Every year I haul my upholstered belly along the 3.5 mile trail in Magnussen Park for the Crohns and Colitis Foundation's "Take Steps" walk. (In previous years it has been held at places like the new Qwest Football Stadium).
Though the walk is a fundraiser for the CCFA, I usually don't bother to try and solicit friends and neighbors for money, because I find that kind of thing repugnant, and also because I dislike the fact that most organizations surrounding diseases tend to spend most of the money raised on administrative costs instead of actually doing something for people with the disease. They always claim they fund "research" into a cure, but do we ever see any real results from that? They also say they use the money for public education and awareness, but rarely does that seem to make a difference for your average Joe or Josephine who suffers from the ailment. When I once contacted the American Lung Association to see if they could help me afford my asthma medications, they laughed. All their money went to admonishing people to stop smoking and "research" into lung disease. My husband once worked for the American Heart Association and related that people would be shocked if they knew how little of the money actually went to research or public education. Something like 85 percent went to administrative costs, which means people in the organization were being well paid just to keep the Association perpetuating itself. I gather the same is true for the United Way and many other charitable organizations. And then there is the question of what would happen if they actually DID cure the disease? They'd be out of business, and these organizations are vast networks that employ many people...they don't want to cure dread diseases like cancer or diabetes, because then they'd be out of a job.
So, I was not going to force myself to put more than a token amount toward the CCFA to help them perpetuate the organization, when it seems obvious they're not coming up with a cure anytime soon. And of course they can't help individuals with Crohn's Disease afford the horribly expensive medication we are required to take every day. Heaven forbid they actually helped people with the disease they're trying to "cure."
However, the CCFA is actually hosting a Patient Education Day this Sunday, and I will attend for free, so I think that is one step in the right direction, getting Crohns and colitis patients together with doctors and nurses who specialize in the disease to help them understand it and perhaps find ways to afford the medications or an operation.
Anyway, I gather that the CCFA is doing a raffle for plane tickets, and I would love to see my mother fly out here to see her grandson, since she hasn't seen him in 5 years.
So here's the scoop, for every 100 dollars I raise, I get one raffle ticket. I figure one is all I need to win!
Please read the information below, and if only 4 people pledge 25 bucks each to my CCFA walk, I can get my raffle ticket. I promise that I won't ever do a pledge request again on this blog for at least another year.
Thanks!
Walk this Spring, Fly this Summer!
Spring is finally here! To honor its arrival, we're giving three lucky winners a chance to put free travel dollars toward a vacation destination of their choice.
For every $100 you raise for CCFA's Take Steps Walk in the month of April, you'll receive a raffle entry to win one of three great vacation travel prizes:
1st prize: Two $250 American Airlines giftcards
2nd prize: Two $200 American Airlines giftcards
3rd prize: Two $150 American Airlines giftcards
If you haven't registered yet, go to www.cctakesteps.org today and click on "Find Your Local Walk" to register for your local Take Steps event. Once registered, you can take advantage of online fundraising by sending out emails through your Participant Center or plan your own FUNdraising event.
What is Take Steps?
Take Steps is a community celebration that raises money for crucial research, and brings us closer to a future free from Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. More than 1.4 million American adults and children are affected by these digestive diseases. While many suffer in silence, Take Steps brings us together in a fun and energetic atmosphere, so we can make noise and be heard.
Start raising money today and everyone's a winner. You could win in our raffle, and we'll all be raising money for important research and raising awareness of two diseases that afflict millions of people. Register here:
http://online.ccfa.org/site/R?i=wM2uwXqLrfOwqW7TtRqSqQ..
Raffle Rules: For every $100 that is raised between 12:00am EST April 1 to 11:59 pm EST April 30, you will be automatically be entered into the raffle. Odds of winning are dependent on the number of entries received. The winner will be drawn on or about May 1.
ABOUT CCFA
CCFA's mission is to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these digestive diseases.
Information Resource Center: 888.MY.GUT.PAIN (888.694.8872)
Web site: http://online.ccfa.org/site/R?i=hmqJtLnAa0mXfcPZCQEfxw..
E-mail: info@ccfa.org
Phone: 800-932-2423
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