10.27.2009 UPDATE: We have a winner! And thank goodness it's a Caps fan! Congratulations Matthew Jordan!
Again, thank you everyone! Grateful for your generosity ... which has by far, really exceeded my initial expectations. This could not have been accomplished without each and everyone of you. Thank you Friends of the World Food Program for your continued efforts out in the Philippines and the Pacific.
10.19.2009 UPDATE: All good things must come to an end. I'm getting weary of dragging this out. The window of opportunity to get a pair of lower level tickets to a Washington Capitals home game and puck signed by AO will close at 11:59pm on Monday, October 26th, 2009 which is the night before the day of the tilt against Philly. Thanks all for your contributions and generosity. Caps fans, Pens fans, strangers, family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, businesses alike ... It's been a good run. Winner of the tickets and puck to be notified on the morning of Tuesday, October 27th ... and later announced prior to the tilt against Philly.
10.09.2009 UPDATE: Free pair of lower level tickets (section and seats below) to a Washington Capitals home game and puck signed by Alexander Ovechkin
Free pair of lower level tickets to one of the following games:
Philly on Tuesday, October 27th -- Section 116 Row M Seats 7-8
Montreal on Friday, November 20th -- Section 116 Row M Seats 1-2
Carolina on Friday, December 11th -- Section 107 Row M Seats 9-10
Toronto on Friday, January 15th -- Section 116 Row M Seats 1-2
Detroit on Tuesday, January 19th -- Section 116 Row M Seats 7-8
Anaheim on Wednesday, January 27th -- Section 106 Row F Seats 7-8
Pittsburgh on Sunday, February 7th -- Section 116 Row M Seats 7-8
NY Rangers on Saturday, March 6th -- Section 116 Row M Seats 7-8
Boston on Monday, April 5th -- Section 106 Row F Seats 7-8
For seat locations, see: http://www.verizoncenter.com/tickets/tickets_caps.shtml
The typhoons have passed by, but the destruction is still felt ... mudslides, floods, destroyed buildings ... for more, read here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/09/philippine-mudslides-floo_n_314803.html
POST RACE FOLLOW UP: Free pair of lower level tickets (section 106, 107, 116, or 121) to a Washington Capitals home game and puck signed by Alexander Ovechkin
With the encouragement of a lot of folks, the fundraiser drive for Friends of the World Food Programme will continue until a date soon TBD or when the target amount of $4,000 is reached. Inspired by the Fury unleashed during the Washington Caps tilt against the Maple Leafs on Saturday night, I am throwing out there 2 lower level tickets to a Washington Capitals home game. Included along with the pair of tickets is an autographed puck by Alexander Ovechkin, courtesy of the Ted Leonsis and the Washington Capitals organization Here's the challenge: Think you can rally up a bunch of donations to my fundraising cause? ... from friends, colleagues, acquaintances, or strangers? If you can, get them to donate at http://www.firstgiving.com/christophercabacar and let me know (via christophercabacar@gmail.com) you vouched for my fund raising cause -- please include in the email the name of the person who donated on your behalf. The person who rallied the most donors contributing on their behalf get the the pair of Caps tickets and autographed puck.
Just a reminder ... of why we're doing this. Thousands of people in the Asian Pacific-Oceania-Indonesia area are in need of help help whether they be Filipinos, Samoans, Indonesians, Cambodians, Vietnamese, etc. Tsunamis, typhoons and earthquakes couldn't care less whom they strike. Your donations go immediately to Friends of the World Food Programme.
Thanks everyone. Grateful for your generosity as always!
COOL DOWN: With the encouragement of a lot of folks, this fundraiser continues until a date TBD. Included in the package of 2 lower level tickets to a CAPs home game is an autographed puck by Alexander Ovechkin, courtesy of the Washington Capitals organization. Read below for details on how to get a chance to get these tickets. Thanks everyone ... Grateful for your generosity as always!
LAST MILE KICK: One last thing before I turn myself in for the night. Inspired by the Fury unleashed by the Washington Caps tonight, I'm throwing out there 2 lower level tickets to a Caps home game. Here's the challenge: Think you can rally up a bunch of donations to my fundraising cause ... from friends, colleagues, acquaintances, or strangers in less than 8 hours? If you can, get them to donate and let me know you vouched for me -- please include the name of the donor. Those who rallied the most donors contributing on their behalf get the Caps tickets! Thousands of people in the Asian Pacific-Oceania-Indoneasia area need help whether they be Filipinos, Samoans, Indonesians, Cambodians, Vietnamese, etc. Tsunamis, typhoons and earthquakes couldn't care less whom they strike. Please help out!
