Lately I'm seeing a bunch of charity-related requests landing in the blog comments approval queue, so as I'm deleting them I thought I'd also post a reminder that I don't allow them on the blog. The main reasons for this are:
a) I don't have time to chase down all the associated links and make sure they're legit
b) In the past every time I have supported a big charity they've pestered me for years afterward to make more donations, to the point that what they pay in postage to ask for more money exceeds the sum I originally donated.
c) I can't support health charities that incorporate inhumane and unnecessary animal experimentation as part of their research, which is more of them than you probably want to know.
d) If I post one charity request I am ethically obligated to post them all, and eventually all you'd be reading here would be charity requests.
Please understand that I'm not anti-charity. Every year my family and I donate to worthy causes in our community, including the public schools, the no-kill cat shelter and the food bank. I donate lots of books to our public library and a children's charity. I also make at least one quilt or quilted project every year for a charity auction. So while it may seem like I'm being stingy, I actually do my part in private.
Thanks in advance for understanding.
Showing posts with label charity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label charity. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Wednesday, April 06, 2016
Stealing PBW
This week someone evidently used my name and business e-mail address to start a charity crowd-sourced campaign. I have no idea why someone would be that idiotic, or why the campaign information was not verified, but I notified the host site in question as soon as I started receiving suspicious e-mails. The site is now investigating those involved in this fraud. I hope they will put a stop to it immediately, but due to privacy policies protecting their users they will not notify me of what they find, who is doing this, or what action they take against the identity thief.
Since I can't do anything more about the identity thief right now, let me state this for the record here:
I do not belong to any charity sites.
I do not hold fund-raisers of any kind on the internet.
I do not allow any fund-raisers to use my identity for any reason whatsoever. This includes fans who want to raise money for me for whatever reason.
I do not expect my readers to fund any of my writing other than buying a finished book for sale through an online retailer.
If you ever are contacted by someone claiming to be me, or representing me, and asking you for money, I can guarantee you it's not me, or I didn't authorize it. This person is trying to swindle you.
Please understand that I'm not anti-charity. Over the years I have donated many signed books, gift baskets and quilts for various charity auctions and drives. When I can afford to, I also make private donations or buy charity auction items to help worthy causes. But that is the sum total of my involvement with online charities and fund-raisers. If I'm ever in financial trouble, I would go to my family for help -- not my readers and friends on the internet.
If you happen to spot anyone online soliciting for a charity or fund-raiser, and who is claiming to be me, or to be acting on my behalf, please contact me at LynnViehl@aol.com with a link or the pertinent information. Thanks for your help.
Since I can't do anything more about the identity thief right now, let me state this for the record here:
I do not belong to any charity sites.
I do not hold fund-raisers of any kind on the internet.
I do not allow any fund-raisers to use my identity for any reason whatsoever. This includes fans who want to raise money for me for whatever reason.
I do not expect my readers to fund any of my writing other than buying a finished book for sale through an online retailer.
If you ever are contacted by someone claiming to be me, or representing me, and asking you for money, I can guarantee you it's not me, or I didn't authorize it. This person is trying to swindle you.
Please understand that I'm not anti-charity. Over the years I have donated many signed books, gift baskets and quilts for various charity auctions and drives. When I can afford to, I also make private donations or buy charity auction items to help worthy causes. But that is the sum total of my involvement with online charities and fund-raisers. If I'm ever in financial trouble, I would go to my family for help -- not my readers and friends on the internet.
If you happen to spot anyone online soliciting for a charity or fund-raiser, and who is claiming to be me, or to be acting on my behalf, please contact me at LynnViehl@aol.com with a link or the pertinent information. Thanks for your help.
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Christmas at the Shelter
I paid a holiday visit to the no-kill cat shelter to make a donation and visit with the kitties, and here are some who kindly posed for me and my new camera (and if for some reason the slideshow doesn't show up on the blog, click here to go directly to it at my Photobucket account):
Donating to animal shelters and other rescue organizations is one of the nicest things you can do during this time of year. Cash is always welcome and much appreciated. Shelters also need food, cleaning supplies and other practical items to help care for their furry ones. Call your local shelter or check their web site to find out what they need most.
