worththewords Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 It has almost been 3 years since I found this website after being diagnosed with POTS. In fact, it?s the first website I found that offered me any insight and tips on how to live with this condition. In addition, I found tremendous support from the forum that I wasn?t able to find anywhere else. Even though I waited awhile before officially joining the forum I would ?lurk? and read posts. For me this site filled the void of loneliness that sometimes occurs when you have a condition that most people do not understand. I?d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who makes DINET possible and my fellow-members who make this forum a place to find information, comfort, and even a smile. To show my appreciation I will be making a donation to DINET. I noticed that this forum has over 800 members. I?m not exactly sure how many of those members are active but if we would all make a small donation to show our appreciation I bet we could really help DINET continue to raise awareness and educate others on dysautonomia. If you have $10 or more to spare you can go to donate through Network for Good online and donate by online check, debit card, or credit card. If you can?t spare $10, mail any amount you can to DINET. All donations will be beneficial.You can find information about donating here: http://www.dinet.org/how_you_can_help.htmWe have the silent auction coming up this summer to raise money for t-shirts. Let?s see how much else we can raise by just showing our appreciation for this forum and website! ~Alexia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sawicki Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Thanks so much for posting this, Alexia! Every little bit does help. We stay in business thanks to our member's donations, but truthfully only about 3% of our members donate. With only 3 out of every 100 people who benefit from our services giving back, we can only do the bare minimum and are constantly running fundraisers in an effort to stay afloat. It doesn't seem like much, but a $10. donation from every member would add up quick and really help us out. Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sawicki Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 We've added a page to our website to track Member Appreciation Donations. We've set the goal of $500. and have recieved 10% of that already. Yay! Watch as they grow: http://www.dinet.org/logo.htmI'd like to express my sincerest thanks to Alexia (worththewords) for coming up with the idea of Member Appreciation Donations. She has been working hard and brainstorming ideas to raise funds for DINET. I can't thank her enough for her efforts!Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 I like seeing the donations this way and tracking our progress! It is a more tangible, visible way to see what's needed and what we can do--and also how quickly we can make progress with even small donations!Thanks Alexia for chipping in--I just donated for the brochure campaign and previously to fund the forum for the year--but each time I am able I try to chip in! DINET is very close to my hear too (as Michelle definitely knows!).How are we coming with brochure donations? I hope we will be able to reach our goal of printing those. Just went to see a new urologist, who I liked a lot, but he said he knew nothing about ANS disorders. So, I will be bringing a brochure to my next appt! I appreciated that he at least admitted to knowing nothing!THANKS! Your positive energy and attitude towards helping DINET are much appreciated!Emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sawicki Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 I like seeing the donations this way as well, Emily. I think I will keep it up and add all of this year's donors after we reach our goal. I just received the brochures in the mail today. Yay! Now I will contact the gals who were interested in sending them out and get that squared away. They'll be available soon.We've received even more donations toward our goal: http://www.dinet.org/logo.htm (YAY!)I also made some updates to the website. There are a ton of new links on the What's New page. Some of those links were sent by hmichel, buddyleeswife and I think briarrose may have sent one or two as well. I hope I am remembering everyone. There are lots of good articles to read, for those of you who have some extra time today: http://www.dinet.org/Whats_new.htm Amber (Amby) was also kind enough to update our list of support groups, which I hate to admit was w-a-y out of date. We update it every year, but a lot can change in a year. We still are waiting for responses from some of the leaders, so we're not sure if everything on the page is 100% correct, but it is better than it was. Thanks Amber!Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 I tried to donate but the website wouldn't let me because I'm not a US resident. CAn we use another program that allows for international donations? What about paypal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sawicki Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 I'll send you a PM regarding this.Thanks!Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetM Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 I would like to donate. Whats the best way from Ireland? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sawicki Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 I sent both you and persephone a PM regarding international donations. Thanks!Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sawicki Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 We've reached almost half of our goal now thanks to donations from Gilbert Santiesteban, Staci Friedman, and the Lorenzo family on behalf of Chrissy.http://www.dinet.org/logo.htm We can't thank you enough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 This is amazing! I am just so excited to see how quickly the little thermometer is inching up! Thank you all so much! Frankly, just the ability to create that graphic on the website amazes me! (I know, I'm loopy).We have so many things 'in the works' right now and so much fresh energy to work on things, it is really exciting! Emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sawicki Posted May 5, 2006 Report Share Posted May 5, 2006 We are over half way to our goal!!! Thank you, Dan Jacoby, for your donation! http://www.dinet.org/logo.htm Emily, if you can make a table in a program like Microsoft Word, than you can make the graphic I just made. It is really easy. Make a take, split or merge a few cells, add some shading to the background and wha la (How do you spell that anyhow? LOL!). I like all the fresh energy aboard too! It's exciting, and the more people involved, the more we'll get done!Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted May 5, 2006 Report Share Posted May 5, 2006 Michelle!It's Voila! Hope this makes you smile! Hey, I'll do the Voila! you can do the graphic! Em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sawicki Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 So it's "viola!" Thanks Emily! I forgot to mention that Dan's donation was made in memory of his friend who passed away a couple of years ago, Brent Allen Chance.We've received a $100. donation from Hugh Washburn, in honor of Joannie Boehnen! Now we only need $135.00 more to reach our goal! http://www.dinet.org/logo.htm Thanks to everyone who helped Alexia's "Member Appreciation Donation" idea become a reality. We're very grateful for all of your help here at DINET, and our work wouldn't be possible without it. Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 Awe...Dan, thanks for the memorial donation to our mutual friend Brent. I bet he's smiling as much as I am right now. Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worththewords Posted May 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 It's so exciting to see the meter move closer towards the goal each day! Only $135 more to go to reach the goal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sawicki Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 We've reached our goal!!! Melissa Davis donated the needed $135. Thank you, Melissa! And thank you, Alexia, for coming up with the idea of Member Appreciation Donations. These donations make our work possible, and we can't thank our donors enough. http://www.dinet.org/logo.htm Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 Yippee!!!! and....Voila! Look at that thermometer filled to the tippy top! I also like the confetti addition! Em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunfish Posted May 7, 2006 Report Share Posted May 7, 2006 Thanks SO much to Alexia (worththewords) for putting the idea on the table & to all who donated. It is MUCH appreciated. melissap.s. remember that just b/c we've reached the current goal doesn't mean that donations aren't always needed & welcome....they will just allow DINET to do more going forward... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted May 8, 2006 Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 Very good point, Sunfish!I think it just means we get to have ANOTHER thermometer to watch! It's almost as good as the PandaCam! Okay, I need something for this loopiness, don't I?Thank you Alexia and everyone who donated!Em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sawicki Posted May 8, 2006 Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 We've received another donation! Robert and Sally Miller donated $100. on behalf of Chrissy Lorenzo. Thank you!I've changed the page so that we can track donation until the end of the year, at which point we will start anew. Thanks to those of you who have helped, and those of you who are planning to help in the future. Donations will be used for dysautonomia education.http://www.dinet.org/logo.htm Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poohbear Posted May 8, 2006 Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 Just my opinion but I think we need to raise our goal and keep going or add a second goal that would carry us to the end of the year.Another thing about this....as I've been looking into trying to do some grant writing to obtain some funding for us....if we can show that we can raise some money and keep small projects going on our own through our own hard work and effords then funders will be more likely to want to help us. They do look for stability and dedication in us first so this is a great way to maybe help get the ball rolling on that front as well.Thanks to everyone who has been involved in this and who are able to donate!! Fund raising is sometimes a not -so- fun part of running an organization but it's the only way we can even think about getting the word out and educating Dr's as well as supporting patients and families. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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