One of my favorite movie moments is when they all raise that barn in Witness. You know what I’m talking about – the local men, led by Alexander Godunov are all doubting Harrison Ford and his carpenter skills but then he turns out to be a stud among studs and then Kelly McGillis pours him his lemonade first causing a HUGE scandal to erupt among the silent lunch goers. It’s an uproar only the Amish could pull off – all raised eyebrows and whispers. Shudder! And the music – oh my god the MUSIC! I had an aerobics teacher who used it for her wedding march and also for the cool down at the end of class. I love that music.
Anyway – LET’S RAISE A BARN! I’m determined and you all know when I’m determined it GETS DONE! Only usually I’m doing things on my own (delegate is a bad word in my vocabulary honestly) and now I NEED YOU!!!
I’ve decided on $3600 as my fundraising goal for the SPIN OUT Heifer International Registry. Why $3600? Well, it’s my thirty-sixth year and also it’s Double Chai. Each letter of the Hebrew alphabet is assigned a number and the word for LIFE equals 18. So 18 is a hugely significant number in Judaism, as well as it’s multiples. I remember, growing up, my dad would always write checks – to Bar Mitzvahs or Weddings – and always add change on the end in multiples of 18. Or write a check for $216. You get the idea. So $3600. And look at that – we’re already almost HALF WAY THERE!
All it takes is $10.00!!! Get yourself some chicks. Or a pig’s tail. Or a sheep’s fleece. Or a cute rabbit nose. You’ll be helping out a GREAT CAUSE. And don’t forget – for every $10 you spend, YOU’LL GET A CHANCE TO WIN! I’m adding new prizes to the PRIZE PATROL right now. We’ve got new prizes from Mama-E over at C*EYE*BER Fibers, Marie at Brooklyn Handspun, Chris at Woolybuns and Marie in Florida added some sock yarn to the mix. Head on over to see all the prizes!
WHEN YOU DONATE TO HEIFER THROUGH THE REGISTRY (and I know you will 😉 ), PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO spinout@januaryone.com STATING HOW MUCH YOU GAVE. Otherwise, you’ll be put in the raffle pot ONCE, regardless of how much you donated. Don’t forget, for every $10 donated, you get entered (so $50 gets you 5 entries.)
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING THIS CAUSE! I SO APPRECIATE IT!
Great idea! Let’s get that number to climb!!
I love the Heifer project – this is such a good cause. 🙂
And we’re donating, we’re donating . . .
Heifer is SUCH a good cause, what a fabulous project, Cara!! The prizes are delicious, indeed.
(side note: I was in a musical in high school called Plain and Fancy about wacky city folk who stumbled upon an Amish community … no shit … and we actually sang a song called “How Do You Raise a Barn?”
Sample lyrics:
How do you raise a barn?
You raise a barn with nails and wood,
Nails and wood and schvitzin’ good
Here comes a barn!
SO. WEIRD.)
Heifer is NOT a good cause ! Raising animals for food is environmentaly unsustainable. It is an admirable aim to help poverty, but I don’t see that donating “a cute bunny nose” so that the animals can be kept in cramped conditions, have short, brutal lives, and be butchered mercilessly is much of an advance. How about donating for water infrastructure, education, sustainable, practical charity?
Ack.. Sorry to be so negative – it’s wonderful that you are doing something to help others, but as a bunny parent, it chills me to the bone to think that caring individuals are contributing to the senseless deaths of innocent creatures.
Protestants have uproars like that too. It’s all quite scandalous darling – the talk of the club!
Keep up the good work Cara – I am sure the recipients of Heifer’s good work appreciate it. It is difficult to maintain moral outrage when you’re living on the edge – that’s a luxury not everyone can afford.
I think I finally have the kinks ironed out for a “phone interview” for the PointySticks podcast – would you be interested in being interviewed for this for one of the upcoming shows? I would love to have you on there! (Send me an e-mail and let me know.) Otherwise, I am happy to just share the information. Either works for me. Thanks!
YIKES. (bunny parent? uh… I refer to myself as parent only of my actual children. those of my species and all.)
It’s a great idea and a good cause, Cara. And have a wonderful 36th year, you spring chicken, you!
I belong to PETA. However,I believe it is imperative to give specific and practical aid to individuals who need food – and hope.
Incidentally, I donated a beehive: no cruelty there!