If you're ready to add a new member to the family, adopting a pet from a shelter is a marvelous way to provide a homeless animal with the home and love they need. You can also stop in at your shelter to spend some time with the residents if they allow visitors, or to volunteer as a helper. It really only takes a little time and care to do your part, and what you get back in return is absolutely priceless.
Donating to animal shelters and other rescue organizations is one of the nicest things you can do during this time of year. Cash is always welcome and much appreciated. Shelters also need food, cleaning supplies and other practical items to help care for their furry ones. Call your local shelter or check their web site to find out what they need most.
If you're ready to add a new member to the family, adopting a pet from a shelter is a marvelous way to provide a homeless animal with the home and love they need. You can also stop in at your shelter to spend some time with the residents if they allow visitors, or to volunteer as a helper. It really only takes a little time and care to do your part, and what you get back in return is absolutely priceless.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
International Assistance
Although I have a rule about keeping my charity activities mainly private, and any calls for donations off PBW, I thought this particular situation might make an interesting post for those of you who do get involved in international donations involving books or other reader or writer stuff.
On Monday I'll be shipping a donation for a silent auction at a romance convention in another country, so I have a day to put this together. My main priority is for the books to arrive in good condition, but I'd also like them be easy to store and later show at the auction, and hopefully look attractive enough tempt everyone to bid on them.
Just sending the books in a box means they may be removed and added to another, larger box of donations, which can result in things becoming misplaced or lost in the shuffle. Gift baskets generally don't travel well internationally, and with the new concerns about booby-trapped packages you want your contents to be simple to inspect should customs decide to take a peek (something shrink-wrapped baskets also inhibit.)
For all these reasons I'm going with a sturdy, attractive tote bag. Some authors have bags custom-printed with their cover art or promo, but as a reader I'm more inclined to use a bag that is more universal, like this B&N tote (click on image to see larger version):
I always like to send bookmarks along with book donations, and usually I insert these in the books themselves to prevent them from getting dented or dinged in shipment. Since my e-special Darkyn novella, Master of Shadows, isn't available internationally yet, I'll add in a CD containing a review copy (this I'll put in a jewel case which I'll then bubble-wrap to prevent breakage.)
Food, perishable and fragile items are some other things you should avoid shipping internationally; most countries have restrictions against shipping things like fresh fruit that may carry pests or diseases that could contaminate their crops. But if you're shipping from the U.S. and you're not sure, go to the U.S. postal service's Index of Countries and Localities and check out the destination country.
Here's what they have for Australia, the country my donation is destined for:
Prohibitions (130)
Coins; bank notes; currency notes (paper money); securities of any kind payable to bearer; traveler’s checks; platinum, gold, and silver (except for jewelry items meeting the requirement in “Restrictions” below); precious stones (except when contained in jewelry items meeting the requirement in “Restrictions” below); and other valuable articles are prohibited.
Fruit cartons (used or new).
Goods bearing the name “Anzac.”
Goods produced wholly or partly in prisons or by convict labor.
Perishable infectious biological substances.
Radioactive materials.
Registered philatelic articles with fictitious addresses.
Seditious literature.
Silencers for firearms.
Used bedding.
Restrictions
Jewelry is permitted only when sent as an insured parcel using Priority Mail International service. In addition, Australian Customs regulations prohibit importation of jewelry that is made with ivory or from endangered species, such as snake, elephant, or crocodile, that does not have an accompanying Import/Export Permit in relation to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Meat and other animal products; powdered or concentrated milk; and other dairy products requires permission to import from the Australian quarantine authorities.
Permission of the Australian Director-General of Health is required to import medicines.
Observations
Duty may be levied on catalogs, price lists, circulars, and all advertising introduced into Australia through the mail, regardless of the class of mail used.
Looks like a tote bag and books are okay, unless someone considers vampire fiction seditious literature, which actually wouldn't be a first. But if I were donating something like an antique quilt, it might fall under the "used bedding" restriction, so I'd probably have my shipper contact the appropriate authorities over in Australia to get a ruling or give them prior notice (which usually results in more paperwork to fill out, but for a good cause it's worth it.)
Before you pack your donation, one nice and helpful thing you can do is first arrange it how it should be displayed, take a photo of it and include the picture in your package. That way you can pack it sensibly (i.e. bubble-wrapping delicate things and folding up a tote bag) but the person who receives it has a visual on how you'd like it to be reassembled.
