We’ve had many wonderful people support us since our inception two years ago. We’ve blogged about our results in other places (Myspace, Squidoo etc) but I’ll add the results list here too.
One thing that many people dont know is that we are not a registered non-profit organization. Where we live, in order to become non-profit, you must have a committe of 5 people minimum, one being a secretary, one treasurer, one president and so forth. You have to have a monthly meeting and keep notes and vote on initiatives and such… all things that although we could do if we had to, we are too small to do at this point. The biggest detriment to becoming a non-profit is cost. It would cost us about $1500 dollars to file the necessary paperwork just to be considered. We dont think this is good use of the money that we collect from our photo auctions. Our overhead is very small: postage, ebay fees, paypal fees, and photo enlargements are usually the only expenses for an auction to happen. We also dont have a website (yet) for the same reason, although, really, this blog is better than a website in many ways 
So, auction results starting with the most recent, down to the oldest (to date our project has raised $4174.00)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 19 -In February 2009 Collective Soul came back through town for two concerts. We contacted their mgmt and they readily agreed to doing another Comfort Doll photo with us. Due to ‘life’ getting in the way (and a gut instinct) we held on to the photos and the band came back through town October 2009 and we were able to have the band autograph the photos, which we auctioned off in November.
Collective Soul is the first band we have done ‘repeat’ photos with, and the band was very generous with their time – allowing us to photograph not just the band, but each band member individually with his own special Comfort Doll. With the auction proceeds, $400.00 we were able to purchase the following through World Vision’s Gift Catalog:
–Supply a classroom with books, art materials, pencils, paper, notebooks, rulers and more ($50)
(North American companies have already donated many of these supplies–so this gift will multiply 11 times to ship and/or purchase needed supplies.)
–3 Soccer balls ($30)
(kids need to play and in many parts of the world children use rocks and sticks or balled up plastic bags as toys)
Irrigation Systems – ($50)
(Irrigation systems improve water use efficiency and help communities achieve food security during periods of drought. This gift will help provide struggling farmers with needed supplies such as pumps, pipes, sprinklers, emitters, rainwater harvesting tanks, lining materials for canals, and more. Your gift will also provide training and assistance in the proper design, construction and maintenance of systems for sustainable irrigation management)
–School Feeding for 50 children for a month ($75)
(Without proper nutrition, children can’t learn. Your gift will help build and stock school kitchens and dining halls to provide nutritious lunches to 50 little ones in a rural school for an entire month. It could be their only healthy meal of the day! Because of donations from the World Food Programme, your gift will multiply 5 times in value to help children)
–Immunize a Community ($100)
(Every year 1.4 million children die needlessly from diseases such as measles and polio that are easily preventable)
–Stock a Medical Clinic ($100)
(Provide basic medicines to children and families in impoverished areas of the world where hospital and health clinic shelves are often bare. North American companies have donated basic medicines like antibiotics, antimalarials, de-worming drugs, vitamins, aspirin, bandages, syringes, bed nets and more. Your gift will multiply 13 times to ship and/or purchase the needed supplies)
Many of these ‘gifts’ multiply many times over due to donation help from government agencies and other business’ generosity. We’ve split this money between health, education, clean water, and giving kids the chance to just be kids (soccer balls).
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 18 -We’ve worked with country singer Aaron Pritchett a few times over the last year or so… he posed for a Comfort Doll photo and allowed us to take multiple photos and auction them off in 3 separate ‘lots’ (along with some ’swag’; 2 cd’s, an Aaron Pritchett sweat shirt and a ladies Aaron Pritchett tank top) The first photo was combined with Blue October last fall, the second photo was auctioned in November 2008, and we were able to take a third photo to Aaron for him to autograph, when he came through town this summer for a show. We auctioned off that autographed photo in Oct 09 and were able to send $50 to World Vision for the following items:
-supply a classroom with all necessary supplies for a year ($50)
previously we also sent $60 to World Vision for Mosquito Nets and Vitamin A therapy as well as a combined $75 to Icross Canada along with money raised by the Blue October auction.
