Organizing a Fundraiser

Like most people, I have been quite troubled by all the earthquake and tsunami photos coming out of Japan. Living in the Pacific Northwest, I am especially empathetic to the destruction that can come from an earthquake. We have been living under the shadow of "the big one" ever since I can remember.

Number 30 on my list of 37 Things I Want to do Before I turn 38 is Throw a fundraiser. Now of course I was thinking I would do this in the fall and have plenty of time to plan for it and make cute invitations and the like. But the thing I learned this week is that you can't plan for disaster relief like it's a game; you don't know when disaster is going to strike. So you just have to buckle down and do it.

And so I am going to make dinner and invite my friends over and ask them each to make a $50 donation to the Red Cross. And I am going to have a small silent auction and raffle tickets for some good stuff. Now I just need to find the good stuff and plan the menu and, well, it is a whole lot easier than being in an earthquake.

Also, we decided to have it on my husband's birthday because then we can also ask people to donate money in lieu of gifts. I am hoping to raise $1000.

You have to dream big, right?