So there you have it. And for those of you who are planning to attend the 2011 Australian Romance Readers Convention in Sydney at the end of March, please do stop by the Silent Auction ARR is holding for the victims of the floods. Among the many things to bid on will be the above tote bag with a signed set of all seven of my Darkyn novels, a CD with a review copy of Master of Shadows, and maybe a few more little surprises.
On Monday I'll be shipping a donation for a silent auction at a romance convention in another country, so I have a day to put this together. My main priority is for the books to arrive in good condition, but I'd also like them be easy to store and later show at the auction, and hopefully look attractive enough tempt everyone to bid on them.
Just sending the books in a box means they may be removed and added to another, larger box of donations, which can result in things becoming misplaced or lost in the shuffle. Gift baskets generally don't travel well internationally, and with the new concerns about booby-trapped packages you want your contents to be simple to inspect should customs decide to take a peek (something shrink-wrapped baskets also inhibit.)
For all these reasons I'm going with a sturdy, attractive tote bag. Some authors have bags custom-printed with their cover art or promo, but as a reader I'm more inclined to use a bag that is more universal, like this B&N tote (click on image to see larger version):
I always like to send bookmarks along with book donations, and usually I insert these in the books themselves to prevent them from getting dented or dinged in shipment. Since my e-special Darkyn novella, Master of Shadows, isn't available internationally yet, I'll add in a CD containing a review copy (this I'll put in a jewel case which I'll then bubble-wrap to prevent breakage.)
Food, perishable and fragile items are some other things you should avoid shipping internationally; most countries have restrictions against shipping things like fresh fruit that may carry pests or diseases that could contaminate their crops. But if you're shipping from the U.S. and you're not sure, go to the U.S. postal service's Index of Countries and Localities and check out the destination country.
Here's what they have for Australia, the country my donation is destined for:
Prohibitions (130)
Coins; bank notes; currency notes (paper money); securities of any kind payable to bearer; traveler’s checks; platinum, gold, and silver (except for jewelry items meeting the requirement in “Restrictions” below); precious stones (except when contained in jewelry items meeting the requirement in “Restrictions” below); and other valuable articles are prohibited.
Fruit cartons (used or new).
Goods bearing the name “Anzac.”
Goods produced wholly or partly in prisons or by convict labor.
Perishable infectious biological substances.
Radioactive materials.
Registered philatelic articles with fictitious addresses.
Seditious literature.
Silencers for firearms.
Used bedding.
Restrictions
Jewelry is permitted only when sent as an insured parcel using Priority Mail International service. In addition, Australian Customs regulations prohibit importation of jewelry that is made with ivory or from endangered species, such as snake, elephant, or crocodile, that does not have an accompanying Import/Export Permit in relation to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Meat and other animal products; powdered or concentrated milk; and other dairy products requires permission to import from the Australian quarantine authorities.
Permission of the Australian Director-General of Health is required to import medicines.
Observations
Duty may be levied on catalogs, price lists, circulars, and all advertising introduced into Australia through the mail, regardless of the class of mail used.
Looks like a tote bag and books are okay, unless someone considers vampire fiction seditious literature, which actually wouldn't be a first. But if I were donating something like an antique quilt, it might fall under the "used bedding" restriction, so I'd probably have my shipper contact the appropriate authorities over in Australia to get a ruling or give them prior notice (which usually results in more paperwork to fill out, but for a good cause it's worth it.)
Before you pack your donation, one nice and helpful thing you can do is first arrange it how it should be displayed, take a photo of it and include the picture in your package. That way you can pack it sensibly (i.e. bubble-wrapping delicate things and folding up a tote bag) but the person who receives it has a visual on how you'd like it to be reassembled.
So there you have it. And for those of you who are planning to attend the 2011 Australian Romance Readers Convention in Sydney at the end of March, please do stop by the Silent Auction ARR is holding for the victims of the floods. Among the many things to bid on will be the above tote bag with a signed set of all seven of my Darkyn novels, a CD with a review copy of Master of Shadows, and maybe a few more little surprises.
