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Shaving my head for St. Baldrick's

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by jessie 2 views

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Blame it on Jaqui. I was going to wait until the 15th and start this thread, but his birthday is on the 13th, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAQUI, and he wants you all to donate to childhood cancer research as a birthday present to him. :D

Also, I have a serious question in regard to fundraising at work; How should I approach my boss who's in another state in regards to company matching: email or phone call, and what do I say?

So that you all know why I am doing this; I spent 19 days of the month of July 2006 baking and taking food up to Children's Mercy Hospital for my step-sister, her husband, and their children while they were watching over their sweet infant baby Samuel Caine Hamilton as he lay dying. Sammy was diagnosed with rhabdoid cancer of the liver on July 8th of 2006. He was just 3 months and 1 week old. After two chemo treatments and several blood transfusions, Sammy passed away from his cancer on July 27 2006.

Rhabdoid cancer is an exceedingly rare and virulent form of childhood cancer. It mostly strikes children between 0 and 2 years old and the survival rate is only 20-25%. In solidarity with children who lose their hair due to chemo treatments, and in honor of my sweet baby nephew Sammy, I am shaving my head in a fundraiser for St. Baldrick's on March 15th of this year and I am asking for your sponsorship. All proceeds go to funding childhood cancer research.

If you'd like to donate on my head, go to this site: http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/shavee_info.html?ParticipantKey=2008|21904

And for more of Sammy's story, go to this site: http://www.samuelcainecancerfund.com/

Thank you all in advance
Jessie

88 replies

by tig2

Start with your HR department. They likely know. You can
also peer me with your employer and I can check our lists.

Oh... and BUMP!

C'mon people!

by nicknielsen

Let's get it going, TR. We can do this in our sleep.

Edit: Just got back from the Samuel Caine memorial site...severe pollen issues...

by jessie

He was a cute, sweet little guy. Still makes me cry every time I look at his pictures, think about what he would have looked like now, at 22 months old.

by jaqui

thre we go people. you heard the lady, sponsor Jessies shaving her head in support of childrens cancer research as a b-day prezzie for me.
[ and you know darned well that you are investing in the future by keeping kids alive ]

edit:

and bump the thead, since if I hadn't seen a direct link to it from Jessie I would have missed it.

and Jessie,
local classic rock radio station:
Rock 101 does a radiothon from the local children's hospital annually to help raise funds. I just sent them an email about it, with a link to this thread. :D

http://rock101.com

by nicknielsen

Browsed the Rock 101 page and got to looking at the concert listings. Must be nice to not have to drive two-three hours to get to those kinds of acts.

Oh, yeah...morning bump.

by jaqui

which means it's almost time for bed. :D

not have to drive 2-3 hours to get those type of acts?

try walk less 6 blocks to radio station offices. ]:)

5 blocks to one of the better venues.
13 blocks to either of the big stadiums.

suburbia is the wrong way to go, live and work in town, much easier commute. :D

edit:

and another bump, this is the type of thread to keep near the top of the list :)

by jessie

Gotta head across the state today, spend the night in a nice little hotel, walk into two computer classrooms, say hi, maybe replace a key on a keyboard, ask a couple teachers and some relatives over on that side of the state to sponsor my head shaving, drive back across the state tomorrow... get reimbursed for mileage. :D

Thanks for the link Jaqui and for keeping the thread bumped up while I was sleeping.

by jessie

I appreciate the plug with your local radio station. My local country station is doing their annual radiothon to raise money for St. Jude hospital... I think I'll email them a link to my donation site. Thanks for the idea!

by jaqui

and I wasn't as nice as it sounds, I sent it to Bro Jake, their morning show Leader, and they has just gotten on the air.. the 5-6 am time being the pre morning show morning show.
[ don't ask, I haven't figured out why they start the morning show an hour before the DJs come on the air. :D ]

ya never know, they could read the mail on the air, read this thread, or just about anythng.
Bro Jake Edwards, the shock jock that got chased from every city in Canada but Vancouver ;)
[ he just isn't far enough over the top to get chased out of here. ]

by maecuff

It's so wonderful that you are raising awareness and working toward a cure for childhood cancer. My hat is off to you! I'm so sorry that you and your family have had to go through such a tragic loss.

His pictures are beautiful.

Now, all I have to do is get rid of my 'cry face' before other people start getting to the office. :)

by tig2

If you don't donate, we will never get to see Jessie without hair!!!

