Day 38 - $1,185

So I got an email about an open house about 30 minutes away from where I live. St. Jude is basically giving a 400K dream home away. If you buy a $100 ticket - your name is put in a drawing to win. And of course all the proceeds go to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Well, I thought - Sweet, this would be a great opportunity to go and meet some "fellow St. Jude fundraising people". I think it turned out well. I was able to leave a stack of flyers (there will be people going through the open house for a month or so!!!) - and got to speak with some great people - and explain Give One Million. I can definatley use some local support - so I hope something will come from our trip today. We took a pic of me and the kids in front of the house just for fun :)

I'm reading: Day 38 - $1,185

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Day 37 - $1,185

Ok... I'm headed to Disney World soon, and have been racking my brain to figure out ways I can promote Give One Million there. Anyone have an idea??? Please let me know ASAP if you do.

I've already thought about wearing a T-shirt with the website... etc... on it. But I'm still working on the design for the official Give One Million for St. Jude T-shirts, so I don't have them yet (they are coming out soon though!!!! I'm working with a graphic designer on the concept - and we almost have it narrowed down! So keep checking back!) and I went to Hobby Lobby tonight to buy a shirt and some Iron on letters to make something - but I didn't want to wear some tacky looking shirt around Disney... So I decided against that (for the time being... I may go back tomorrow.) I plan to carry my flyers/business card - and hand those out to whoever I can strike up a conversation with... But that's about the extent of what I have come up with. I need your help! Ideas please. And by the way... if you are here reading this right now - please donate - please tell everyone you know to follow this blog - and follow me on facebook and twitter - and I really need some people to step up and start organizing a fundraiser in their community. We only have 11 months left!

And last thought... It's about the donate part - It can be any amount! Any little bit helps. I have some friends that have already donated that literally have no money. I think most of us can spare ten bucks!

I'm reading: Day 37 - $1,185

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Day 35 - $1,185

Today I'm introducing vacation homes for Give One Million.

From now on you will see another button on the left side of the blog. If you are going on a vacation this year - or know anyone that is - listen up! I negotiated a deal with my dad and his house down in Mazatlan Mexico. Here are the details:

He rents it out for anywhere from $600 to $800 a week depending on the time of year. He said that if someone donates $50 to Give One Million, he will discount the price $75 per week. Also, if you donate $100, he will discount the price $150 per week. It's a brand new 3 Bedroom/3bath home in Mazatlan!

So let's say you and your significant other decide it's time for a vacation. You invite two couples to go with you. Let's say you pick a week that goes for $600 (May-Nov). You donate $100 to Give One Million - So the rental cost would only be $450. As you have all noticed I like to do calculations... So let's look at this.

$450 + $100 donation = $550 Total Price for a week

$550 / 7 Days = $78.57 per day for everyone

$78.57 per day / 3 couples = $26.19 a day for portion

$26.19 * 7 days = $183

You can stay in a brand new house in Mazatlan for a whole week for $183!!! So here is the link to the webpage with all the details on the vacation home. His number is on there. If you call, just tell him David told you to call. And yes... that is Pa Feldman holding two giant fish...

Attention: Do you have a vacation home or cabin? Do you know someone that does? If you or anyone you know would like to support Give One Million by setting up a deal like this please let me know! I will add your vacation home or cabin, and provide details for perspective vacationers! You can support Give One Million, and rent your property at the same time. It's a win/win situation!

I'm reading: Day 35 - $1,185

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Day 33 - $1,185

I don't know what to say... We just passed the thousand dollar mark and are up to $1,185 thanks to very generous donations from family and friends! Thank you for the support!!!

