I’m guessing you know what’s right around the corner.
That’s right. The annual Worldbuilders fundraiser starts on Monday, November 9th. Just a handful of days away.
It’s been a bit of a madhouse for the last couple weeks while we’ve been getting ready. Every year the fundraiser gets bigger and better. And this year we’re doing things we never could have dreamed of pulling off before.
As a result, we have a new addition to the Worldbuilders team. Her name is Mindy, and she’s been thrown into the fray at… well… let’s just call it an interesting time.
So… yeah. This is it. Your official advance warning. Start your engines.
Huh. Okay. That felt kinda strange to say. I don’t know where that “start your engines” metaphor came from. I take that back.
If you’re one of the true believers who read the blog regularly and enjoy helping out with the fundraiser ever year. Or if you’ve always kinda wanted to help out but didn’t know how, I have a few things you might want to consider before this year’s festivities kick off.
1. Team Pages
Last year was the first time we’ve had an easy option for people who wanted to create and manage their own teams inside the bigger Worldbuilders Fundraiser. We didn’t think much of it at the time because, well… we were busy getting all the books and prizes ready for the lottery.
But my readers are clever, quick witted folk, and some of you jumped right in and started making teams of your own. Some teams offered their own stretch goals and prizes. Some had friendly rivalries (Team Nerdfighteria and The Wayward Backers in particular)….
It was, to be perfectly honest, one of the cooler things that happened last year. It delighted me to see what y’all came up with, and it made me proud to see so many people taking the fundraiser and making it their own.
Last year someone set up a Spanish team. A family decided to forego Christmas gifts and raise money for goats instead. A convention in Luxembourg rallied their members to donate.
And I’m sure many of you remember a young girl named Charlotte who made a video because she wanted to raise $500 dollars, enough for a Heifer. You can see her smiling face in the picture above. You’ll probably also notice that she helped raise a lot more than her initial goal.
So if you’re amazed at the fact that over 60% of the world still cooks dinner over an open fire, but you don’t have the $1000 it would take to help an entire village get stoves. Or if you wish you could help a town get clean water but on your budget $300 might as well be a piece of the moon….
Well, maybe you could start a team, then rally your friends and family to help make it happen.
Trust me on this. People are good. If you give them a chance they will surprise you.
2. Stretch Goals
Over the years, we’ve had some awesome stretch goals. Here’s some of my particular favorites:
Molly’s Greatest Adventure
Trey Ratcliff’s bathroom selfie:
Amanda is particularly fond of everything Hank Green did for us, but last year’s angsty cover of Shake it Off cover was particularly fine.
The Doubleclicks Love You Like a Burrito!
Or what about that time Kevin Hearne did the Thriller dance?
We’re always trying to think of cool new stretch goals, and cool new people to help out with them. So if you have a clever idea feel free to mention it the comments below.
That said, let’s be reasonable in our expectations. Of course it’d be cool to see me and Nathan Fillion kiss, but obviously I don’t know Nathan Fillion. Because if I knew Nathon Fillion, the two of us would be playing Betrayal at House on the Hill in my tree house right now.
3. Donations and General offers of assistance.
Are you an author? A book collector? Someone who desperately needs to reclaim some shelf-space and the illusion of control over your life?
Are you a publisher? A game designer? Are you a maker of cool geeky things and you’d like to make the world a better place by donating a few to a good cause?
Are you a juggler? A gymnast? A singer? Can you bend spoons with your mind or something else you think would make a fun stretch goal?
Are you a programmer? An artist? A musician? Are you Nathan Fillion?
(If so, I’m sorry about that whole kissing thing I wrote up there. I didn’t mean to make things weird.)
Either way, drop us a line. We’d love to hear from you.
donations@worldbuilders.org
Soon,
pat
P.S. Don’t forget to leave your stretch goal suggestions below.