if you get 25% of your funding on kickstarter, you have 90% chance of getting the rest

"If you get 25% of your funding on Kickstarter, you have 90% chance of getting the rest."

Kickstarter co-founder, Yancy Strickler

The Global Citizen Project is 51% funded with 12 days to go. Please don't let me fail. I need to raise about $9,700 or $800 per day. Please help me do this.

Right now, I want to thank the latest backers who believe in The Global Citizen Project and the impact I can have around the world:

Andrew Collins, About.com Guide to Gay & Lesbian Travel. We live one state apart, but our travel paths only seem to cross in places like Colorado Springs and Santa Barbara. (Not that I'm complaining.) You can follow Andrew on Twitter here.

Buzzy Gordon, another travel writer friend met in Antigua (on not such a great press trip), just completed writing the first Frommer's Jerusalem Day by Day Guide, to be published in 2010 by Wiley & Co.

Garren Katz and NW for Haiti. Garren is a kind-hearted new friend who also appreciates good food, wine and friends. (We'll get along just fine.) He managed to organize and execute the NW for Haiti event a few weekends ago at The Vineyard Table and raised more than $3,000 for YELE, Doctors Without Borders and The Global Citizen Project with the help of more than a few generous, wine-loving souls. You can follow Garren on Twitter here
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Rich Lucas, talented screenwriter friend from Philly whom I've known for more than a decade (wow). I haven't seen Rich in ages, but love hearing about his travels and travails, and have my fingers crossed to see one of his scripts on the big screen someday.

Juliana (I think I know who this is, but need to confirm before I start outing backers.)

Isoul Harris, Atlanta's Managing Editor of  944 magazine, also known as Ver Sach, we met on one of the all-time best press trips to Costa Rica last year and I am itching to travel with our group, "V" again. When you find a travel writer dynamic that works, it's best to cross travel paths again. In the meantime, I enjoy the groups' company immensely via Facebook and Twitter. You can follow Isoul on Twitter here.

Mary A. Harris, Isoul's supermama. We haven't met, but if we did, I've give her a high five for raising such a classy kid with a heart of pure gold. I mean it.

broke the $10k mark (whooah, we're halfway there!)

Sit down. Guess who just broke the $10k mark? The Global Citizen Project! Big thanks to Garren Katz for organizing the NW for Haiti event (in less than a week. you want to make something happen? you need this man on your team) and everyone who attended to support YELE, Doctors Without Borders and The Global Citizen Project. I'm officially over the half-way mark, but still need a lot of love over the next 13 days so I can help serve and bring awareness to 12 causes and communities around the world. Thank you to all 128 people who have believed in my project! I can do this, we can do this - let's do this! XO

wine for haiti - thank you

An abundance of thanks are in order for everyone who attended, donated or supported Wine for Haiti in any capacity. Today's event raised more than $3,000, which will benefit Doctors Without Borders, YELE and The Global Citizen Project. A lengthy list of thanks is forthcoming, but I wanted to send out a "y'all rock" APB to all the event players, and especially Garren Katz for pulling Wine for Haiti together in seven days. Once again, I'm completely blown away by the generous spirit of others. Thank you for stepping up to the plate to support such a worthwhile endeavor. XO

wine for haiti - silent auction items

Here's a quick refresher on this Saturday's Wine for Haiti event in Seattle. Complete details can be found here or you can follow the festivities on Twitter at #NWforHaiti.

• Swing by the Vineyard Table on Saturday afternoon between 1-4 p.m. Please note: Vineyard Table can only accommodate 50 people at a time and this is a KID-FRIENDLY event.
• Make a $25 suggested donation, then plan on trying some exciting wines. We will be opening many fun bottles to try at the event and will also have some tasty snacks to nosh on - all while raising funds for three fantastic organizations focused on Haiti.
 • The first 50 people through the door will take home a bottle of wine from event organizer, Garren Katz' cellar with a value of at least $25. That is right, you will be taking a bottle of wine home with you. It’s a great deal.
• If you get that feeling – that extra credit generous feeling – bid on one of more than two dozen silent auction items listed below.

Donations

• 90-minute massage or craniosacral session with Kathy Jakielski, LMP ($95 value)
• Three 40-minute dog walks with Dawgs N Me owner, Alan Walk ($75 value)
• Four wine tasting event tickets at Portalis wine shop + wine bar ($75 value)
• Chef and Father DVD series w/bonus CD by creator, Greg Johnson ($60 value)
• Original wall art from Mount Salvation creator, Conor Mitchell ($75 value)
• Four one-hour Italian lessons via Skype, web chat or phone with instructor Karen Carver-Chambers ($200 value)
• In-home cooking class for two families from Chef and Father creator, Greg Johnson, plus DVD ($300 value)
• In-home three-course dinner for six prepared by chef Tom Black with paired wines from Trey Bush’s Sleight of Hand Winery in Walla Walla ($900 value)
• One-hour massage from therapist, Laura Sanderson ($80 value)
• Overnight stay at vineyard house at the Inn at Red Hills ($300 value)
• Two hour family/couple portrait session with Seattle photographer Kenna Klosterman ($200 value)
• Haircut at Coupe Rokei salon in Seattle with stylist Sara Preece ($75 value)
• 1 lb. of coffee beans from Lighthouse Roasters in Fremont ($15 value)
• Six pack of awesome Chutneys, Relishes and Plum butter homemade by Garren Katz (YUMMY value)
• Six hour architectural design consultation with ROHLEDER BORGES ARCHITECTURE architect Daniel Gero ($500 value)

