The Fandom Gives Back

Twilight Quilters Coven: Eclipse Quilt Raffle to support ALSF

2010-06-17T18:46:00.000-04:00

Note: This fundraiser, while in support of ALSF, is NOT being run by Fandom Gives Back.

Give to win? How does this work? Simple! For every $5 increment you donate to ALSF either through our PayPal button OR our fundraising page you’ll get a chance to win this original handmade “Twilight Saga: Eclipse” quilt!!!

If you decide to donate on the ALSF page instead of via PayPal, their e-mail MUST
include their full name, the donation amount and their contact information.

We will not share any of this information with any third parties, or use it in any way except to contact them if they are drawn
as the winner

Please email receipt to twilightquilterscoven@gmail.com.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for any Twilight Saga fan! A handmade, Eclipse themed quilt made by the members of the TQC and just in time for the movie release! To make it extra special, the quilt has 3 autographs from the saga’s actors: Peter Facinelli (Carlisle), Chaske Spencer (Sam Uley) and Daniel Cudmore (Felix).

For every $5 increment donation, you get a chance to win. Give $5, get 1 chance, give $20, get 4 chances, etc (so the more you give, the more chances you get to win!!!!!!). Donations will be accepted from June 4th 2010 until August 1st 2010.

The winner will be announced on August 10th 2010. We promise to not share your personal info with any other party. Your name will be posted on our website and blog if you are the winner, but nothing more. So remember to make sure your contact info is correct in your PayPal account so we can contact you if you win. Please give generously, and who knows! You might have this gorgeous quilt in your hands!!!

So what is the TQC? We are a group of Twilight fans who met on a chat forum. We share a love for crafts, sewing, quilting and Twilight. Best of all, we have become very close friends. We have decided to combine our passions in order to do some good in this world. This is the second year that we have made a Twilight Saga themed quilt in order to raise money for ALSF. Our New Moon quilt raised $850 last year. With your help, we are hoping to raise even more this year!

The charity you will be donating to is Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF). All proceeds benefit research in childhood cancer. It’s a great cause, it’s a great prize! Thank you for your generosity, and good luck!

You can find links to our contact, blog (which has TONS more info about the Eclipse quilt, including bios for the blocks we made) and ALSF below. Once again, thank you for your generosity, and good luck!

Twilight Quilters Coven
Alex's Lemonade Stand

Angie, Cat, Elizabeth, Iris, Jerri Lynn, Joyce, Kate, Melissa, Wanda.

A Note to FGB Auction Sellers

2010-06-16T15:52:00.013-04:00

Hi Everyone!

Angstgoddess003 is currently working on the auction site for FGB and we wanted to give everyone a heads up that SELLERS will need to login to the website THIS MONDAY 6/21 to enter their auction information.

Everyone who previously signed-up to sell an item(s) via our FGB forms will automatically receive an email with their login information on Sunday, June 20.

It will be sent to the email address you provided on the forms. If you think this may need changed, please contact info@thefandomgivesback.com and let us know. Please set you spam filters to accept info@thefandomgivesback.com, so that you'll receive your login information.

This email to sellers will include:

A short message explaining the new auction website.
Your Fandom Gives Back auction website login information.
A link to the auction spreadsheets that you previously filled out, in the event that you need to consult what you submitted (email addresses and contact information will be removed from this spreadsheet and will not be distributed publicly).

There is nothing you need to do now---we just wanted to let all authors, artisans, and merchandise sellers know that you will need to set up your auctions on the site soon, and to expect the email.

Last year, we entered in each auction ourselves. It was originally our intention to do that this year, as well, but the new website structure would make doing so illogical. The reason we are doing it this way is

Given the number of items for sale, it would take a VERY long time for us to enter in each auction individually
We want users to have control over their individual auctions.
More importantly, Angstgoddess00awesome (who has created the auction site) has made it possible for sellers to add banners, pictures, etc, to each auction listing. Auctions can be designed to suit your individual sale/story/item, and can also be edited at your discretion, even after the auction has begun.

