It's time again for my annual MS Fundraising Walk. As with last year, I
do not expect anyone here to donate to this cause, and I totally understand if nobody does. I was never going to post this, but a few people have asked where and how they donate to my team in the MS Walk.

Second, again, please don't feel like I am hitting you guys up for money (we are, after all, ALL trying to save and be more frugal!). The words and support you all have given me re: my MS has been the biggest gift of all, and I can never thank you all enough. THAT is what means the most to me.

But, like I mentioned, a few people asked for this info, so I am posting it. To those people, thank you from the bottom of my heart (and wallet!). You (and everyone else here) are all so special and totally rock!!

*hugs to everyone*

The MS Walk will be April 4th, in Dartmouth, MA. It's a six mile walk (no, I probably won't walk the whole 6 miles, but my team members all will). My team is called the Errington Clan, and right now we have 5 members. We're just shy of hitting $500, but still a bit away from out goal of $1,500!

To donate to the National MS Society 2009 MS Walk on behalf of my team, please click here: Errington Clan MS Walk.

Search for us by our team name (Errington Clan) or by a particpant (Becki Errington). All donations are tax deductible, and you can donate by check or CC (I suggest check...avoid CC debt!!! LOL). You can donate on behalf of the whole team, or in sponsor of one person, and your donations can be made anonymously if you like.

Again, thanks to everyone for ALL the support!!!

Our yard sale yesterday was fun. I drove up to sis' house and slept over Friday night, then we did the yard sale Sat morning. Friday night we had some wine, hung out, and watched Motley Crue on Larry King LIVE. YUMMY Nikki Sixx!

Made around $35 at the yard sale. More would have been nice, but I am not really disappointed. Most everything I sold was 50 cents or $1. Got rid of 5 purses and countless books. Everything that didn't sell went to the nearby Salvation Army, so that will be a small tax deduction come April. Doanted goods worked out to be about $150.

It feels good to get all that stuff cleared our of the house. The spare bedroom is almost donel sould be finished this week with a few more hours of work.

A few things I brought home that I know I can sell on craisglist or ebay (painting, a few rare collectible books, strawberry shortcake stuff). I'll try to get those up this week as well.

As for the cash from the yard sale, I am debating what to do with it. I could pay a bill, put it towards the house fund (staying at my sis' house Friday has the urge for my own house raging again), or use it for the new Motley Crue CD. I think it will go to savings for now, as I have enough to pay bills now, and hopefully when July bills come in I will be working already. If not I can (grudgingly) take it back out of savings. And I can download the new Motley Crue CD from ITunes with a gift card I am due to get soon from MyPoints. Will update House Fund when I get the money in there on Monday.

Also rolled some change last night. $5.50 so far, but I am 3 nickels shy of a $2 roll and 3 quarters shy of a $10 roll. I am going to this movies with my friend today (only $4) so the change I get back from that will hopefull be enough to push me over to have another $12 to add to the rolls.

Have a happy Sunday all!

Per Ima's advice, I am reposting...

First I would like to say that I do not expect anyone here to donate to this cause, and I totally understand if nobody does. I was never going to post this, but a few people have asked where and how they donate to my team in the MS Walk.

Second, again, please don't feel like I am hitting you guys up for money (we are, after all, ALL trying to save and be more frugal!). The words and support you all have given me re: my MS has been the biggest gift of all, and I can never thank you all enough. THAT is what means the most to me.

But, like I mentioned, a few people asked for this info, so I am posting it. To those people, thank you from the bottom of my heart (and wallet!). You (and everyone else here) are all so special and totally rock!!

*hugs to everyone*

The MS Walk will be April 13th, in Bristol, RI. It's a six mile walk (no, I probably won't walk the whole 6 miles, but my team members all will). My team is called the Errington Clan, and right now we have 6 members.

To donate to the National MS Society 2008 MS Walk on behalf of my team, please click here: Errington Clan MS Walk.

Search for us by our team name (Errington Clan) or by a particpant (Becki Errington). All donations are tax deductible, and you can donate by check or CC (I suggest check...avoid CC debt!!! LOL). You can donate on behalf of the whole team, or in sponsor of one person, and your donations can be made anonymously if you like.

Again, thanks to everyone for ALL the support!!!

First I would like to say that I do not expect anyone here to donate to this cause, and I totally understand if nobody does. I was never going to post this, but a few people have asked where and how they donate to my team in the MS Walk.

Second, again, please don't feel like I am hitting you guys up for money (we are, after all, ALL trying to save and be more frugal!). The words and support you all have given me re: my MS has been the biggest gift of all, and I can never thank you all enough. THAT is what means the most to me.

But, like I mentioned, a few people asked for this info, so I am posting it. To those people, thank you from the bottom of my heart (and wallet!). You (and everyone else here) are all so special and totally rock!!

*hugs to everyone*

The MS Walk will be April 13th, in Bristol, RI. It's a six mile walk (no, I probably won't walk the whole 6 miles, but my team members all will). My team is called the Errington Clan, and right now we have 6 members.

To donate to the National MS Society 2008 MS Walk on behalf of my team, please click here: Errington Clan MS Walk.

Search for us by our team name (Errington Clan) or by a particpant (Becki Errington). All donations are tax deductible, and you can donate by check or CC (I suggest check...avoid CC debt!!! LOL). You can donate on behalf of the whole team, or in sponsor of one person, and your donations can be made anonymously if you like.

