Full Charity Chat With Moonbeam13

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featured Chat Event with moonbeam13 held in TraviisArmy


<Platinus> Greetings to everyone! I'd like us to give a warm welcome to the lady of the hour, Moonbeam13 :clap:
<Athos-of-Light> :clap:
<GaioumonBatou> :clap:
<ScENeYmE> :la:
<Romaji> :la:
<cybergranny> :clap:
<Moonbeam13> Hello everyone :)
<caffe1neadd1ct> Moonbeam13: :wave:
<cybergranny> Danium: :fear:
<GothicJazz> :waves: by Synfull
<StormPenguin> :stormyla: by Baq-Yard
<phoenixleo> Moonbeam13: whom did you vote for? :D
<Stock-By-Crystal> phoenixleo: :snuggle:
<phoenixleo> Janet won in the east york section though :D
<phoenixleo> Stock-By-Crystal: :meow:
<cybergranny> phoenixleo: for me!!!
<Ultra-Violet-X> Moonbeam13: :smallwave: V2 by Synfull
<Moonbeam13> phoenixleo: and I vote in Oakville so it was a different race than yours :)
<Stock-By-Crystal> OMG WE'VE GOT THE CLAP

<Platinus> there we go :D
<Platinus> This can be attributed to her awesome work around the community and her fantastic charitable contributions
<Platinus> and that's what we're here to talk to her about today :D

<Platinus> Moonbeam13: Thank you again for coming by to chat with us :D
<Moonbeam13> Platinus: It's my pleasure, thank you for having me :)
<Moonbeam13> Platinus: you alive over there?
<Platinus> Moonbeam13: So, first of all, you participate in the weekend to end breast cancer every year. Why did you choose that specific event?
<Platinus> Moonbeam13: I'm alive :D
<Moonbeam13> hah
<Platinus> I'm just nervously typing and trying to make sure it all comes out right :lmao:
<Moonbeam13> I've been part of some sort of Cancer fundraising for 15 years. Previous to the event you mentioned I was doing the Run for the Cure but 8 years ago they launched this 60km event and it was so big and so bold, I decided that was the way to go.
<Moonbeam13> My mother was diagnosed with cancer when she was 30 and was lucky enough to beat it. My grandmother had been through cervical and breast cancer and survived and later died due to Lung cancer
<Moonbeam13> The two most important women in my life have been affected and I wasn't prepared to accept there was nothing I could do about it. The worst feeling is feeling helpless.
** robinism has joined
<robinism> you tease me oh please me lala i want you to be my love toy lala
** robinism has left [connection closed]
** robinism has joined
<Platinus> robinism: :lookblink: by oakendragon :shh:
<Moonbeam13> I like to do things big.. and this was the biggest out there so that's why I chose it :D
<Platinus> Moonbeam13: big is definitely the way to go :D
<Moonbeam13> Honest is the way to go, really.
<Platinus> Moonbeam13: and that definitely sounded more perverted than I thought ^^;
<Moonbeam13> Some people start too big and get overwhelmed and give up. I built up to this, start small, small matters!
<Platinus> Moonbeam13: I think I'm definitely one of those people who can get a little overwhelmed once in a while like that
<Platinus> Moonbeam13: luckily we have people like you on the team :D
<Platinus> Moonbeam13: What do you think is the hardest part of being involved with that kind of event?
<Moonbeam13> I'd say in recent years, the fundraising is the most difficult. With the economic downturn, getting donations can be very difficult.
<Moonbeam13> There's sadly, also a lot of competition for donation money. There are millions of issues that require funding and where people would donate to several in previous years, now they have to focus their philanthropy on maybe one or two.
<Moonbeam13> Finding alternative ways for people to assist, word of mouth, volunteering etc - has been really useful. It's not all about the money, albeit it's important. Getting people involved and informed is the most important step.
<Platinus> Moonbeam13: I think MyntKat has a quick question for you and after that I'm going to open the floor to Minion questions
<Moonbeam13> Platinus: Sounds good :)
<Platinus> If you'd like to ask Danie a question, please promote yourself to Waiting and wait for an officer to promote you to asking :D
<Platinus> MyntKat: all yours
<MyntKat> Danie: Do you have a process of selecting the charities you support? There are so many charities out there, do you check for specific criteria or go by type of events they host?
<Moonbeam13> MyntKat: I do, I focus primarily on Cancer Charities. As I explained, I have a personal history and it's a cause that's very important to me and i think that's what people should look for in charities they support. I would love to support many but to spread yourself too thin means that something suffers and I'd rather give my all to one cause I feel is important, as opposed to tinkering with 100 and being useless in the attempt.
