It’s Thanksgiving! Let’s Buy a School!

So! It is Thanksgiving today. Today is a holiday set apart for the giving of thanks for what we have, and hopefully the lessening of greed for what we don’t have, if only for a day.

Unless you’re me! Because what I’m thankful for makes me want more. Not for me, you understand — I am greedy for those who haven’t a chance to be thankful for that for which I can give thanks.

Here are some things I am thankful for:

• I can read
• I grew up with access to public education
• I have always been able to afford books and textbooks
• I can go to libraries whenever I want to do so
• I have been allowed and encouraged to pursue higher education
• I am going to graduate from university with minimal debt

But there’s a problem with this. See, for every one of me, there are maybe millions of people who can’t even be thankful for the first thing on that list. How many children can’t access schooling? How many teachers can’t afford books or classroom supplies? How many girls will be denied education simply because they are female? Are these things not entirely absurd?

I want a school for Thanksgiving. More specifically, to outfit a school: textbooks, school supplies, those good things. And I want to send a girl to school, a girl who would normally not be able to receive an education. And, more greedy I, I want to do this for as many schools and girls as possible. And I need your help.

What’s Happening

We’re fostering education and literacy and all sorts of good things for those who can’t usually access it! Because we’re thankful! Hurrah!

The Dates

From Canadian Thanksgiving (Oct 13) to American Thanksgiving (Nov 27), inclusive. A month and a bit.

The Plan

Here’s how it’ll work. I’ve set up a Group Event Page at World Vision, from which donations can be made via credit card. Here are the gifts I’ve set up (click links for gift descriptions):

• Textbooks ($30) x2
• Supply a Classroom ($50) x 2
• Educate a Girl in Need ($60) x 2

Those are the gifts there available to purchase, for a total of $280. And every time one of those gifts is fully purchased, I will add another — and this will continue throughout the month. At the end American Thanksgiving (Nov 27), when the dust settles, I will pay the balance on any gifts remaining unpurchased. These two things mean that together we can outfit as many schools as we can, or send as many girls to school as we can, with no limits! I am very excited to see how far this can go.

How You Can Help

There are two main ways:

1) Donate. You can donate any amount you like, as many times as you like. WorldVision will issue a receipt for your taxes for every donation of $15 or more. (And those are Canadian dollars, my American friends). Remember, because this is a group effort, every little bit really does help. Please click HERE to donate.

2) Spread the word. Link to this post or directly to the group donation page. Tell your blog readers. Email your friends. Stumble this page. If you click the “Share This” button at the bottom of this post, you’ll see lots of ways to help.

Are you game?