Friday, January 09, 2009
Charity Requests
The new year usually results in a lot of bad moods. It's understandable -- this is the time of year when most folks begin diets, quit smoking, give up alcohol, return to the grind of the day job, see the balance on their credit cards soar, hear all the dismal economic news, start worrying about filing their taxes and so on. I can't think of a month I like less than January.
Things are a bit worse all the way around this year, thanks to the recession, the stock market crisis and soaring unemployment. I've been getting flooded with public and private charity requests. There are a lot of people in need out there, there always are, but I expect it will escalate very rapidly in the months ahead.
I had to turn down a lot of folks this month who asked for donations or for me to post solicitations for donations here at PBW. I wish I could help everyone, but no one has unlimited resources, not even me. In the past I've used PBW a few times to promote causes I felt were deserving, but I really have to stop that now. People are getting upset with me for not automatically giving my support. They don't understand that if I did that, this place would eventually turn into Paperback Writer's Charity Blog.
I'm going back to the way I used to handle publishing charity-related/fund-raising activities, which was privately or anonymously. I've worked with a few of you out there on projects like that in the past, and I think you'll agree it's the best way for me to stay actively involved without raising unrealistic expectations or causing hurt feelings.
As my final charity request here at the blog, I'd like to remind everyone that although it's January, and everyone is in a bad mood, and many of you are also being flooded with requests, please don't let that to stop you from helping others. Doing your part doesn't have to be a big huge deal. If you have a couple of extra bucks in your Paypal account, donate it to someone in need. If money is tight, clean out your closets or your pantry and donate what you aren't using to a family shelter or a food bank. If you have a free afternoon, volunteer your time at a local school or library or hospital. But do what you can when you can, and stay involved.
Things are a bit worse all the way around this year, thanks to the recession, the stock market crisis and soaring unemployment. I've been getting flooded with public and private charity requests. There are a lot of people in need out there, there always are, but I expect it will escalate very rapidly in the months ahead.
I had to turn down a lot of folks this month who asked for donations or for me to post solicitations for donations here at PBW. I wish I could help everyone, but no one has unlimited resources, not even me. In the past I've used PBW a few times to promote causes I felt were deserving, but I really have to stop that now. People are getting upset with me for not automatically giving my support. They don't understand that if I did that, this place would eventually turn into Paperback Writer's Charity Blog.
I'm going back to the way I used to handle publishing charity-related/fund-raising activities, which was privately or anonymously. I've worked with a few of you out there on projects like that in the past, and I think you'll agree it's the best way for me to stay actively involved without raising unrealistic expectations or causing hurt feelings.
As my final charity request here at the blog, I'd like to remind everyone that although it's January, and everyone is in a bad mood, and many of you are also being flooded with requests, please don't let that to stop you from helping others. Doing your part doesn't have to be a big huge deal. If you have a couple of extra bucks in your Paypal account, donate it to someone in need. If money is tight, clean out your closets or your pantry and donate what you aren't using to a family shelter or a food bank. If you have a free afternoon, volunteer your time at a local school or library or hospital. But do what you can when you can, and stay involved.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Off to Work
I've got to devote some serious time to the WIP and polishing plans for future work, so I'm going to bail on you guys today.
Meanwhile, there is still time to bid on Shiloh Walker's mega-book & goddies auction to benefit the cyclone victims in Myanmar, as well as the mega-variety of items available at Brenda Novak's auction to benefit diabetes research, so if you have some money to spare, do check them out.
Meanwhile, there is still time to bid on Shiloh Walker's mega-book & goddies auction to benefit the cyclone victims in Myanmar, as well as the mega-variety of items available at Brenda Novak's auction to benefit diabetes research, so if you have some money to spare, do check them out.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
China Links
Author Marjorie M. Liu is currently in China and felt the Sichuan earthquake in Shanghai; she wrote a couple of posts about it on her alternative weblog here. I followed her link to Shanghai Scrap, American writer Adam Minter's blog, and his link to Shanghaiist.com, and a post with donation information for the Red Cross Society of China.
I don't watch television, but I do listen to the radio, and two NPR reporters (Robert Siegel and Melissa Block) were in the Sichuan region getting ready to do a week-long series about life in that part of China when the earthquake hit. They've been reporting about it every afternoon on NPR's news radio show All Things Considered. You can also read and see photos of what they're witnessing first hand on their Chengdu Diary.