<Moonbeam13> However, contrary to that I do participate in one day events for other charities. Earth Day, Spirit Day, Awareness days etc but the sum of my efforts go towards Cancer charities.
<MyntKat> Danie: I see, thank you :)
<Platinus> bah
<Danium> Hai Sword Tard by jahw
<Moonbeam13> Hi :)
<Danium> How do you feel about that alot of CEO's of big charities get a big sum of money as a salary?
<Moonbeam13> Well, I think it's important that any charity you're willing to work with, breaks out it's operating costs upfront and is accountable.
<Moonbeam13> To say that I have a firm opinion on all charities that pay out nicely to their CEO's wouldn't be true or fair but I believe their needs to be accountability.
<Moonbeam13> Anyone who has organized an event will tell you that it's a lot of work, and in some cases it's the only thing some people are doing. Should they be paid for their efforts? absolutely. SHould they take advantage of that? Absolutely not.
<Danium> Does that play a part in wether you support a charity or not?
<Moonbeam13> but it's not black and white and I don't think that people who give their lives to charitable work should live like paupers to prove they are charitable ;) granted, they probably shouldn't have a private plane either but that's another topic :D
<Moonbeam13> Yes, there must be public accountability for me to support any charity whether it's grassroots or major.
<Danium> thanks :la:
<Moonbeam13> I want to know how the money is spent and I advise everyone to want to know that. Every dollar you have is important you should be concerned about how it's used :)
<StormPenguin> Moonbeam13: greetings :hug:
<StormPenguin> Moonbeam13: How do you feel about blood/plasma donations?
<Moonbeam13> StormPenguin: Hi there :hug:
<Moonbeam13> StormPenguin: In what sense?
<StormPenguin> Like in would you think it's safe to donate blood, in a sense that lab results are not always accurate?
<StormPenguin> Might be kind of a awkard question ^^;
<Moonbeam13> I get it now :)
<Moonbeam13> it's a little off because I'm Canadian and things are different here than in the US and Europe but regardless..
<Moonbeam13> I think blood donation is very safe, the requirements (in Canada at least) are ridiculously strict in fact, I can't donate blood due to a b12 deficiency in my blood.
<StormPenguin> so you're saying you've never given blood?
<Moonbeam13> However, I am part of Onematch [link] which means that they have record of my type for stem cell and marrow donation and if I'm a match they'll contact me to donate
<Moonbeam13> I have given blood and when they discovered my lack of b12 I was taken off the donor list.
<Moonbeam13> My husband gives blood every 3 months without fail
<Moonbeam13> In fact, he gave blood the morning we got married, we have pictures with the blood donation clinic staff :D
<StormPenguin> :stormygiggle: by Baq-Yard
<StormPenguin> Okay, and they contact you if someone is in need of a donor?
<Moonbeam13> yes if I match someone who needs stem cells or marrow, they will contact me
<Moonbeam13> I'm part of a database. I can't give blood so I wanted to be able to do something. I was actually pretty upset when I found out I couldn't give blood.
* Platinus can't give blood because the red cross is homophobic :grump: by Synfull
<StormPenguin> Platinus: aww :hug:
<Moonbeam13> The process itself of giving blood is relatively painless and easy, if you can do it, it's an amazing gift.
<StormPenguin> I know the feeling it saves 3 lives
<Moonbeam13> yes :)
<StormPenguin> last question
<StormPenguin> Have you donated stem cells/marrows before? you never mentioned
<Moonbeam13> I have donated marrow.
<StormPenguin> you must have been a little nervous
<Moonbeam13> I was but at worst it was uncomfortable.
<Moonbeam13> but when you put yourself in the shoes of the person that needs it.. a little discomfort is nothing.
<Moonbeam13> I've had spinal taps that were much worse wink grin by nillemotes
<StormPenguin> aww
<StormPenguin> Moonbeam13: Bless you :hug:
<StormPenguin> I'm finished now
<AwsumZ> Hai Danie :aww: You are an obvious and avid charity support, but where did it all start? What is it that made you want to get involved with charity and fundraising in the first place? Was it due to your family connections with cancer, or were you interested in charity before that?
<Moonbeam13> My mom would probably tell you that I was born like this, I never really took that 'one person can't make a difference' comment well. I think I took it more as a challenge.
<AwsumZ> I can imagine that =P
<Moonbeam13> I started with animals when I was in highschool and volunteered at the humane society.
<Moonbeam13> I'm empathetic by nature, when I see situations that need fixing or people that need help, I'm compelled to help.
<AwsumZ> well grand, the world needs more people that think that way.
<Moonbeam13> and when I was younger I helped everything but that can be vastly overwhelming so I learned to focus my efforts and settled on Cancer, due to my family history.
<Moonbeam13> I think it's humane to want to be a part of a solution.