I'm reading: Day 33 - $1,185

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Day 32 - $675

Thank you everyone for your support and donations! Thanks to my sister for her donation -having the support of family means a lot! I think this is going great so far. It's going about how I expected - and that's a good thing! Hopefully everyone out there can spread the word, and we can get the snowball effect going on. Month One is going down in the books as $600. If - each month - we can double the amount of donations coming in... We would reach our goal with a month or so to spare. Simple enough right... So here's how were going to do it:

1. Donate Now! Don't think someone else will do it. If everyone thinks that, what will the outcome be? It doesn't have to be a lot. If you're like us you eat out a few times a week. So cut out a burger and fries just one time and there you go - you just freed up ten bucks. I know it may be hard to give money when you really don't see where it's going... or when there's not a face or name to see. But if you just push pause on life for one minute and think about who we are helping here, and what your money would be doing, perhaps you'd think a little harder about giving up that burger and fries.

2. Ok, so now that you've donated. Next tell everyone you know to donate. Send personal emails. Tell people what you are doing, and why. Tell people you don't know. Get some flyers from me and hand them out. Talk to your neighbor down that street that owns a business, and see what he/she can do. I'm finding this out first hand... You'd be surprised how willing people are to help out for a good cause.

3. Follow this blog. See there on the left... yep, right there with the little squares full of faces. Add your name there. Even if you don't know me. Especially if you don't know me! Follow Give One Million on Facebook and Twitter. See the little buttons at the end of each post? Use them! Digg the posts if you like them. All these things are ways to show the world we're here. And maybe if we get enough of that going on, people will start to take notice. And when people take notice - donations will come in.

4. Last, but not least. Stand up and do something in your community for Give One Million. Organize something big or small. Contact me to see what you can do. I need help from people all across the country - Why can't it be you???

Thanks to everyone for everything you've done so far!!! One month is gone, we've got eleven left. Let's see what we can do this month!

David

I'm reading: Day 32 - $675

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Day 31 - $600

So as each of you know... I am doing anything and everything (Click here if you can't remember what I will do to raise money for St. Jude's.) to raise one million dollars for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. I'm definitely trying to organize and sponsor the biggest fundraisers/events I possibly can. But in the meantime, to fill up the little times when nothing big is going on - I will do whatever I can to spread the word and raise money for my goal of one million in one year. So that's exactly what I did this Saturday morning...

As soon as we woke up this morning, my little boy and I went to the store to buy a gas can. We made a quick stop at the gas station, and brought it home to fill up the lawnmower. After a quick spring tune-up, I set out. I pushed it down the street stopping at each door to ask, "I'm trying to raise one million dollars in one year for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. If I mow your lawn this morning, will you donate $20 to St. Jude?" I was surprised and somewhat disappointed that I wasn't having any takers. So after a half hour or so, I lowered my asking price to $15. Still nobody would let me do it. So I went to $10. That's when I finally made a deal to rake up all the leaves/those little poky ball things that fall out of the trees for $10. FINALLY! I was just happy someone agreed to let me do something! So I called my wife. She brought the rake, broom, and kids. (I don't plan on using my kids real names on this blog, so for future reference, I'll call them Tiny and J)

I had two great little helpers!

Melis was a big help too, as you can see from this wonderful picture J took :)

J's a good example to all of us!

We ended up getting a $15 donation for our efforts (and possibly more later), which I was really happy about. It started raining, so we were only able to do one house, but like I keep saying: every little bit helps! It was fun to do this as a family. and great for the kids to learn about doing service and hard work for others. When Melis asked J what he thought about doing the work he said, "It makes me feel good in my heart."

I'm reading: Day 31 - $600

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Day 29 - $585

Thank you for the donation U.G.!!! Also a big thanks to all of our friends for donating. Let's keep the ball rolling eveyone. If you're here reading this right now... donate! Every little bit helps.

I'm reading: Day 29 - $585

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Day 28 - $535

We've passed another milestone. Someone that doesn't know me donated. Actually two people that don't know me donated - and some good friends of ours. I'm impressed. Thanks to the three donations that bring us up to $535!

Just a few things I've been thinking about...

People are coming up with great ideas for fundraisers and ways to raise money for Give One Million. For the people that have told me their ideas so far - I think they are awesome. Let me know when you plan do do them, and I will post about it on this blog, so everyone can support you. And do your fundraisers sooner than later - Remember - We only have 337 days left. For those who are just recently joining the Give One Million for St. Jude cause and want to help, let me know what your idea is to raise money! It's going to take a lot of fundraisers to get to a million dollars - so I'm going to need some people to step up and help me organize some events in their city.

