Yes we did! We did it together.
This past Friday marked the conclusion to my latest GoFundMe for charity. This was the 4th event for charity and more that I’ve done. For the most part I’ve kept the details of my GoFundMe iniatives off my work pages because they’ve been at entity of their own and not related to my work at CKDR. However I thought it was important at this time to share with everyone just how important it is to work together and what we can achieve when we do work together.
Needless to say I won’t go in to all of the details (because there are a lot) of all 4 of the GoFundMe’s except to say that for each of them I set a monetary goal. Unlike most of the other GoFundMe iniatives and fundraisers you see, you know before you donate where your money will be going to right? Well for 3 out of the 4 GoFundMes I did, contributors did not know where their money would be going until the end of the fundraising. You read that right. Would you give your hard earned money up not knowing in advance how or where it would be used?!? Over the course of the 4 fundraisers there were lots of people who did exactly that – smashing through fundraising goals I set in order to pay it forward. We built a TEAM atmosphere. Cheering each and every contributor who joined the TEAM. I couldn’t do it alone….and I didn’t. There are a lot of extraordinary, kind and giving people out there. Many of them came together to help others. At the end of 3 out of the 4 GoFundMe iniatives a draw was held from all contributor names. The person drawn won the right to determine where the funds would go….which charity would benefit. It was that simple. One person from each GoFundMe would make the choice for many where their contribution would go.
Would you let someone else decide where your money goes?
So yes this past Friday two presentations were made in 2 different communities. The presentation of funds were made possible only because of the generousity and open minds of those who decided to pay it forward. And as I mentioned, those who decided to pay it forward did not know in advance where their monetary contribution would end up going until after the campaign ending draw. Pretty special people right!? Hugh Syrja of Kenora was the contributor draw winner. Hugh chose to split the $ 1,220 and have Second Chance Pet Network in Dryden receive $610 and A Dog’s Life in Kenora receive $610. Over 12-hundred dollars blindly given by contributors were handed over to the two organizations! Any complaints from the other GoFundMe contributors? Of course not. It was a TEAM effort. Why can’t we always be like this?! Work together. Pay it forward.
Needless to say the two receiving organizations were ‘over the moon’ with gratitude flowing back to the TEAM. The same can be said for the previous 3 GoFundMe projects that saw 13-hundred dollars go to the Dryden Recreation Extension And Modification (DREAM) Committee, over 17-hundred dollars go to the Dryden Food Bank and 92 ten dollar Tim Hortons gift cards passed out to customers in the Dryden drive-thru by Spider-Dad McCarthy. ‘Spider-Dad McCarthy’….he’s another story altogether. 
Over 5-THOUSAND DOLLARS has been paid forward through the ‘blind’ fundraisers!! Pretty awesome stuff. Pretty awesome people to not only think so unselfishly but to act on it.
Overall: through the 4 GoFundMe iniativies – $ 7,345 has been raised with $ 5,165 of that being paid forward to other organizations and the Tim Hortons gift card project.
As part of my ‘pay it forward’ I continue to offer the services of Spider-Dad McCarthy. Appearances and or video messages for birthdays or any special occassions. You name it….I’ll probably do it! We all need the fun and so much more joy in our lives.
I can be reached on social media or by email for any inquiries: mccarthy.richard@radioabl.ca
I’m in my fifties, a bit overweight and definitely out of shape! The perfect candidate to play a Spider-Man hero. Haaaaaaa! But you know what….it doesn’t seem to matter that this spidey is not in perfect shape and won’t/can’t bend and stretch like the others – because the reception that Spider-Dad McCarthy gets is still one that impacts the guy in the suit with a huge burst of satisfaction. Knowing that smiles, laughter and excitement are generated is what it’s all about!!
Anyone can wear the suit. It’s what you do while wearing the suit that matters. And everytime I wear the suit I remember that it’s been made possible by the many people who decided to pay it forward through me and for that I am deeply appreciative.
Below you will see some pictures and hopefully enjoy the video I put together from the last presentation of funds. There’s that word again – ‘together’. You’re never alone when you’re on a TEAM and you can do so much more when you have a common goal in mind.
In this case….’Together We Can Do More To Help Others’. WE did.
What’s your goal in life?