Our many thanks to Aaron Pritchett who continues to give back and has become a good aquaintence/friend of our project.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 17 – In March 2009 the Juno Awards were held in Vancouver. (Juno Awards are Canada’s equivalent of the Grammy’s). Mobile was one of the many bands hitting town and scheduled to play a venue, so we contacted them and asked about a Comfort Doll photo… they emphatically said ‘yes’ and so we did a photo with this amazing band, and auctioned it off in April 09. Mobile’s Comfort Doll photo brought in $45 which we used at World Vision’s Gift Catalog to purchase:
-Antibiotics for 10 Children ($30.00)
-Fortified Flour for a family for a year ($15.00)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 16 – In Mar 09, comedian -Brent Butt from Corner Gas came to town and on a whim I contacted his manager and asked about doing a Comfort Doll photo with him.. within a few short hours I had an answer back: Brent would be delighted to do a photo for our project when he came to town. I was able to take a friend with me to do the photo and it was pretty cool to meet the mastermind and comic genius behind Corner Gas
We auctioned off Brent’s photo and brought in $40 dollars – keeping with Brent’s sense of adventure and humor, we chose to purchase a Piglet! A piglet can plumb up to 90 pounds in only 3 months, is a great source of fertilizer and protein. A female pig can produce a litter every year to sell at market – it seemed the perfect fun gift.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 15 – Mar 09 -Jann Arden -
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 14 – Feb09 -Sam Roberts helped our project and the proceeds went to World Vision’s Gift Catalog. We raised $195 and were able to purchase the following:
-2 mosquito nets that will protect up to 8 children from malaria ($30)
-antibiotics for 10 children to protect from childhood diseases ($30)
-textbooks for a teacher to be able to teach for a year ($30)
-school lunches for 50 children for a month ($75)
-3 soccer balls (the children often play with rocks or balled up plastic bags) ($30)
We also did a KIVA loan for Sam on our KIVA Team His entrepreneur is Elizabeth, a shoe salesperson living in Tanzania. Many thanks to Sam and especially his manager, Dave Spencer who worked with us for over a year off and on, to make this photo op possible!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 13 -Jan 09 we also auctioned off an autographed photo of State of Shock as well as autographed drum sticks, guitar picks and a State of Shock tee signed by the band. With the auction money, $245.00 CAD, I was able to ‘purchase’ the following items at the World Vision Gift Catalog:
-2 mosquito nets to protect up to 8 children from malaria ($30)
-Antibiotics for 10 children ($30)
-School lunches for 50 children for one month ($75)
-Supply a classroom for a year (pens, pencils, writing books etc) ($50)
-3 soccer balls for school kids to have something to play with ($30)
-I’ve also taken $30 dollars from the total amount, and put it towards a KIVA Loan KIVA is an organization that helps people in developing countries through Micro Finance – people loan 30 dollars each and an Entrepreneur is able to receive a loan of anywhere from $400 – $2000 dollars to support a new or growing business. Once the loan is repaid, lenders can withdraw the initial 30 dollars or reinvest in a new loan. Once the loan is repaid (in 7 months) I’ll reinvest the money into a new loan on behalf of STATE OF SHOCK.
My thanks go out to Cameron, Jesse, Kadooh, Alley and Johnny of STATE OF SHOCK for their participation in our project; the initial photo and allowing me to come back and have the photo signed – as well as the cool band swag they loaded me down with for the auction! You guys are the best – and I mean that My thanks also to their management, especially Melissa for all her help.
