followed. I feel so special :) I am just reading this now bc I am about as far behind on blog reading as I am on Draw Something...

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