Via the NPR reports, I found Half the Sky, an organization that helps orphaned children in China. They're setting up a Children's Earthquake Fund that will provide "emergency shelter, food, and medical care for children orphaned or separated from their families." This is where I'm sending my donation.
If you can contribute and help the victims of the earthquake in any way, please do. Also, please keep the people of Sichuan in your prayers and thoughts.
I don't watch television, but I do listen to the radio, and two NPR reporters (Robert Siegel and Melissa Block) were in the Sichuan region getting ready to do a week-long series about life in that part of China when the earthquake hit. They've been reporting about it every afternoon on NPR's news radio show All Things Considered. You can also read and see photos of what they're witnessing first hand on their Chengdu Diary.
Via the NPR reports, I found Half the Sky, an organization that helps orphaned children in China. They're setting up a Children's Earthquake Fund that will provide "emergency shelter, food, and medical care for children orphaned or separated from their families." This is where I'm sending my donation.
If you can contribute and help the victims of the earthquake in any way, please do. Also, please keep the people of Sichuan in your prayers and thoughts.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Help for Myanmar
Our blogpal, author Shiloh Walker, is holding a charity auction for a pile of books and cool stuff up on eBay here to help raise money for the victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar.
All proceeds from Shiloh's auction will go to SAVE THE CHILDREN, an organization already in place in Myanmar that has had some success getting food, water purification tablets, plastic sheeting for shelter and other desperately needed supplies to 72,000 victims, an estimated third of which are kids.
The auction includes:
-A signed copy of Private Places, historical romance anthology, not due out until 8/08 with stories by Robin Schone, Allyson James, Claudia Dain & Shiloh Walker
-The Perfect Ten, signed, donated by Janice Maynard
-The Legacy & bookmarks, signed, donated by Beth Williamson
-Hard as Nails, signed, *7/08 release* ARC donated by HelenKay Dimon
-Signed books donated by Rosemary Laurey-titles to be listed at a later date-
-Hunters: Heart and Soul, Hunting the Hunter, and Hunter's Salvation, all signed by Shiloh Walker
-Wild, Wild West-signed-donated by Charlene Teglia
Eternally His & Full Circle-both signed-donated by Ann Jacobs
Boys of Summer Series - Squeeze Play, Curveball & Strike Zone- signed-donated by Kate Angell
$50 Gift Card to Barnes & Noble donated by The Brown Literary Agency
You Belong to Me & On Fire-signed-donated by Patricia Sargeant
To further tempt you to bid, I'm donating a signed ARC copy of my next Lynn Viehl Darkyn novel, Twilight Fall, which won't be out on the shelves until July.
Shiloh is also still getting donations, so there will likely be more books and stuff added to the auction (check her blog for auction updates.)
All proceeds from Shiloh's auction will go to SAVE THE CHILDREN, an organization already in place in Myanmar that has had some success getting food, water purification tablets, plastic sheeting for shelter and other desperately needed supplies to 72,000 victims, an estimated third of which are kids.
The auction includes:
-A signed copy of Private Places, historical romance anthology, not due out until 8/08 with stories by Robin Schone, Allyson James, Claudia Dain & Shiloh Walker
-The Perfect Ten, signed, donated by Janice Maynard
-The Legacy & bookmarks, signed, donated by Beth Williamson
-Hard as Nails, signed, *7/08 release* ARC donated by HelenKay Dimon
-Signed books donated by Rosemary Laurey-titles to be listed at a later date-
-Hunters: Heart and Soul, Hunting the Hunter, and Hunter's Salvation, all signed by Shiloh Walker
-Wild, Wild West-signed-donated by Charlene Teglia
Eternally His & Full Circle-both signed-donated by Ann Jacobs
Boys of Summer Series - Squeeze Play, Curveball & Strike Zone- signed-donated by Kate Angell
$50 Gift Card to Barnes & Noble donated by The Brown Literary Agency
You Belong to Me & On Fire-signed-donated by Patricia Sargeant
To further tempt you to bid, I'm donating a signed ARC copy of my next Lynn Viehl Darkyn novel, Twilight Fall, which won't be out on the shelves until July.
Shiloh is also still getting donations, so there will likely be more books and stuff added to the auction (check her blog for auction updates.)
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