Hurricane relief efforts are going on all around the country and I've been following many of them, but I'd like to post information about an effort for authors in need being organized by the romance community. Below is from an e-mail I received this weekend.
UPDATE ON FUNDRAISER:
1. We have raised a little over $700.00 so far in donations. If you can spare $5.00, $10.00, $25.00, or more, please consider donating at http://www.theromanceclub.com/hurricane. The money we raise is going to purchase gift cards that can be used for food, gas, clothing, medicine and more for authors and readers in the Gulf Coast states who need help now.
2. We need about 8 more authors to join in the radio promotion to raise an additional $1000.00 for the hurricane survivors. If you are an author, please consider joining the promotion for just $147.00 - your payment is tax deductible as an advertising expense, you'll be helping those in need, and you'll be helping us raise $1000.00 or more through Voice America for our project (over and above the amount we're raising with the cash donations). Go to http://www.laurasmuchadoaboutbooks.net/hurricane for more information or to register!
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS:
Obviously, there is a need for food, clothing and other basic necessities by survivors of the hurricane until the long term help and assistance arrives. We can get more items to survivors and relief organizations faster via a caravan of cars, trucks and vans loaded with supplies, and the total cost of delivering these items will be less than if the same items were sent via mail or UPS (which may not be available in the areas hardest hit by this disaster anyway)
We are putting together a caravan of authors and readers (and anyone willing to volunteer!) willing to travel to the Gulf Coast states to deliver food, clothing and other supplies to survivors. Basically, immediate needs items, that will be delivered directly to survivors and various relief organizations, as well as RWA chapters willing to help distribute to readers and authors who are victims of the hurricane.
You can help in a number of ways:
1. By being part of the caravan (2-6 days, depending on where along the caravan route you join in - caravan will begin in NE Ohio, drive through Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana and back)
Additional caravans can be arranged if there are people willing to be part of the caravan in other states! So if you're willing to make the drive, email us and let us know where you live and we'll help you put together a caravan of people along your route!
I have 3 children and a houseful of animals, and I KNOW it's not easy to get away for several days, and I know not everyone can afford the expense. But I hope anyone who can manage to make the trip will volunteer - the more cars, trucks and vans we have in the caravan, the more supplies we can deliver.
I will make the trip alone if I have to, but I'm really hoping I'll have some good company to join me!:)
2. By bringing clothes or food to one of the caravan's stops along its route so they can take the items down to survivors
3. If you live in one of the Gulf States, especially if you live near the areas most impacted by the hurricane, helping distribute the food and clothes. Email us and let us know if you can help distribute or if you can help us locate people and organizations most in need! OR if you can arrange a truck from one of the relief organizations to meet the caravan and take supplies.
4. Donating money to help defray the costs of the caravan (gas and hotel for drivers). Gas prices stink, and some of our volunteers will be driving more than 2500 miles round trip, getting around 12-15 mpg in vehicles loaded down with supplies (that's about 175 gallons for the drivers in the carvan driving the furthest x 3.50 - 5.50/gallon).
Tentatively, the first caravan will leave NE Ohio on Tues, September 13th, and arrive back in NE Ohio on Sunday, September 18th.
If you have any questions, email me, and thank you to everyone who is chipping in and helping with these projects!
Laura
www.theromanceclub.com
www.laurasmuchadoaboutbooks.net
AUTHORS WE'VE HEARD FROM...
Ahern, Pam
Ames, John
Anderson, Alice
Anderson, Carol
Atkins, Melanie
Barr, Nevada
Barton, Janet
Becnel, Rexanne
Blake, Jennifer
Brandt, Nancy
Broadfoot, Amanda
Brite, Poppy
Callais, Tina DeSalvo
Caubarreaux, Donna
Church, Mahala
Claire, Cherie
Coen, Cheré
Colley, Barbara
Cornelison, Beth Brubaker
Cox, Connie
Cox, Suzanne
Cromeans, Donna
Crone, Moira
Delaney, Donna
De Noux, ONeil
De Noux, Debb
Dillon, Charlotte
Dixon, Deb
Dunbar, Mary Price
Edelen, Mary
Emery, Lynn
Evans, Robin
Fennelly, Tony
Ferdinand, Leslie
Ferguson, Jessica
Fossen, Delores
Friedmann, Patty
Gilmore, Sheri
Graham, Heather
Grant, Elaine
Graves, Paula
Gray, Amanda
Grey, Sable
Griggs, Winnie
Haines, Carolyn
Hanes, Judith
Hamilton, Lisa
Harris, Diane
Heitzman, Mimi
Herren, Greg
Hillman, Pam
Hingle, Metsy
Hinze, Vicki
Holden, Christine
Holland, Joyce
Horner, Nancy
Ione, Larissa
Kamenetz, Rodger
King-Gamble, Marcia
Knight, Allison
Kopfler, Pamela
Krieger, Martha
Lewis, Michele
Longshore, Martha
Love, June
Lyttle, Marilyn
Mallory, Rickey
Mann, Catherine
Manning, Jo
Martin, Janet
McCaffrey, Kevin
McInerney, Fuchsia
McKinney, Megan
McNabb, Fran
McNair, Don
McSween, Ginger
Merrill, Delores
Minyard, Debbie
Morris, Ann
Newman, Connie
Newton, Stephanie
Noto, Melanie
Orloff, Erica
Petit, Sandie
Proctor, Candice
Robinette, Kristen
Rowell, Patti
Rowland, Laura Joh
Roy, Renee
St. Amant, Dale
St. John, Kelley
Samms, Candace
Samms, Lee
Searle, Amy Jo
Shoe, Nita
Shoemaker, Juanita
Sinclair, Elizabeth
Sinclair, Linnea
Slagel, Lucy
Slaughter, Carolyn
Smith, Ann
Smith, Julie
Smith, Marge
Snell, Dianna Love
Spindler, Erica
Stephenson, Carol
Stone, Lyn
Tedder, Lorna
Vail, Ginny
Van Fleet, Rita
Wagner, Nancy
Webb, Debra
Welfonder, Sue-Ellen
White, Elizabeth
Wilson, Gayle
Winn, Judy
Worth, Lenora
Zimlich, Jan
Authors we are looking for word about - if you've heard from them since the hurricane, please let us know!
Austin, Deann
Bogolin, Carol
Bosarge, Mimi
Buffinet, Jaquie
Carmichael, Giselle
Clay, Ann
Cole, Kresley
Earnshaw, Donna
Garza, Dawn
Hardin, Paula
Horne, Jed
Landry, Sandra
Leighton, Anne
Noel, Lisa
Raspberry, Dawn
Smith, Kitty
South, Sheri Cobb
Talley, Wuanita
Thibodeaux, Bobbie
Vawter, Carl
Wall, Ellen