We can't let that happen- bald is beautiful- especially when it is a) a choice and b) for such a great cause!!!

by jaqui

they should be posting here. :(

since it's my birthday in 5:26 and a few odd seconds.

by michael jay

Happy Birthday to you Jaqui, consider this yet another bump with a donation.

Best to you Jessie

Mike

by jessie

a bad showing... so far...

Maybe everybody else is waiting for Jaqui's actual birthday on the 13th.

If you don't like Jaqui enough (can't imagine why... he's kinky but fun) ]:) to donate as a birthday present to him, just consider it a late birthday present for me :D I turned 29 again on January 21st.

by jessie

Are ya'll protesting because it's Jaqui's birthday or are you waiting to give me a nice Valentine's day gift?

by ic-it

I'll definately help out.
Good on you Jessie.
Will we get a link after the shaving?
God Love You keep it up.

by jaqui

$230 since posting this thread is pretty good.

you still have a month to get the remaining 750 for your target. :)

posted just to bump thread.

by jessie

I have to get technical. I actually had $75 toward my $1000 goal before I posted it here. THEN several of my friends here donated and brought it up to $250 for which I am very very grateful. And you're right, I've got a month from tomorrow to reach my goal.

Anybody who just wants to send me their change and not have to mess with donating online can peer mail me and I'll tell you where to send any cash/checks/money orders/change from your couch...

by jaqui

make the rest look cheap by posting the real amount donated before this thread. ;)

[ posted to bump thread ]

by jessie

I certainly would have donated more in your honor if I had it... but 5 kids eat a LOT!!!

by jessie

Now, I know that some of you are waiting for payday and collecting your pennies before you go to the site to donate, but as a little extra incentive... IF and ONLY IF I make my $1000 goal, I will change my avatar to a pic of me BALD!!! How d'ya like THEM apples?

Is that enough of a challenge for you? ]:)

by jessie

I pestered some more family and friends for donations yesterday and got $120 more in contributions. I need to send out a few more thank yous. :D

I also emailed HR at my work to see about matching donations and to see if they'd let me contact some of my fellow associates regarding donations. Since it's only me and one other employee that work for the company in Missouri, everything has to be done by email so I need to cover myself really well.

by gadgetgirl

(sorry for delayed post, Jess - poorly brain!)

have you thought about putting up donation posters at/in the kids' school/nursery/childcare?

Advertising what you're doing on lamposts - giving the web address?

Local shops?

Even if HR wouldn't match donations, would they let you use their photocopier and supplies for free?

Get onto Sonjawithaj and Beth to get the TR PTB involved - and get this onto bnet and cnet, too....

Right, that's it! Brain's worn out now.....

Besta luck - if you need any feedback on any ideas, pm me!

GG

by jessie

I had thought about getting my kids schools involved, just haven't done it yet... not sure what I'm waiting for...

I live in a complex of about 400 townhomes and I'm probably going to go around this weekend or next and petition my neighbors door to door... or maybe hang up a sign in the office in time for people who are paying their rent, since there's a "no soliciting" policy here... or at least I should check with the orifice/office.

So far, HR hasn't responded to my email, and unfortunately, the office is in New Orleans, and I'm in Missouri, so there's no chance they're going to pay for me to fly down there and use their copier... only problem with the whole telecommute thing.

I'll pm you about the bnet, cnet thing... cuz I'm not sure how that would work.

Thank you!

by jessie

At one point do I call to see if they got my email? I'm thinking maybe it got scrubbed by the spam-catcher.

by gadgetgirl

it shouldn't have been caught as spam if you did.

Give them till Monday/Tuesday - then call them to ensure they received it. If you want to flannel them, ask also if there is a procedure you should be following regarding charitable donations.

Firms usually allocate money to set charities each year - over here they change charities on an annual basis to spread the donations - but they should also have a "slush" fund for charities in areas local to their areas of work.

If they don't want to donate money, or they've already spend their allotment, can you think of anything else they could help with? Giving you paid time off to get sponsors, perhaps, or a donation to fuel money?

GG

by tig2

And you don't appear on any of our lists for matching.
That said, there are other ways.

Ask HR if they will sponsor you- send a company wide
mailing about the event and including your link.

A couple of the things I do- last year I raised over $6000.
This year I am going for $10,000.

I train at a local Mall until this icebox I live in defrosts. I
paper the Mall with flyers and I leave them in every shop.
I do organized fund raisers- the first is March 27. I do
garage sales and I do the door to door thing.

EVERYONE in my email address book gets email. I try to
get an update out every month.

