Friday, January 22nd 2010

Fundraiser for Earthquake Victims

There is a scene in The Fifth Element when Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) sits down at a computer to learn everything about the human race. The moments, the disasters, flick past her and by the time she’s learned everything there is a look in her eyes of terrified incomprehension, and she falls into Bruce Willis’ arms, spent.

Keira came to me yesterday afternoon with a similar look in her eyes. Stupidly, I had left the 5pm news on while I was preparing dinner. The news upsets Keira, so I normally keep it off. We had this conversation:

“Mum, that Prince (William) went out to the fires. I didn’t see any water. It was all dry.”

“Many of those people need water tanks out there. Some might get it supplied to them in pipes underground like we do. The area is still dry and recovering from the fires last year.”

Before that, a news story was on about a seven year old boy and his twelve year old sister being pulled alive from the wreckage a week after the Haiti earthquake.

“Mum, what does dehydrated mean?”

“Our bodies need water to survive and function. Those kids were lucky because they got out…”

(I left out “…alive”)

Not that I needed to add it anyway.

“So those kids will be okay?”

“Yes.”

“But others won’t.”

“I’m afraid not.”

Keira looked at our kitchen taps, and her feet upon the floor.

“Will we run out of water?”

“I don’t think so, no.”

“Will we have an earthquake?”

“It’s unlikely because we don’t live in an area that is prone to earthquakes. Some countries are more vulnerable than others.”

Keira exhaled deeply, smiled a half-smile, and walked away.

She still thought about those children, I know it. As did I.

******

haiti

Photo by IFRC

For the next twenty four hours I’ll be having a fundraiser: for every comment left here I will donate one dollar to the Australian Red Cross Haiti Appeal. This will run from 8.45am (time of posting) today until 8.45am tomorrow (Saturday, Eastern Australian Daylight Savings Time)

Also, I will randomly pick two lucky people who will win either a copy of Surprise! or a copy of Miscellaneous Voices: Australian Blog Writing upon its release (their choice).

Thank you for your support.

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47 Comments on “Fundraiser for Earthquake Victims”

1
Jasmin (3 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
8:53 am

Hi Karen. First comment? First dollar :)
Are you going to cap it?

2
lisa (10 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
9:02 am

What a clever idea for a fundraiser!

3
Veronica (82 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
9:05 am

I’m lucky that I’ve not had to discuss news stuff with Amy yet. She’s still too little and wrapped up in her own world. Which I think, at this point, is exactly how she needs to be.

Great idea for a fundraiser.

4
Karen (Miscellaneous Mum) (79 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
9:08 am

Jasmin – no cap!

5
Liz
January 22nd, 2010
9:17 am

I’m actually about to head off to do volunteer training for the Red Cross in their retail shop in Newcastle. This is a great fundraiser, wanted to be a part of it. I will also be donating through World Vision.

6
Amanda
January 22nd, 2010
9:30 am

It is always there at the back of my mind. We are so fortunate.

7
Super Sarah
January 22nd, 2010
9:40 am

We haven’t had the news on at all, I can’t bear to watch it and I don’t want Amy to see the images that are burned onto my mind’s eye. Well done for this, such a great idea. I have donated and will donate again, and probably again. Its not much but at least its something.

8
Lisa (1 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
9:54 am

Hi Karen,
My 11 yr old son with autism has a hard time with the news too, we find that he becomes quite obsessed with what he sees and has trouble processing it (who doesn’t!) and his emotions about it.
Great idea for a fundraiser…I’m off to the Red Cross Appeal site to donate now myself.
Lisa

9
Nerida
January 22nd, 2010
9:59 am

Thanks for being so generous, Karen.

10
katepickle (15 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
10:08 am

You are a fabulous generous blogger… am tweeting and will link to you when I blog today… I hope you get a million comments!

11
Kim (frogpondsrock) (5 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
11:57 am

I will match you dollar for dollar up to a maximum of $100.

12
jen (44 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
11:57 am

Great idea.

13
Tracey (8 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
12:03 pm

Am I allowed to comment more than once? :)

14
Tracey (1 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
12:15 pm

Fantastic initiative! I will check back and see how many comments there are – and try my best to match your pledge also

15
B + M + L x 2
January 22nd, 2010
12:34 pm

L isn’t even 3 yet, but I am starting to think he shouldn’t be watching the news now. Just seeing his face with what’s been on there lately, there would be all these questions in his head I’m sure… As a mum, it is so devastating to hear about all of the orphans in Haiti now :(

16
Pixie (1 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
12:48 pm

Fabulous idea!!!