*update – State of Shock’s first KIVA loan was paid back in November 2009 and so we reinvested the money into a new entrepreneur named Nelson from Kenya who sells shoes at his small business.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 12 – Jan 09 we auctioned off an autographed photo of Paul Rodgers (Queen, Bad Company, Free). The money raised from the auction ($105.00) was donated to World Vision through their online Gift Catalog and we were able to ‘purchase’ the following items:
-2 Mosquito Nets which will protect up to 8 children from malaria ($30)
-provided Antibiotics for 10 Children ($30)
-supplied necessary Vitamin A to prevent blindness in at risk children ($30)
-supplied Fortified Flour for 1 household for more than a year ($15)
Many thanks to Paul Rodgers and his manager Cynthia, as well as his tour manager Chris Crawford and photographer Brad Gregory for all their help and support, as well as Paul’s web design lady for all the promo with Paul’s fan club and website. They are all very nice people, totally committed to giving back in any way they can and it was my pleasure to work with them on this auction.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 11 – in Oct 08 we had our 11th auction featuring Jann Arden. We raised $189 dollars for World Vision which I used to purchase items at World Vision’s Gift Catalog. The items purchased were:
-Congo Emergency fund – this will furnish 2 children and their families with emergency supplies ($80)
-supply 10 children with antibiotics ($30)
-supply a classroom for a year (text books, paper, pencils etc) ($50)
-2 mosquito nets to protect up to 8 children from malaria ($30)
My thanks to Jann for participating, to her manager Chris for blogging about the auction, to my friends for reposting my bulletins and to those who bid and bid furiously! Congrats to the winning bidder too. Another successful auction with great results for those in developing countries like Africa.
**update – something amazing happened. Again! Just as with Seether’s fans pitching in and nearly doubling the auction final result, one of Jann’s listeners has stepped up to the plate and donated a huge amount – enough in fact to put the final results for this auction to $1000 dollars (Canadian)!!!! How’s that for amazing stuff! My many thanks to ‘d’ from Los Angeles who pitched in over $700.00 dollars and enabled us to go back to World Vision’s Gift Catalog and purchase some big ticket items this time out. In honor of what Jann has close to her heart, I’ve included mostly items that can benefit entire communities not just individual families, and have for the first time ever, added Child Soldier Rehab as one of the items chosen. Here is the complete/total list of what we were able to accomplish with Jann’s auction.
-Congo Emergency fund – this will furnish 2 children and their families with emergency supplies ($80)
-supply 10 children with antibiotics ($30)
-supply a classroom for a year (text books, paper, pencils etc) ($50 + $50)
-2 mosquito nets to protect up to 8 children from malaria ($30)
-2 Hens and a Rooster which can supply up to 120 eggs a year ($55)
-supply a Health Care worker with a bicycle and repair kit ($100)
-immunize an entire community ($100)
-Latrine for an entire community ($125)
-restore one child soldier ($75)
-wood conserving stove ($50)
-emergency nutrition for a child for 2 months ($60)
-school lunches for 50 children for a month ($75)
-stock a medical clinic ($100)
-$25 dollars to create a KIVA profile and loan in Jann’s name - Kiva is a micro finance organization where people in developing nations can take out small loans to get ahead. Many people loan $25 dollars and once the loan is paid back, we are free to withdraw our initial $25 dollars or reinvest it to another lender. Jann’s profile and loan has been added to Comfort Doll Project’s KIVA team. Come have a look/read – you might decide that KIVA is something you can do.
*update: November 2009 Jann’s Kiva loan was paid back in full so we reinvested the money into a new loan. The new entrepreneur is Maria from Nicaragua who runs a General Store.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 10 – September 08 had our tenth auction, and the results were mind numbing. Seether, a band from South Africa and LA were featured, and the auction raised just over $300.00 for the photos of the band and the autographed drumsticks and guitar picks. Seether fan’s donated an additional $414.00 dollars! All due to one fan (Leigh) not only winning both lots of items, but rallying as many Seether fans as she could to help out and donate more money, and those fans donating for a grand total of $715.00!