HOMESTRETCH: Less than 24 hours until the gun goes off at the start line. A letter from AJ ... http://files.me.com/cristoforo/1vfcbk
UPDATE: Congratulations and my sincerest gratitude and thanks go out to all who donated ... we are overwhelmed by your generosity! Since expectations were exceeded I thought I would raise the bar higher with 2 days to go until the race. Recently I had spoken with my good friend AJ and he informed me that his family had really been hit hard by Typhoon Ketsana. I could share stories and will do so when I get more information. As if Ketsana were enough, there's yet still another Typhoon threatening to wreck even more havoc. We've decided on setting the bar higher to help out not only those in the Philippines, but also those in Vietnam, Cambodia, Samoa, and the Indonesia area. Please spread the word and share the link to this page. Email it to colleagues, friends, family. Post the link on Facebook or tweet away on Twitter. I would love to see more $1 donations from strangers ... I have to believe and still do believe that $1 goes a long, long way when thousands of people contribute that amount! We're no longer living in a world of isolation but an interconnected global one. So, please, I humbly ask you to join AJ and I in spreading this cause even more ...
Gratefully,
Christopher and AJ
More info on the Super Typhoon at the following links:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/01/philippines.typhoon.parma/index.html
http://www.weather.com/newscenter/topstories/todayinweather.html?from=hp_news4#typhoonparma1002
INITIAL APPEAL:
Dear family, friends, colleagues, and professional acquaintances,
First, thank you for taking the time to visit this page. Here's the story. I initially was not going to run the Army Ten Miler race this year, but I recently learned that family in Manila were directly affected by Typhoon Ketsana. Relatively, their plight isn't as bad, for which I am grateful, as those of their friends and neighbors (in the Filipino world, we consider them family too) who have the worst of it in the surrounding shantytown/suburbs that were hit hard. If you have not heard about this, catch up here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8277905.stm
Additionally, here's something shared by the World Food Programme to chew on: "Over the weekend, torrential rains pounded the Philippines. Tropical Storm Ketsana has resulted in widespread flooding, landslides and massive population displacement. More than 1.8 million people have been affected, and that number could rise. Following an emergency assessment, the World Food Programme has identified at least 178,000 families in need of immediate food aid. Sending a donation today will help families at a critical moment. Many families have lost their homes. Let’s join together to help ensure they don’t go hungry as well. A donation of: - $18 provides a family with rice for 2 weeks - $90 feeds 5 families for 2 weeks - $180 feeds 10 families for 2 weeks"
Anyways, I was hoping to run the race as a means to raise funds and donate the goal amount to Friends of the World Food Programme. Fortunately, a fellow runner and kind soul offered their bib # so I am officially in the race. Thanks Andrew O'Connor! Logistics aside, the next step is where you come in. Given the short amount of time between now and the race (this Sunday, October 4th) would you please lend me a hand for my project Typhoon Ketsana Disaster Relief Fundraiser? I would be most humbled and really grateful if you could. Whether it be a dollar or two, everything will add up and go a long way in lending a hand to the unfortunate ones needing our help right now. Put simply ... if 4,000 folks donate 50 cents, that will amount to the target amount aimed for. 2,000 folks donate a dollar, and that hits the target amount aimed for. No need for huge donations like $18,000 ... just a lot of little ones at 50 cents. If you feel like going the extra mile and donating more than that, then by all means feel free to do so. At the very least, please forward this on to anyone who you think might want to donate, post this cause on Facebook, or tweet away this cause on Twitter.
With all that said, appreciate your time and consideration for helping me out with this goal... Hope all is well in your corner of the world and I will put in a PR (or at the very least a decent run) for all of you!
Gratefully,
Christopher
Note: Thank you for visiting my fundraising page! Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support my fundraising efforts. If you don't feel comfortable donating online and wish to send me a check or cash please let me know and I'll forward you my address. Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too! Other means of donating can be found here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/27/manila-flooding-how-you-c_n_301203.html
