Monday 12 April 2010
Blog readers send 950 ShelterBoxes to help disaster survivors
Just a few of the thousands of tents distributed across Haiti.An obscure blog has kick-started a massive fundraising campaign that resulted in donations of almost £50,000 for international disaster relief charity, ShelterBox.
In January Colorado Bob, from Lubbock in Texas, saw the reports of the earthquake in Haiti and knew that he had to do something to help the survivors:
“I didn't want to sit helplessly by and watch yet another disaster, and from the minute I looked at the USGS earthquake page, I knew this one would be terrible.”
Bob is part of a community of followers of political television commentator Craig Crawford’s Trail Mix Blog. Along with other readers he began discussing what they could do to help the people of Haiti. Bob came up with the idea to start his own blog, The TM Fish Camp, to raise money to send a few ShelterBoxes to Haiti. “I setup The TM Fish Camp, as a place where we could band together to help the people of Haiti. At first, all we were hoping for was to chip-in, and buy a few of these ShelterBoxes,” writes Bob. “Our plan was to follow these messages of shelter to where they will end-up in Haiti. Little push pins on a map and see if we could learn the stories behind where they landed.”
Immediately some of Craig Crawford’s friends began to get involved. First TV personality Keith Olbermann gave the blog a ‘shout-out’ on his nationally televised news programme Countdown.
The following morning American radio host Don Imus interviewed Craig on his show, Imus in the Morning, which airs throughout the United States and is broadcasted on television by the Fox Business Network. Donations began to pour in, including contributions from Olbermann and Imus themselves.
What began as an idea to ‘chip-in’ went on to provides shelter for almost 1000 people. So far The TM Fish Camp has raised £49,465.27, which is 9893% more than the original goal of £500.
“We’re extremely impressed with Colorado Bob’s efforts,” said ShelterBox Press Officer Angelina Lambourn. “To raise such a staggering amount of money, in such a short space of time, in such an innovative way is unbelievable. We just want to say a big thank you Bob and to everyone who contributed donations after seeing Bob’s blog.”
Bob and his friends are currently looking into a longer term effort to help the people of Haiti. They are only £545 short of £50,000.
If you would like to donate go to: www.justgiving.com/Colorado-Bob