Please Note:

Sellers do not have to take action until 6/21.
All sellers will need to create their own auction listings.
- Your auctions will be listed under your penname
The Auction begins June 26th at 10am EST and ends July 2nd at 11:59pm EST
- New auction listings can be added any time during the fundraiser until the end but ALL STRAIGHT AUCTIONS WILL END TOGETHER ON 7/2
On Sunday, we will make available clear instructions, and will also be present to assist you in registering, adding auctions, or logging in to the site.
- The process is simple, takes only a few minutes, and should be fun!

Registration Recap:

Sellers who previously used our forms to sign up will be automatically registered by the FGB Admins. They will receive an email with their login information on Sunday. We do this to in an effort to avoid as many inconveniences as possible.
Anyone who did not submit their information to us via the FGB forms will need to register when the auction begins. This includes buyers. You can do this by going to www.TheFandomGiveBack.com once the auction begins.
Late sellers will be able to register once the auction begins, even if they haven't filled out an FGB form before 6/21.

Thanks everyone!

Lo & AG

Triple Twilight Movie Package Benefiting FGBEclipse - AMC Mainstreet Kansas City, MO

2010-05-21T14:27:00.002-04:00

Please fill out this form if you are interested in purchasing the ticket package to all three movies (Twilight, New Moon, & Eclipse) on premiere night, June 29, 2010, at the AMC Mainstreet 6 Theater, in Downtown Kansas City, MO. The cost for each ticket will be $52.00. This covers the ticket price, gives you a $15.00 food voucher for the in-theatre dining, and a donation to ALSF through FGBEclipse.

If you have never experienced watching a movie in the Cinema Suites, I can promise you, every last extra penny is worth it, and enjoying it the first time with 6 glorious hours watching "The Twilight Saga" is icing on the cake. Here is what the Cinema Suites have to offer that is different from a regular movie theater:

Cinema Suites
It's the ultimate in luxury moviegoing at an affordable price. AMC guests age 21 and over can experience the Cinema Suites auditorium featuring luxury recliners. Cinema Suites' premium, upscale in-theatre dining and entertainment experience also includes swivel tables and eight-foot row spacing.

The seating is limited and tickets will be reserved according to who signs up first. I will email you with further details, along with how to remit payment, which I will need by Thursday, May 27th.

If you have any questions, please email me at twisherry@gmail.com

I can't wait to party with you!!!!

xo
Sherry
Team Coordinator

A Few Words on Team Bidding

2010-05-18T18:30:00.006-04:00

We've received a good deal of mail concerning team bidding in the auctions. This type of bidding is new to FGB - teams formed spontaneously last time; this is a more organized effort - and we understand that it's a different way of bidding on an author. In order to remain impartial, we have asked Sherry Harvey to serve as Team Coordinator. It should be noted that her role is to field questions and serve as a resource, not organize or manage any team. The FGB organizers have no involvement in team organization, formation, bidding, payments, or the content of the bidders purchase.

We understand that the benefits of teams are (1) you can be involved without spending a lot and (2) teams can raise a lot of money for a single item. There are a thousand charities that we can all support, and ALSF is just one of them. At the same time, it's possible to join a team and realize that you would have asked the author for something different - a different out-take, different POV, different story entirely. If you are interested in bidding on an author but not interested in joining a team, consider contacting the author to see if they are offering drabbles, first-come-first-serve items or other things that might be more in line with what you're interested in buying. Also, remember, any individual or group should feel free to bid against any team that has formed. The auction has not begun, the winning team or individual has not yet been determined, regardless of team size.

FGB organizers can neither encourage nor discourage team bidding but it is important for us to emphasize the spirit of FGB: First, to support childhood cancer research through donations to ALSF. Second, to foster community within the Fandom by coordinating a Fandom-wide charity effort.

We love the enthusiasm for this second iteration of FGB and encourage anyone with questions regarding teams to contact Sherry directly.