To some extent, I have it a bit easier. I train for 6 months,
fund raise through that whole time.

I have coffee cans and pink ribbon pins at various local
businesses. I have flyers where I can't have cans.

I see a group of people that I used to work with every
month. I keep a "beer jar" on the table. If you order a
beer, you chuck a buck in. I've even had waitresses throw
tips in.

Find an old email from me- it likely has the 3 Day website
link. Go out there and check out the Fund Raising page.
There are all sorts of ideas there. If you can't reach
content, tell me what you are looking for and I can get at
it.

You'll get there. I have faith.

by jessie

With your help, my donations have now reached $560 listed, with another $75 in checks that will be counted the day of the event!! Only $365 more to go to get to the $1000 goal!

If I make it to my $1000 goal, I'll be changing my avatar to a pic of me BALD!! Won't that be fun!?!

I'm going to put up some flyers around town this weekend and see if I can't generate some more donations.

by jessie

I need 78 people to donate $5 in order to reach my $1000 goal... any takers? :D

by jessie

... not so much easier for those 5 people.

Though ya know, it is income tax refund time [i]for those who get them.[/i]

by boxfiddler Hot topic

bumpity bump bump.

edit just because I can and the bump didn't bring it to the top... ;)

by jessie

Okay, so I've had several people tell me they're planning to donate to my little cause here... and I know they've still got until Saturday... but I'm getting antsy because they still haven't donated... how do I nicely remind/ask people about their donations, without pressuring? I'm SO not good at this part.

by gadgetgirl

by intermittently bumping....

:D

bumpetybumpbumpbump.....

you could also try starting a new thread "3 Days to go ...." etc. and gently reminding them that way.

Don't be bothered about being heavy handed - if they've already said they'll give, they just need a reminder, in whatever shape or form.

(Don't forget some people may be waiting for the paycheck before they donate, too)

If they've allowed pm's - pm them - with lots of emoticons!

If all else fails - threaten to borrow Mae's shovel! :p

bumpetybumpbumpbump!

GG

by nicknielsen

That's an interesting avatar, gadget. Looks like it's all heart.

Happy flippin' Wednesday! :x

Edit: the usual

by gadgetgirl

all those things that go bump in the night in my house.

It's [b] YOU! [/b]

There was me thinking it was the ghost/spirit of my grandmother again.....

(explanation: Victorian house, built 1894, prime example of creeks and groans in old buildings....! )[aside: it was certainly never built for mobile phone reception, either! :p ]

:x

GG

by gadgetgirl

it's just like me!

Been feeling like a butterfly lately, too - wishing I could fly away.......

Happy THURSDAY!

:x

GG

by jessie

My Godparents used to have a 12 room victorian house. The last time I spent the night in it, a ghost patted my butt... I swear, there was no one else in the room. I felt the pat on my butt and it scared the bejeezus out of me so I hopped into bed with my (at the time) 3 year old... so he could protect me from the ghosties. :D

by jessie

I gotta go get some work done. I'll check in again later. Keep this un-buried for me, pretty please?

by gadgetgirl

but regardless of that, I'd like to put money on the fact you've watched this more than once!!! ]:)

oh yeah - BUMP!!

GG

by jessie

... is from videos like those... or actually, from the advertisers on his site which is full of videos, more graphic of course.

And a morning bump!

by gadgetgirl

in one of THOSE (bump) moods today, (bump) aren't you?!

:x

BUMPETYBUMPBUMPBUMP!

GG

(yes - proceeds to St. Baldricks, of course..... ]:) )

by jessie

I love my mother. She's all upset about me being bald for Easter, can't deal with me going to mass bald... like I say, I love the woman, but I don't think I can deal with wearing a wig.

by boxfiddler Hot topic

I always wanted to go red. Thought I'd try a wig before color. Good wigs cost serious money (at least the way I define serious money) and so I've never gone red yet...

BUMP BUMP BUMP

by maecuff

and it reminds me of my mother as well. The things she gets upset about are usually entertaining.

Like you, I love my mother very much, but sometimes..she drives me crazy.

by jdclyde

A coworker that just went through kemo was wearing her wig for a while before she went to a scarf wrapped around her head.

Try it on at least.

:x

by boxfiddler Hot topic

:) bumpity bump bump bump

edit: darn, darn, darn. Now I have to come back tomorrow, not to mention insert a Saturday bump. Silly me!

by boxfiddler Hot topic

because it's really Saturday, so having skipped a day I have to backtrack to insert it... :D

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