I had a challenge in mind, and asked Dolmere if I could be next.  He graciously accepted.  Then, of course, my awesome challenge turned into a long and drawn out essay, so I've got to quickly come up with a challenge to save face.  Luckily, the fates were on my side as something of importance was brought to my attention yesterday.

This week's challenge is to support a cause in SL that is important to you.  This is not to say you have to pay out a ton of  money, or devote a lot of your time to something.  But any help to organizations that rely on donations and volunteers is appreciated.  A lot of the people involved in these challenges do this already, so to you, simply tell a little of what you do to help out.  For the rest of you, though, organizations need your support.

*However*, I want you to think about it before you do so.   Now if your first instinct is to support the Relay for Life effort, that's great.  I am in full support of this.  But, remember that some organizations within SL also need your help.  I'm not trying to take *anything* away from RFL.  But I do want it to be known that there are other organizations within SL that rely on your support to survive.  Call this my cry for help, if you will.  The Shelter, in particular, is running drastically low on funds, and while it is a big supporter of RFL, donations have been very light in recent weeks.  Do not forget about the little ones that also need your help in surviving.  It's markedly difficult to ask for funding when you're going up against cancer, but without funding, places like the Shelter or NCI will not be able to exist.  If you are enjoying the services of places like these, please don't forget about them.

Ok, so my answer to this challenge…

I'm a big supporter of both the Shelter and NCI.  Lately I have not done a lot of work that most would have noticed, I'm sure.  But I do keep in the background a bit for both places.  My biggest contribution to both most recently has been BanLink, which would also count as a contribution to about 60 other places on the grid.  I am an officer at the Shelter and a member of the Board of Directors at NCI, which means I get to annoy people with my ideas and ideals on occasion.  So I'm never far removed, even if the majority don't even know who I am anymore.  I will guiltily say that monetarily I've not been a huge supporter of either, as I have always been a volunteer in SL and don't really make a lot of money outside of a single class I teach each week.  But what I lack in funds, I make up for in purpleness.  And that's a benefit to both places, whether they know it or not.

My answer to this challenge is that I will be sure to give more of my time and money, and remember that both of these organizations that I am close to are in constant need of both.