A big way to help is to talk to people. Send emails. Put a button on your blog. hand out some flyers (I can get some to you if you need some. I've been posting them all around my town!), write a post on your blog. Etc, etc, etc. I feel like a broken record, but I have to keep saying it: We need to spread the word. We need to reach a ton of people if this is going to work.

I joined Facebook. I've been holding out on that for some time now. But I figured that is a tool I can't pass up when it comes to getting the news out about Give One Million. If you're on Facebook, please look me up and friend me! Also become a fan of the Give One Million Facebook Page.

Do you have a service or skill you can donate? If so, we can utilize it to fight childhood cancer. You can do the service and donate the money to Give One Million for St. Jude through this blog. I.E. I used to run a window washing business when I was in college. among other things, I plan to wash windows this summer and donate all the proceeds. Can you do something similar???

And last but not least - if you're here reading this right now, please donate by clicking in the top right corner.

Thanks again to everyone for donating. And today - thanks to those people that don't know me that donated! It feels good to have family and friends support, but I know this is going to have to go beyond them. Today's donations give me the boost of confidence to know that there are people out there that will back me as I reach for this goal.

David

I'm reading: Day 28 - $535

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Day 27 - $500

WOW! We just hit $500! Somehow that feels like a milestone. Thanks to everyone that has donated so far. We are making a difference. I know this is only the beginning - but just think... even if this is all we raised, we just gave $500 to a family and child that really needs our help at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. We just gave $500 toward finding a cure for cancer. It's pretty cool if you stop and think about it. Just think how cool it will be when we hit our goal!

I'm working on lots of fundraisers I can do. From Big to Small, I don't care. Soon I'll start posting pics of what I'm doing, so you can see. And if you do anything - let me know and I'll share it with everyone as well. I know we have some big ideas in the works - So I can't wait to get some of it posted.

I have so many Ideas and things going on, it's hard to keep them straight. Melissa and I are going to sit down and consolidate all of the ideas (and sticky notes - that are making our computer desk almost unworkable at this point) into a list we can actually keep up with everything and make sure nothing falls through the cracks.

You may have noticed Give One Million is officially on Facebook now. Take a look at the button on the right side of the blog. Click there to go to the Give One Million Facebook page. Become a fan and invite all your friends to be fans as well!!!

This is kind of a random thought, but here it goes... This morning on my way to work I heard Michael Jackson's "Man In The Mirror". I've heard that song many times, but never really listened to the lyrics. After actually paying attention to the lyrics, I think it describes what were doing here pretty well. If we want to make a change - it starts with us!

Talk Soon,

David

I'm reading: Day 27 - $500

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Day 26 - $400

We're coming up on four weeks and guess what... We hit $400!!! Thanks Mom and Dad for the donation. I really appreciate your support! We are keeping with the average of $100 a week. But actually... It's starting to creep over $100 a week. I'm excited that the word is starting to spread about Give One Million. Please come back often to see what we are doing, and what you can to to help. Because that is the key - YOU! yes you out there reading this post... We need your help to 1. Donate 2. tell everyone you know about Give One Million 3. contact me about how you can hold a fundraiser in your community to support Give One Million for St. Jude.

So I have to ask... I've had great support from friends and family so far on this project. I consider myself very lucky in that respect - very lucky! Well... Having said that, I wonder who will be the first person to donate that doesn't know me personally? I know there's a lot of you out there...approximately 6 billion :) (Not that if you do know me, I'm discouraging you to donate in any way!) If you're thinking about supporting what I'm doing here... well... DO IT! Don't say you'll donate tomorrow. Do it today. Don't tell me your wallet's in the other room. Go get it! Everyone out there remember this: It doesn't have to be a huge donation! Every dollar counts! You can donate one dollar for all I care... Just take the step to show you support the kids at St. Jude - and you support finding a cure for them!

I'm reading: Day 26 - $400

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