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. (in my training walks, I run for 30 seconds at a time, several times in a mile — sometimes as much as 45 seconds) The team raises money for the Austin Children's Shelter, and each of us pledges to raise $750. I know I’ve been raising money for AIDS Walk Austin, but now I need to do this. I’m going to set up an auction page & sell some X-Files & Star Trek memorabilia. But in the meantime, I need to get started getting donations -- and not everyone is a nerd, some of y'all won't care about the 50th anniversary Star Trek Ken & Barbie. Please donate at my team’s page — where you’ll find out about the drawing you’re entered in if you donate $25 or more. (I’m Becky, by the way) Also, we have some left over team t-shirts & pretty red bags that say “Austin Children’s Shelter — and I’ll give these to people who donate $50.
Here's what my team says about the Austin Childrens' Shelter:
In 1984, a group of concerned citizens joined together to do something about the lack of shelter space for abused and neglected children in Austin and Travis County; thus the Austin-Travis County Shelter for Infants and Children was born. The shelter has continually grown in response to the needs of the children of Central Texas, adding new programs to help children lay a foundation to build upon. Through the years, the Austin Children’s Shelter has received only the highest ratings on all inspections and evaluations. Because of leadership’s strong commitment to providing high quality care, it gained a reputation as one of the very best agencies in the state for children in crisis, a reputation still held today.
For 27 years, it has been the dedication of leadership and staff, and the tremendous support of donors, volunteers and the community at large that has given ACS the ability to make a significant and positive difference in the lives of literally thousands of children who have suffered abuse and neglect.
As we look to the future, it is with the vision that we will, one day, be able to care for every child who needs ACS services. We believe that we cannot turn our backs on our most valuable, and most vulnerable resource, our children. Helping these children is not only important to their future, it’s important to yours.
So - super worthy cause. What I hope to do is e-bay some of my science fiction action figures, I have several that are still in the box, etc. I looked at what they're going for, gonna have to hope people pay for the cause, not the item. Not gonna get near $750 that way. (though, if anyone wants to pay more than $20 for an X-Files action figure, a Darth Maul from Star Wars, or $25 for a Star Trek Ken & Barbie, let me know -- the money will go to this worthy cause, it just has to be worthwhile to sell them). And in case you feel so moved, you can click on my name (Becky) at my team’s donation page.
And I always use music. So here's a song, though is isn't by U2 (no, I'm not an imposter - keep reading), but by Snow Patrol; I love this song, it is about the really important things in life — someone to care about you & a place to call your own, it's called Lifening:
my favorite bit of lyrics, actually gets me a little misty:
Words of reassurance but only if they're true
Just some simple kindness, no vengeance from the gods
This is all I ever wanted from life, this is all I ever wanted from life
This is all I ever wanted from life
and I can’t exclude my lovely boys, here’s another sweet song:
and, as our wonderful President just said — making me get all teary — there is so much goodness in this country — please help me help kids who had crappy things happen, help us make their lives at least a tiny bit better