Making a Difference
UPDATE: The winner of the Safeway gift card is Doreen!
Thank you all for participating and for spreading the word about child sponsorship.
--------------------------------- A couple of weeks ago I won a $50 Safeway gift card! I was super excited.
But I'm not going to use it.
Not at Safeway, that is. I'm going to use it for the greater good. To hopefully help someone else. To pay it forward.
Remember Charles? The deadline for his college tuition to be paid in full was today. And the total amount was paid in full! I don't know who contributed or how much the word spread, but I do know that social media is becoming one of the BEST ways to get the word out.
So it's my turn. Yep, I have a selfish reason -- I'd like more people to read my blog. =) But otherwise, my motives are pure.
I want to help the children in the Dominican Republic. Really, children all over the world. World Vision is present in many of these countries, making a huge difference. We sponsor a little boy named Eliazer from Bolivia. But I've never written him a letter or done much more than update my credit card information for the automatic withdrawal. Jessica Turner @ The Mom Creative is opening my eyes to what World Vision really does in these countries. Things like supplying pregnant moms with prenatal vitamins. Teaching villages how to fish or grow produce. Providing medical care to babies. Underwear. Relief aid. Her stories are making it REAL.
Here's what we're going to do.
I'm going to host a giveaway. You've seen other blogs doing it, right? So you know the drill. You could take home my $50 Safeway Gift Card, if you'll do one (or all) of the following things:
#1. Becoming a follower of my blog (whether in Blogger or Google Reader or some other means of subscription). I promise I write fun and interesting blog posts from time to time. Leave me a comment saying you are a follower (or were already) = 1 entry to win.
#2. Follow Jessica Turner at The Mom Creative. She is currently blogging about her trip with World Vision to the Dominican Republic. Leave a comment here saying you checked out her blog and are a follower of hers = 1 entry to win.
#3. Blog about this giveaway! Leave a comment with your blog post URL = 1 entry to win.
#4. Blog about Jessica's trip to the Dominican Republic -- tell others to read and be inspired! Leave a comment with your blog post URL = 1 entry to win.
#5. And if you have the resources, sponsor a child from the Dominican Republic!! Should equal 500 entries to win, but our treasure awaits us in heaven. Leave a comment saying that you sponsored a child = 1 entry to win.
#6! Pay it forward! Take something you've been blessed with and use it for greater good. Leave a comment telling me about it = 1 entry to win!
I'll pick the winner at random. Be sure there is some method of contact info in your comment (blog, facebook, email). Let's talk about this stuff over the weekend and we'll find out who the winner is (and how many children were sponsored!) on Monday.
Please spread this message today.
UPDATE: Giveaway will be extended through Wednesday, May 12 (midnight). Winner will be announced Thursday morning!