the money went for the following items (it’s mind boggling)
-fund a medical clinic with all supplies for a year ($100)
-buy a bike and repair kit (bike is how dr’s get around to visit their patients) ($100)
-hot lunches for 50 kids for a month (so 100 kids total) ($75 + $75)
-2 lots of Vitamin A to prevent blindness – 12 children treated in total ($30 + #30)
-2 lots of 2 beds nets each lot – will protect up to 16 children in total ($30 + $30)
-2 lots of antibiotics to treat up to 20 children in total ($30 + $30)
-3 soccer balls for kids to play ($30)
-3 school uniforms for 3 children to be able to attend school ($35)
-2 hens and 1 rooster which can produce up to 120 eggs a year ($55)
-furnishes a school room for a year with paper, pencils and other needed items ($50)
-provides enough fortified flour for one year to a family ($15)
I was able to use every last penny donated. Thank you so much to Seether – Shaun Morgan, John Humphrey, Dale Stewart and Troy McLawhorn, and to all the Seether fans who made this the most successful, biggest auction to date! You helped push the Comfort Doll Project over the $2000.00 dollar mark for donations to African charities
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 9 – August 2008, and featured Kim Mitchell, Weird Al Yankovic and rock band Theory of a Deadman. We raised $105.00 for World Vision which enabled us to do the following:
- feed lunch to 50 school children for a month ($75.00)
- provide antibiotics to 10 children ($30.00)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 8 – June 2008. Featuring Frankie Whyte and the Dead Idols, 54*40 and Single Car Garage, and together raised $70.00 which we used to purchase two items through the World Vision Gift catalogue
- 3 Agricultural Kits (local seeds, tools and training) to help 3 families feed themselves ($35)
- 3 School Uniforms to ensure 3 children can go to school ($35)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 7 – Our seventh auction was May 2008. Singer Matt Jones felt so compelled to ‘do’ something to help the victims of the Myanmar Burma Cyclone, that he helped our project by doing a photo with us. We raised $43.00 for World Vision, specific to the Myanmar Relief fund
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 6 – held Mid March 2008 and featured autographed photos of Collective Soul, and Tragically Hip. We raised $220.00 and were able to provide World Vision with funds for the following:
-supplies needed to keep a school classroom running for the entire year ($50)
-3 soccer balls (kids typically use balled up plastic bags!) ($30)
-2 rabbits to provide a family with a small business and a source of protein ($35)
-2 mosquito nets – each net can protect up to 4 kids against malaria ($30)
-Vitamin A to prevent blindess for 6 kids ($30)
-antibiotics for 10 kids ($30)
-fortified flour for a family for an entire year ($15)
A huge thank you to the band, their management, and the fans who helped by blogging about our auction, and to those who bid on the photo as well.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 5 – January, 2008 and featured the band Blue October (photos and autographed drum sticks). We were able to raise $75.00 which we sent to ICross Canada (the charity who uses these comfort dolls as packing foam). The money will go a long way to helping them continue to send shipments of HIV meds and used medical equipment to African Clinics.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 4 – Dec 07 was our fourth auction featuring Tom Cochrane, Daniel Lanois (U2 producer, musician), and NJ musician Jimmy Eppard, as well as 4 dolls that were knitted to loosely resemble the guys from U2., and we raised a staggering $500 dollars! This is the first auction that we started using the funds raised at the World Vision Gift Catalog and a little goes a long way. The list of items we ‘purchased’ is long:
-4 mother to child HIV prevention kits (prevents mothers from passing HIV on to their infants during childbirth)
-8 bed nets to prevent malaria – each bed net can protect up to 4 children
-4 batches of Vitamin A therapy to prevent childhood blindess – each batch to protect up to 6 children
All told, we were able to help up to 54 children with the generosity provided by Tom and Daniel and their managers/promo people, and the people that bid on the auction items.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 3 – May 07 was our third auction and we raised $140 dollars for U2 The Edge’s Music Rising foundation which was created after Hurricane Katrina – to help put musical instruments back in the hands of musicians so they could start making a living again. Thanks to Rocko and the Devils and A Sheep at the Wheel for their participation.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 2 – Oct 06 saw our second auction, featuring Jerry Marotta, Pete Levin and Star Trek actor Alexander Siddig and we raised $80 dollars for World Vision
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Auction 1 – Sept 06 our first auction featured Roger Hodgson from Supertramp, Tom Griesgraber and Bert Lams, and Massari, and we raised $86 dollars for Save the Children Fund