Supporters

• Alexanderia Nicole -  three bottle lot ~signed~ ($110 value)
• De Lancellotti - two bottle lot ~signed~ Pinot Noir ($120 value)
• Patricia Green - 3 liter bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir ~signed~ ($185 value)
• Patricia Green - four year vertical of Eason Vineyards Oregon Pinot Noir ($100 value)
• Thirsty Pagans -  “Communion” Horse Heaven Hills four bottle lot ~signed~ ($100 value)
• Waters Winery - (magnum) ($100 value)
• Waters Winery -   three bottle lot ($100 value)
• Queen Anne Winery - (2) two bottle lots ~signed~ ($70 value)
• Buty Winery - two bottle lot “buty & the BEAST” donated by Keith and Julie Salas ($90 value)
• WineGirl Wines - two bottle lot “kamari black label” ($65 value)
• WineGirl Wines - two bottle lot “Rat City Rollergirl” series ~signed~ ($50 value)
• Falling Rain Cellers (TBD)
• Elsom Cellars (TBD)

Big thanks to everyone who has donated and/or pledged support for this fantastic fundraiser. We raise a toast to you!

media mention: winegirlblogs

Thanks to WineGirlBlogs for featuring Saturday's Wine for Haiti event in Seattle on the blog today.

As you may know, Garren Katz has work tirelessly this week to pull together this ad hoc, wine-centric fundraiser for three worthy organizations that will help Haitian relief efforts:

• Wyclef Jean’s (a native Haitian) YELE foundation
• Doctors Without Borders
• The Global Citizen Project

Stay tuned this afternoon for a complete list of silent auction items.

wine for haiti - this saturday

Hello and a head's up for my Seattleite friends: I am working with my wonderful new(ish) friend, Garren Katz, to raise funds via Wine for Haiti this Saturday for Haitian relief efforts. I have posted this on his behalf, but please know that I am fully involved, supportive and honored to be one of the recipients of funds raised for this worthy cause. Thank you, Garren for taking the initiative to organize this ambitious event -- especially on such short notice. I know it will be a smashing success!

Here's what Garren has to say about Wine for Haiti:

The earthquake in Haiti has been a tragedy of unimaginable proportions. The poorest nation in the western hemisphere has been turned to rubble and with more than 200,000 deaths – it’s hard to actually comprehend. When I realized that Tacoma has a population of 197,000, my chest clenched and I realized that I must do something. That was the genesis for the Wine for Haiti fundraiser.

Alone, I am unable to contribute as much as I’d like, so I decided to call upon the collaborative powers-that-be and put together a fundraiser with one simple goal in mind – to raise a boat load of money for people that are desperately in need of help. I don’t have a lot of extra money, but what I do have is a large stash of wine that’s built up over the years, and thus, Wine for Haiti was born.

The concept of Wine for Haiti event is simple:

•  Swing by the Vineyard Table on Saturday afternoon between 1-4 p.m. Please note: Vineyard Table can only accommodate 50 people at a time and I want as much foot traffic as possible.
•  Make a $25 suggested donation, then plan on trying some exciting wines. We will be opening many fun bottles to try at the event and will also have some tasty snacks to nosh on - all while raising funds for three fantastic organizations focused on Haiti.
•  The first 50 people through the door will take home a bottle of wine from my cellar with a value of at least $20. That is right, you will be taking a bottle of wine home with you. It’s a great deal.
•  If you get that feeling – that extra credit generous feeling – bid on one of more than 20 silent auction items (partial list below).

Silent auction items:

•  Large format bottles, as well as multi-bottle lots from some of the best wineries in Washington and Oregon.
•  Original art from local artists
• In home dinner for 6 prepared by amazing local chef Tom Black; paired with wines from Walla Walla   Winery Slight of Hand.
• A salon visit at Coupe Rokei in downtown Seattle.
•  In home cooking class for 2 families from Chef and Father creator, Greg Johnson
• Gift Certificates to local restaurants
•  An overnight stay at the Inn at Red Hills
•  A one hour massage from therapist Laura Sanderson
•  The remainder of the items will be added between now and Saturday

It’s my goal to raise $1,000 per hour, so please pass along Wine for Haiti details via word-of-mouth and your social media networks (Facebook & Twitter etc.). The more traffic this event receives, the more that we, as a collaborative effort, can help Haiti. 100% of these proceeds from this event will benefit Haitian relief efforts. Remember, this is a private event, so again, please pass this invite along to friends and family only. But, pass it on to a lot of them!

You may make your donation at the event (cash or check).

If you can’t make the festivities, but would still like to contribute, or perhaps you want to contribute with a debit or credit card, simply click on this link to complete your transaction in advance. If you are coming to the event and donated in advance, please print your ticket right from the BPT site. Our preference is for you to use this process, as it will make it easier for us to plan for the event.

You may also follow along on Twitter at #NWforhaiti -- we’ll be Tweeting all the feel-good fundraising details throughout the day.

Hope you can stop by for a fun-filled afternoon of helping Haiti. THIS IS A KID-FRIENDLY EVENT.

Wine for Haiti beneficiaries:

• 45% Wyclef Jean’s (a native Haitian) YELE foundation
• 45% Doctors without Borders
• 10% Local Seattleite Charyn Pfeuffer’s The Global Citizen Project

Charyn has traveled around the globe in the capacity of a professional journalist and have been profoundly impacted by the communities most underserved. It is her plan to swap her BlackBerry for a backpack and promote 12 selected causes and communities, as well as responsible travel via her platform as an influential journalist. Due to the tragedy in Haiti, Charyn made Haiti a top priority of the volunteer projects she’ll serve over the next year and has committed one month to Haitian relief efforts.

Find out more about Charyn’s project via Kickstarter here or her blog here