Thanks everyone!
Lauren
Story Auction Coordinator

Advanced Screening of Eclipse Portland, Washington Area

2010-05-11T07:48:00.000-04:00

Once again, power supporter April aka @aredi is hosting a pre-screening for the PDX area. Information is below or contact April at TwilightSagaPDX@gmail.com

Screening Date and Time: Tuesday June 29, 2010 - 5pm
Location: Cinetopia - Vancouver, WA - just outside of Portland, OR
Ticket Reservations: Contact TwilightSagaPDX@gmail.com
Ticket Cost: $20 (covers cost of ticket and donation to FGB/ALSF)
Questions: contact April at TwilightSagaPDX@gmail.com

We have a TON of prizes to giveaway! We are going to sell raffle tickets (100% of the proceeds going to FGB/ALSF). People will have the chance to win Twilight & New Moon t-shirts, copies of the New Moon & Eclipse soundtracks, posters, autographed merch from Sam Bradley, 100 Monkeys, Peter Facinelli & Taylor Lautner.

FGB acquires Twihards4Charity

2010-05-10T08:31:00.018-04:00

A few months back, Rob DeFranco, owner of 211me and a well-known supporter of charities, created a global initiative called Twihards4Charity. The goal was simple. To unite the millions of Twilight fans and make a difference by supporting worthy causes.

With the help of nationally recognized businesses, his team commandeered the passionate generosity of Twilight fans to raise money for the relief efforts in Haiti. While T4C’s message is clear and its intentions are noble, Rob unfortunately doesn’t have the time to dedicate to it. We know better than anyone how much time, energy and manpower needs to be devoted to operate a fundraiser of this magnitude.

That's were Fandom Gives Back comes in...

Fandom Gives Back has been given the opportunity to absorb the tremendous amount of work that Rob has accomplished and to take over the T4C enterprise fully.

Our hope is to embrace the existing supporters of T4C and welcome them into the Fandom Gives Back community, while maintaining the vision that they’ve established with T4C.

With this new merged development, we are able to extend FGB’s reach and ultimately, support more charitable organizations that are near to the Twilight Fandom community, including just these few whom we've already contacted.

Please join me in thanking Rob for his unwavering dedication to not only the charities, but to the Twilight fandom as well. Rob is giving FGB a great opportunity and we fully intend to utilize it to its fullest potential.

Thank you,

Nina

~*~
For those joining us from T4C, these are some helpful links.

Social Networking Sites for FGB

Twitter
Facebook

Contact Information for FGB

Nina Politani, Chairperson
Christina Daniel, Chairperson
Lauren Harp, Chairperson
Sherry Harvey, Team Coordinator
Jennifer deSylva, Volunteer Coordinator

Enter to Win Autographed Prizes AND donate to FGB!

2010-05-05T20:54:00.001-04:00

Hi!

In March, I was lucky enough to attend the FanTrips Travel, Celebrity Baseball game in NOLA. Proceeds from the event helped not only the 9th Ward Childrens' Charities but also made donations to Haitian relief!

Many fans requested that the event be 'aired' to be able to fully participate in the game. While a live stream wasn't possible, a recorded telecast to be re-aired at anytime is!

How exciting!

So, what does this have to do with Fandom Gives Back? Well, now is your chance to watch the game AND make a small donation to FGB Eclipse!

Through this special link, you're directed to the PPV site designated for FGB supporters. For only $3.99 you can watch not just the game, but also the hilarity, the dancing, the wrestling, the water balloon fight, all of it!

For less than a cup of fancy coffee, or half a pack of cigarettes, or half the cost of a movie ticket!

Not only do you get to see the game for less than $5 but you also get entered into a drawing to win one of the following prizes from Fan Trips!

Taylor Lautner autographed poster (plus Rachelle LeFevre and Edi Gathegi)
Wolf Pack autographed t-shirt (Alex Meraz, Chaske Spencer, Kiowa Gordon)
Exclusive one-on-one phone conversation with Nelsan Ellis, Lafayette Reynolds from True Blood
New Orleans Saint, Garrett Hartley, autographed ball

To 'sweeten' the deal just a wee bit more, Fandom Gives Back has 3 very special autographed headshots that you can win with your proof of game purchase.