17
Rae'
January 22nd, 2010
1:10 pm

Great idea!…this really proves how great and kind hearted people still are around the world!…

18
Rae'
January 22nd, 2010
1:11 pm

Love this idea!…this really proves how great and kind hearted people still are around the world!…

19
Rae'
January 22nd, 2010
1:12 pm

Sorry i commented Three times yah’ll….I guess i was just key happy lol…but hey every little bit counts in this case!

20
Liza
January 22nd, 2010
1:22 pm

Awesome idea! Keep it up :)

21
Marian Dalton (1 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
1:36 pm

Discussing it with the kids has been particularly fraught, in our house. No. 1 daughter is distressed, so we try to draw her attention to ways that people are helping, and thinking about helping in general. Much of her distress seems to come from frustration – she can’t do anything except donate money with her family, and she wants to do much, much more.

22
Megan
January 22nd, 2010
1:39 pm

You are inspiring! Off to Red Cross to make my donation now!

23
Nikki aka Widdle Shamrock (1 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
1:47 pm

What a thoughful idea.

24
Kate @ UpsideBackwards (1 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
1:51 pm

Good for you! And you too, Kim (frogpondsrock)!

25
TIff (82 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
2:23 pm

fantastic idea. Very much an inspiration.

26
Kristin (4 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
2:30 pm

Came over from Kim’s blog. What a wonderful idea. Thanks to both of you for your generosity.

27
SquiggleMum (7 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
2:59 pm

Every little bit helps…

28
Nanny Pickle
January 22nd, 2010
3:12 pm

Super idea.The Haitians need all the support we can give.

29
Liz
January 22nd, 2010
3:26 pm

In times like these all we can do is hope, and send money. Good idea.

30
PlanningQueen (53 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
3:46 pm

Wonderful idea Karen!

31
Bobbie
January 22nd, 2010
4:18 pm

Every little bit helps. Thank you!

32
Rae (1 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
4:41 pm

How fantastic. Well done!

33
Maxine (15 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
5:04 pm

Fantastic idea Karen. The world should be full of people like you.

34
Mrs. Oh (1 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
5:15 pm

Great idea!

35
Catherine (1 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
5:15 pm

This is very generous of you. I too find the news disturbing and keep it off because I think my eldest son will feel the same.

36
Seraphim (6 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
5:58 pm

Brilliant and generous idea. x

37
CarlaDelvex (4 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
6:03 pm

I don’t think I will ever forget the look on my son’s face the day of the disaster. He just kept saying… But why? Why Mum?
It wasn’t a question any of us could answer.

Thank you for doing this Karen.

38
Sharon
January 22nd, 2010
6:06 pm

Hopped over here from Kim’s Frogpond. Brilliant idea! Will be off to the Red Cross site next.

I can’t bear to see the pictures of all those poor children either. I just want to scoop them all up and bring them home with me.

39
Leiani
January 22nd, 2010
6:28 pm

Just gotta comment, though no words can fully express my sentiments. Hopelessness, but with a small grain of hope, due to the generousity of people like you.

40
Leigh (1 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
6:55 pm

Great idea Karen :)

41
Marita (34 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
7:02 pm

Ah Keira. Her questions remind me so much of the questions Annie asks with that same heartbreaking dawning of knowledge in her eyes that the world is not always a good place.

42
Alicia (1 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
7:22 pm

This is so great – I know a lot of American bloggers are doing a similar thing, but this is the first I’ve seen anything like this on an aussie blog.

43
tiggy (1 comments.)
January 22nd, 2010
8:54 pm

What a generous thing to do Karen. Good on you.

44
Sharon
January 22nd, 2010
9:01 pm

Well done Karen, you have a good heart, and sounds like your daughter does too!

45
D.Paul
January 23rd, 2010
12:44 am

I see Keira has your sense of compassion, Karen. Bless you; you’re a saint among, well, women and men. Not a very creative comment, I’m afraid, but anything to help.

46
TF (1 comments.)
January 23rd, 2010
8:28 am

Just made it in!

Worthy cause, great idea.

47
Shelly
January 25th, 2010
2:16 pm

I’m sorry i wasn’t able to read FRiday’s post until today…I definitely would have posted!! A great idea to help out Haiti.

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