In late January, I announced that I’d be climbing a mountain. Well, I may not be able to do that now. The full, $4,500 is due to Climbing for Kids on Tuesday to be able to qualify for the climb. I’ll be about $2,000 short after I give what’s left of my paycheck after paying rent.
I cancelled my iPad 3G order to make this deadline but I’m still short. I didn’t go on any business trips since December other than my pre-payed and pre-panned trip to Florida in March. I trained, lost 30 pounds and even moved to a part of San Francisco with steep hills and a convenient gym so I could prepare for this climb.
I stopped drinking lattes and other high fat drinks. Haven’t had a soda in months. I was and am fully committed to the mid-June climb of Mount Shasta.
No one else believed in me. Well, maybe that’s a bit harsh. About 8 people did including a woman who I’ve known for 8 years now via the web, for which I’ve never met. Her $500 donation meant a lot to me.
I asked my martial arts family who I’ve been training with for nearly 20 years. Nothing. I asked my family who loves me and has supported me for years. Mom and Dad gave which did help.
My emails and phone calls to my 75+ person family yielded one $15 donation from a family member outside of Mom and Dad.
That’s it.
So, it’s 5 days before deadline and I’ve raised $1,150 of the $4,500 needed leaving a remainder of $3350 needed to meet my goal which I pledged in January that I’d raise. That $1,150 that I did raise, actually includes $500 that I had to donate in order to join the program and be recognized as a climber.
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I have until July to pay off my balance. It’s a situation where I sign a contract committing to paying this. By July, I can pay this. I make enough that if I don’t leave my house for 3 months, the $3,000 can be done. This means I’ll be going from work to home w/o ever going out until July and I’ll be able to pay this off.
However, paying in July means I didn’t make the climb. I wouldn’t be able to climb the mountain which is why I did this, why I did this training and why I signed up.
This is a bit saddening. It’s for the kids so they get the money I promised to raise. There’s no backing out on raising money. I’m fully contractually obligated to “give” $4,500 so that’s that. But, I’ll be unable to make the Mt. Shasta climb unless I raise the $4,500 by Tuesday which is completely impossible.
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All I can say, is that it was a good ride. I made a good effort but, at 23 I just don’t have the network of wealthy friends who can donate money. I wish I could return the money you all gave but remember that money is going to a good cause and now I just have to skip meals and skip buying a car so I can pay off the money that I promised. If I don’t, it goes to collections and you know that’s never good.
Thanks everyone for your support. Here’s the donate link if anyone has $5 to spare. https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=323924&supId=277262371
You can read more about the program here. http://www.climbingforkids.org/
Sorry to hear that you didn't make your goals. I would suspect that in this economy with a lot of us still out of work, it's hard to squeeze funds out for extras. What is inexcusable is that those people in your network couldn't even find $5 to contribute.
I have some incredible friends who give much more than money. I've put up $500 already. So realistically, I only got $650 in donations from 3,500 followers, 1,500 facebook friends and over 150 real life friends I reached out to.
no worries. it's life.
So you guys aren't doing the climb? I'll donate!
We are doing the climb. We've been training. Just can't do it unless we get funds by Tuesday which is completely impossible. But I am still legally obligated to raise the money and have until July.
So if you don't get the funds by Tuesday you can't? That really stinks and is a shame people can't even put in $5 :(
It's not a shame. It's just how it goes. That's life. I'm not complaining that I don't have good friends. I DO! I'm just disappointing that I didn't do more to get on this climb.