Part I, the kick off, is here!

We’re off! Thanks to those who have joined the fray on Day 1.

I’m going to create a universal email list of the Navy bloggers and email it out, along with Secret/No Other Service hints to get the funds flowing.

In case you didn’t see on the program blog, as of today, the 650th (WOW!) laptop for Valour-IT was delivered! That’s a lot of roll up your sleeves, engage your brain and open your wallet support from many people to make that happen.

Math, for those who are busy pounding the virtual pavement for $$$: To attain the goal of $45K in 13 days, we need to pull in $3461.54/day.

Between all of our friends, families, friends who have kids who made you buy Girl Scout cookies, band candy bars, or Boy Scout Jamboree tickets, this is a perfect time to pay them a visit, or at least ring them up on the phone/email.

At the moment, the laptops are in the medical facility libraries, but….with luck, one day they will be in the hands of the people who need them for the rest of their lives.

Think up how to get in contact with local radio stations and see if they’ll post the info on the program on their websites and include it in some of their programming.

Email to follow. If you don’t see one in your inbox, email me and I’ll catch you up (providing you’re not a plant from one of the Army sites, looking for good ideas).

Begin by checking in with your closest contacts today/tonight. Plan for the broader reach soon.

Sign up your blog to support Valour-IT HERE!

Valour-IT – Laptops for Wounded Troops with Voice Software

It’s almost he month in which we celebrate those who have put on a uniform of the Armed Forces of the United States and defended our country.

This year, as last year at this time, the MilBlogging community “virtually” gathered to care for their own, in particular, those who have suffered wounds in the War on Terror that have left them unable to communicate in the normal manner so many of they, and us have become accustomed to: Via typing their thoughts and greetings into a computer.

Technology has an answer for this type of disability and beginning in 2005, individuals stepped up to the plate to solve this problem by supplying our wounded warriors with laptop computers and vioce activated software, that overcomes the disabling injuries that have rendered the fingers of these men and women unusable.

The genesis of the project was an Army Captain, Chuck Ziegenfuss, who had been MilBlogging before he was wounded in an IED attack, and discussions with Beth, another blogger and plain old American citizen and school teacher with a heart to do something, from Fuzzilicious Thinking, who put their heads together and kicked this off. It’s a testimony about those who complain vs. those who just get it done. Beth and Soldier’s Angels have now supplied, with the generocity of people from around the world, over 500 laptops. Quite an accomplishment for not working this program for even two years.

The name given to this charity is “Valour-IT,” and as last year, we dedicate the days from now until November 11^th as a period to solicit and gather funds to put more systems into the possession of those who have served and now are in need of our help to attempt to restore their ability to use computers to communicate with their friends, family and in the business world.

If you’re not familiar with this project, here is the link to the site where you can find the legitimacy, the history, who is supporting this program in the business world, and testimonies, as well as the link to donate.

for some detailed info on exactly how the Valour-IT laptops are helping the wounded, read this post from Beth, titled “More than a Laptop.”

If you’re familiar with Valour-IT, I ask for your support in spreading the word, telling the story, and checking with the person who controls the purse strings in your household to determine the level of funding you’re able to provide.

I plan to email my contacts, asking the same from them. for those who have a areas where you can post hard copy notices, here is a link to 8 flyers already made up publicize Valour-IT. Print out a few and hang them in full view of youe workmates.

I will endeavor to post the statuss of the fund collections daily, as they are available from the blogs where they are doing the central accounting. We will ask you to decide which service you will donate under, but…in the long run, it matters not, except to provide some of us with the bragging rights if “our” service bests the others.

Update: Black Five, about the biggest MilBlogger there is, has his kick off post up here! Other service team leaders are listed there, but…send your $$$ to the troops thru the Navy button! (Coasties welcomed here!)

Want to play? Sign your blog up here.

Script to add the donation meter is (remove the double quotaion marks from around the first and last “carets” to make the scripting function):

“< "script src="http://www.donationbooster.com/booster/showbutton.php?i=63&item=5&width=70&direction=Vertical&showtop5=No&showgraph=Yes&background=FFFFFF&graph1=FF0066&graph2=990000&text=000000&link=990000&fsize=2&fface=Arial&border=1&bordercolor=000000">“

Trackbacked at:
Linkfest Haven, Mark My Words, The Bullwinkle Blog, Cao’s Blog, Bright & Early, Jo’s Cafe, Clash of Civilizations, , Common Folks Using Common Sense, Mr. Tor, Outside the Beltway.

Crossposted at:
Third World County