Pardon me a moment of exceptional sentimentality here, but I can’t help it. I’m getting a little Linda Richman as we speak.
From something that began as a flurry of e-mails amongst a couple of the Be the Change pals on Sunday, Paws for Japan evolved into a event with over 150 blogs, countless Facebook posts and Tweets, and untold participation- with only 3 days notice. It’s like we posted a “hey, we’re having a little cookout at the bay, BYOB” to the community wall at the library and the whole town showed up with hibachis. And flamethrowers.
That was a hell of a bonfire, everyone. $30,000 + to World Vets within 24 hours via their Chip In. And I have NO idea how much went in through their official donation button, but I do know it temporarily crashed due to the influx of traffic. That was shortly before Chip In also crashed for the same reason. Crashing all over the place because people were donating so much and so often, in the middle of one of the worst recessions in memory.
The need is still there, of course, and the auctions and companies donating proceeds are ongoing. But in one day, the word got out to a huge audience, and that is what was needed. People are now aware of the immense need when perhaps they just hadn’t thought about it in the days following the disaster in Japan.
I know I’ve said it before, but the feeling only strengthens with time: I am so proud to be a part of the pet blogging community. I am humbled and honored to count you all among my friends. Thank you all for caring and for making this community effort such a great success.
Wow! you made me cry too…….this is amazing, amazing, stupdendous news! I just marked on Facebook that I am grateful to have lost my last job in 2007. “When one door closes, another opens”………….if I hadn’t lost my job I wouldn’t have met sooooo many of YOU! The pet blogging community (and their readers) are like no other……..pet bloggers, pet lovers, pet readers……..have the most incredible hearts! I am so proud to be a part of such noble people.
Thanks to you and Your Daily Cute for originally bringing the Japan fundraising job to my attention through your updates that I subscribe to via email….you guys ROCK! xoxoxo Much Love from Caren and Cody
http://opcatchat.blogspot.com
It was a wonderful event, Dr. V! Thank you so much for putting it together. It’s great to see what we can do if we work together.
I went to the World Vets site the night before the big campaign (when you posted the Japan msg early…) and I got an error message… is that when it crashed?
Yep!
Starr is sending big sloppy kisses back – in fact she borrowed some Dogue de Bordeaux drool from Buddha! Wish I could post the photo here. I bet you know the one! xoxo
I cannot even handle all the cuteness in that photo 🙂
Yes! Your feelings…proud, humbled, honored…are what is giving me strength instead of despair right now. To be involved in just a small way makes me feel less helpless.
You did a great thing. Congrats on so much success in such a short time. I kept watching the donation numbers climb, and I thought … holy cow!
A friend wrote recently about what we can say to children in times like this, when there is so much suffering, and someone advised this:
ALWAYS look for the helpers. It’s the helpers who provide hope.
Words cannot describe our thanks to you! Such an amazing thing you pulled off! Thank you thank you from World Vets!!
Thanks so much to the BtC team for coordinating the effort. I am just blown away at the response – and the numbers continue to grow. Pet people are truly the most caring and generous people I’ve ever met! xoxo
BJC/vsc
I got so excited yesterday when I saw Iams post about the event on Facebook. You’re in the big leagues now, kid!
Yes! I was so happy to see how many people participated. Thanks for organizing it! The pet blogging community is truly a fantastic one.