Please note this was taken from another post as I realized that I really didn’t want to spoil the words about my friend with my bellyaching. If you read the original version of that one, you’ve seen this.
I started my “ColdForged’s Code For A Cure” program when I learned of Mike’s disease. In essence, in lieu of asking for money for myself for the work I put in on any of my plugins I requested that people donate whatever amount they thought fair to my Paypal account and I would donate it to the local chapter of the ALS Association and, if that amount was over $5, I would send them a “Strike Out ALS” bracelet to wear. I’m happy to say that several people found it in themselves to donate a total of $191 dollars to this cause.
I’m also, frankly, a bit disappointed at this number. Let’s put this in context. 7 people, to whom I extend enormous gratitude, found $191 to donate. This month, so far, 1,100 people have downloaded one of my plugins. Over the lifetime of Code For A Cure, over 50,000 people downloaded at least one plugin. There are over a thousand comments in my blog for those plugins — over 600 for the image headlines plugin and over 400 for the spelling checker — the vast majority of which are support requests. And 7 people donated.
Admittedly, I’m not doing something as sexy and worthwhile with the money like getting an iPod for the Star Wars Kid or using it to purchase a PS3 and hit it with a sledgehammer in front of everyone but I somehow expected more than 7 people. If that sounds bitter, it is a bit I fully admit and it’s unworthy. But then I think of my friend and all of the other people suffering the indignity of one of the most cruel diseases in existence and I honestly can’t help it.
Regardless, I do extend my gratitude to the donors. And for those of you who haven’t, perhaps in lieu of donating do something that Mike’s family recommended people do instead of sending flowers, something that Mike likely would have appreciated far more. Donate 2 hours of your time and do something good for your community.
