Daily Read #20: One Down; One to Go

Well if you missed the excitement yesterday, the maiden voyage of Good Reads for Good Deeds can be deemed a success. The Palmer Family's video for father, Ryan, to receive free Lasik surgery was declared winner of the humorous category.

Give yourself a big pat on the back if you helped out by voting and getting friends to vote. Truly couldn't have happened to a better family or in a better way. Don't worry we're not done yet either.

The Rachel and Ryan Palmer Edition of Good Reads proved that there is power to be harnessed all around us to accomplish good things. While Good Reads will have to take a different approach at accomplishing these good things, I'm quite confident we can and quite hopeful we will.

So about midway through the Hoopes Vision Video contest, I started looking ahead and thinking of how we could keep up the momentum we were gaining after Ryan had his new 'eyeballs'. I knew that that particular good deed was unique in that it only required daily clicks to accomplish; unfortunately few other good deeds are quite so easy. I knew that in order for good to be done there would have to be some green stuff and I don't mean pine boughs or holly.

Then I thought of the free car wash fundraisers that high school cheerleaders often carry out. People in the community pledge to donate $X amount per car washed and then after the wash the cheerleaders report how many cars were washed and the pledges are collected. Now before you start having visions of me in a wet white T-shirt sudsing up your Buick [shudder, shudder, shudder], this model is obviously going to be manipulated to fit the constraints of the blogosphere. Instead of pledges for car washes we pledge for blog visits.

Each month there will be a good cause spotlighted. Generous donors will be eager to donate to this cause in the form of pledges of anywhere from $.001-to $1,000 per 'good read' [I'd imagine most would fall closer to the former but everything would add up]. Because of the variability of the internet and hopefully the interest that all y'all will drum up, Pledgers will be able to set maximum pledge limits if they like or let it all play out (Philanthropy Gambling where you want the house to win and win big:). A pledge can also vary in length from anywhere from a single day to the Good Deed duration. Pledges will be collected after via the method most comfortable for the pledger and feasible for Good Reads i.e. PayPal, Mailed checks or even cash pick up.

So where do you fit in? There are good deeds that fit every one and. Doing any one of the following or in combination will be more than sufficient.

1. Keep reading: a daily visit will translate to a donation.
2. Get others here: the more the merrier under this model. Promote posts you like, put us in your sidebar, tweet, text or telegraph your friends.
3. Consider a pledge: If you have the means to consider pledging for a good deed, please do. It is completely adaptable to what you are able to contribute. Good reads averaged 60 visits per day during the Palmer Edition. Making a pledge of a penny per visit would have translated to about 10 dollars. Making a pledge of a tenth of a penny (an option that even the salvation army can't give you) would be a pledge of a dollar. These figures of course could further be adapted by adjusting the pledge dates
4. Give us Feedback: let us know what posts you like, what you think would be popular, offer suggestions of future good deeds or even to guest author a post.

Clicking the Change button in the sidebar will take you to the pledge form that will likely make that process easier to visualize.

So now you may be wondering what is this good deed all about.
As you may already be aware of [unless you're like me and filter out holiday cheer until after Finals] 'tis the most wonderful time of the year. There are lot of good opportunities to help out others around the holiday and I think it's one of those times when the majority of people recognize a need to help others.

I've spent a couple of days looking into what I felt would be the best next good deed. In both my searching and reflecting I've continued to think about positive experiences with the United Way based Sub for Santa program. Many of you may be familiar with this program that provides Christmas presents for families in need or special circumstances. As I visited their website I came across a page of recommended books for donation. This is when inspiration struck. Previously I've thought of these donations in two forms coats and pajamas and then toys.

I would have never thought of donating a book. But the more I've thought of it since, the more I want to and not just one but many.

For several reasons, for example some of the most lasting memories of christmas gifts are books I received. Second there is something about a kid owning his own books that I think empowers him to own his own education. I look at reading as both an escape hatch and a ladder. Books provide an immediate retreat from one's current surroundings but they also provide a long term path upwards. Literacy elevates the mind and it elevates the person. Finally I think the whole book donation activity fits our theme here of Good Reads and I'm all about a cohesive theme.

So the plan: raise money for books for the Sub for Santa program. Pledge, View, and/or get as many people as you can to do the same.

Email me at goodreads4gooddeeds@gmail.com with questions or leave a comment.

Again thank you for being interested.
I'll do my best to keep you interested.