<AwsumZ> agreed
<AwsumZ> well, thank you :aww:
<Moonbeam13> granted this has also led me to owning many stray cats and dogs but so be it :D
<AwsumZ> lol, it happens
<Athos-of-Light> cute cats too
* Platinus makes known his jealousy of Athos-of-Light for seeing Danie's cats
<robinism> Athos-of-Light: :shh:
<Moonbeam13> hah
<Moonbeam13> they are characters
<Athos-of-Light> I have a quesion or two
<Athos-of-Light> since no one is in waiting
<Athos-of-Light> In your personal opinion what is one of the leading factors to the sucess of a charity? event, or orginization.
<Moonbeam13> Organization without a doubt.
<Tiganusi> (you asked an OCD if organization was important? :papanoes: by BigPapaSmurf3579 )
<Moonbeam13> An event can be amazing but if the organization is lacking all hell breaks loose.
<Moonbeam13> hah
<Moonbeam13> If the organization isn't there, money is spent badly, accountability is gone and someone likely loses their mind.
<Athos-of-Light> Moonbeam13: What do you think of those using the groups platform to initiate chairties, and do you have any advice for such projects?
<Moonbeam13> Focus and transparency
<Moonbeam13> I've seen some groups that are all over the place with their ideas of what they want to do and while they mean well are going to circle around themselves for a while before they get anywhere.
<Moonbeam13> Transparency is important because there are some that state things I don't understand like 'If you donate points we'll give it to people dealing with such and such disease'
<Moonbeam13> and while I tout the benefits of emoticon stressballs, they aren't curing cancer anytime soon so I'm not sure what points are doing for people.
<Moonbeam13> It's not all about money a lot of it is about information. Spend your time informing people WHY you care about this particular issue.
<Moonbeam13> Knowledge is power, use it to gain support and the rest will follow.
<Moonbeam13> but if you look shady.. people are not going to come near you.
<Athos-of-Light> One last question from me. Are there any projects you are working on that you would like to tease the crowd with?
<Athos-of-Light> If they are not ready for teasing that's ok
<Moonbeam13> Currently, I'm prepping for the 2011 Weekend but over the last few years I've been toying with doing something more year round. Creating a hub where I could blog about Cancer research and fundraising around the globe and get people more information and mroe involved and with the amazing help and support of my dear friend $chix0r
<Moonbeam13> she's help me to set up a website but it's very much under construction and needs more love
<Moonbeam13> at some point I'll be looking to put more people behind it but its called moonbeamdreams.com and doesn't look like much right now :)
<Platinus> YES, IT FINALLY WORKS FOR ME!
<Platinus> :platinoid: by Helen-Baq
<robinism> Moonbeam13: one final comment from me?
<Moonbeam13> robinism: yep :)
<robinism> first of, i am sorry for singing earlier and second, are you an organ donor?
<Moonbeam13> I have no problem with your singing :)
<Moonbeam13> and yes I'm an organ donor
<robinism> :#1:
<Moonbeam13> for research or transplant
<robinism> sweet! thanks :)
<Platinus> Moonbeam13: I've got one last set of questions for you
<Moonbeam13> Platinus: ok :)
<Platinus> Moonbeam13: What are your thoughts on the idea of a DA telethon? And, if Fella were to man the phones, who would you have be his voice actor?
<Moonbeam13> I think I'd need to hear the plans for a 'telethon' because of the culture of deviantART I think a phone scenario would be weird for most people and would require a lot of organization and planning to be successful. Also given the vastness of the site, how do you decide what to support? It seems like a grand idea but it needs a grander plan :) Fella doesn't need a voice actor! He has people to speak for him!
<Moonbeam13> Besides he'd have to be the entertainment or something.
<Platinus> True enough :D
<Platinus> Moonbeam13: Anything you'd like to say to send us out?
<Moonbeam13> Without sounding too much like a cheerleader of optimism, I think it's important that every individual person know how much they matter to any cause. One person can make a difference.
<Moonbeam13> In retrospect, think back on any time someone has told you that you can't
<Moonbeam13> you can't be something, or you can't get that girl/guy to like you..
<Moonbeam13> think of any time one person has made you doubt yourself and recognize that it was one person who made that difference as to whether or not you felt a certain way or tried to obtain a certain goal.
<Moonbeam13> and realize that it works in the reverse. If it weren't for a few caring people, there are a million differences that wouldn't happen.
<Moonbeam13> and sometimes all that matters, is that you care. It doesn't have to be a giant effort or a huge movement. Be human, care about other humans and you've improved the world we live in dramtically.
<Moonbeam13> Thank you for having me :)
© 2010 - 2024 Platinus
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jenepooh's avatar
Yay! I got to read it at least! :clap: WTG!! :love: :D