Agan, thanks to everyone for ALL the support!!!

As (most of) you all know now, I have MS. Well, I have decided to do a fundraising walk for the MS Society. I've gotten a team together and we are raising funds and planning to walk in April. When I got my team registered, I started the fundraising efforts with $50. I'm hoping the team will hit $200 (we should; we're already at $125), but personally, I'd love to see the team hit $1,000.

Any rate, that $50 was the first of my 2008 Donations.

2008 Donations: $50

I got a call today (and a similar one last week from a national organization) from a local fundraising group. This is a cousin to a group I have donated to in the past. So, the guy calls and is all nice and friendly. He does his spiel. And I say, which is the truth: "I'm sorry but I can't help you right now. I lost my job last month and have not found a new one yet." What does the guy say? "Oh. Bye" and hangs up.

I couldn't believe it! And the guy last week was just as rude. Whatever happened to "Thank you anyways"? It was almost like they didn't believe me from the tone in their voice. It just makes me so mad that when I can't donate, they make me feel guilty. Ummm, hello?? JOBLESS over here! If you want to give me a job or find me a job, then I'll donate. But I already feel crappy enough about being unemployed; I don't need any extra help feeling like a worthless loser!

It just makes me never want to donate again. It's like some organizations see you as a bank and when the bank is closed for business, they throw a tantrum. Besides the fact, even if I WAS working, stop calling me! I donate when I can to who I want. Annoying me over the phone is just gonna make me take my money elsewhere!!

Grumble grumble.....

I tend to do more in donations for the community around the holidays. I know the community needs help all year, but for some reason, I, like a lot of people, tend to do a lot of it now.

Went grocery shopping yesterday and while I was there I picked up a food package. These things are great. They are prebagged packages of nonperishable food that you pick up and buy, and then the grocery store delivers them to families in the community for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas dinner. You can get $15, $10 or even $5 packages, so you can help out even if you don't have a lot of extra money. I grabbed a $5 one yesterday, and will grab another one next time I am at the store.

Also, today, while out holiday shopping, I was in the bookstore. Literacy is abig issue for me since I love books and words so much, and it breaks my heart that I live in a city where I am an exception because I have a college degree. Over half the population of this city cannot read or write above a 6th grade level. So, when something comes up for literacy, I always donate.

Anyways, at the bookstore they have this program where you pick up a tag, and it has girl or boy, and the age range of the child on it. Then you pick out a book for that child, buy it, and the bookstore delivers them to children from child and family services. My kinda program. So, I grabbed 3 tags, and picked up 3 books to donate. Total: a nice low $17.97 and I get to help give 3 kids some awesome books for the holidays.

Total 2007 Donations: $107.97

PS It has come to my attention that these Donation posts could be seen as me bragging, saying "Look how much I donate, nah nah nah..." It's anything but that. I see these posts as ones where someone can read them and get ideas on how to help those in need for a small amount, even if they don't have a lot of extra money. No matter how bad off I am financially, I try to remember that at least I still have food, clothes, and a home. Not everyone is so lucky. I just want to pass these ideas on to others who may want to help, but feel that they don't have a lot of money to do so. *hugs*

Very similar to the Mass Police Association I contribte to is the Mass Volunteer Firefighters Association. With being out of work, I couldn't make a big donation, but I did do a small one. I feel bad it is not more, but I figure I can do a bigger one when I get working again.

Nov. 13th Donation: $11 to MA Volunteer Firefighters Association

Total 2007 Donations: $85

I wish this number here was bigger, as well. I haven't done a lot this year. I will do Toys for Tots for the holidays, as well as buying meals for underprivledged families for the holidays. I am also going to do a holiday gift package to some of the military people still overseas.

The Mass Police have a great program I try to support every year. They raise money and it gets put into a fund for the families of police offices who have been killed or disabled while on duty. It's such a great program. They use to money to help with bills and expenses, money for the kids for school, etc. This year I was able to do a small donation of $25.00

August 30th Donation: $25 to Mass Police Fund
Total 2007 Donations: $74

Made a donation today to a co-worker. She is doing the American Cancer Societies Relay for Life. It's a cause I like to support, so I wrote her a small check.

May 30th Donation: $10 to American Cancer Society
Total 2007 Donations: $49

My best friend walks in the Relay for Life every year. It's a local fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. (Her Mom had breast cancer. She is a survivor, thank Goddess). I've been best friends with her for 16 years, and for some reason, she's never asked me to make a donation. I always wondered why...

but this year she did! YAY! So, I made a $25 donation to her for her fundraising. And Mums and Dad, being the kick-arse people they are, are also going to make a donation for her. She's like family, after all.

I'm so happy we could help her this year!

May Doantion: $25 to American Cancer Society
Total 2007 Donations: $39

$1.00 adoption via Wendy's
$1.00 Muscular Dystrophy via DnD

Total 2007 Donations: $14

I have decided to track what I spend in Donations. I don't do huge amounts but a little here and there.

Donations for January
$1 to adoption fund at Wendy's

Donations (so far) for February:
$1 to adoption fund at Wendy's
$10 to American Cancer Society Daffodil Days though work


Total 2007 Donations: $12