Peter Facinelli headshot
Ashley Greene headshot
Daniel Cudmore headshot

Email your receipt to info@thefandomgivesback with GAME RECEIPT in the subject!

Don't forget to use this link to purchase the game!
http://celebrityvampirebaseball.payperlive.com/event/view/6928/WLWCBBAV

xoxo
Nina

Frequently Asked Questions

2010-05-05T12:42:00.000-04:00

In order to make as much information available as possible, we've added a "Frequently Asked Questions" page.

Topics Covered:
1) Does FGB or its organizers receive any compensation for time or operating costs?

2) If I have a question about Fandom Gives Back, who do I contact? Can I just ask anyone participating or the affiliates? What if I want to host an event, can I just do it?

3) How can I sign up for the auctions?

4) How do I bid if I am on a Team?

5) Can I form a group on my own to bid even if there is a team?

6) What can I do to help?

7) Can I still participate if I live outside of the United States?

8.) Important dates:

9.) When will the auctions be available to look over?

10.) Can I change the terms of my auction? If so, how?

ALSF Fundraising Page Donation Information

2010-04-22T19:00:00.002-04:00

Please remember that when you go to the Fandom Gives Back Lemonade Stand on ALSF there is more than one place to click "Donate".

If you want your donation to be counted with the Fandom Gives Back Eclipse fundraiser you must click the "Donate" button that is in the middle of the page next to the lemon as shown below:

As always thank you for all of your generosity and support. All of your donations, time, and energy benefit ALSF and bring the researchers closer to finding a cure.

If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to email us.

General Information, Team Information or you can email one of us directly Nina, Christina and Lauren

What can you do?

2010-04-14T09:30:00.001-04:00

One of the most commonly asked questions lately is,

"What can I do?"

Many fans that have found the page just want to help. Some aren't interested in the autographed merchandise, author, crafting or art auctions but they want to contribute in some way, shape or form.

Something as simple as retweeting an @fandomgivesback message helps. It gets the word out to your followers that may not have ever heard of the fandom wide event.

Joining the Cause on Facebook and posting it to your personal page. Again, it has the potential to reach people that aren't aware of it! Including friends and family that would support it just because you're passionate about the cause. Remember, in the end, ALSF is the winner and that's something to be proud of.

Going to your favorite Twilight Fan site and asking them if they're an affiliate of Fandom Gives Back. If they're not, encourage them to email info@thefandomgivesback.com and to become a supporter.

Remember, the goal was to be a Fandom wide event, we want to include everyone.

If you've got a personal blog or site and you want to promote ALSF that way, you can add the FGB:Eclipse fundraising page icon you can! All donations will still be autmatically given to the foundation directly.

Link it to this address: FGB Eclipse Fundraising Page

One more thing...

If you just want to donate directly to our Fundraising Page that -- in and of itself -- is an amazing contribution! You don't need to wait for the event in June, you can give $1, $5 or whatever you can afford today in support of the fundraiser.

One of the best comments I've heard lately was at the Peter Facinelli signing in Poughkeepsie a few weeks ago.

A mom in line with her 13 year-old daughter asked me why I had so many items for Peter to autograph. I explained to her about FGB, the auctions, our goal and message and how we wanted to give something back in thanks.

Her husband was behind them listening and his exact words.

"I thought all of you fans were screaming teenagers with crushes on that Edmund guy."

After an eye roll and dramatic scoff from his daughter and wife, I explained in jest that,

"No, we're not all teenagers. Screaming fans... maybe, but not just teenagers."

I showed them the fundraising page from my phone and the amount that the fandom raised last year for ALSF and they were astounded and happy that their daughter was part of a community that wanted to participate in charitable causes and that wasn't just about RPattz posters.

The daughter, Kaitlyn, said she was going to go to school that Monday and ask her friends to donate their allowance to FGB so that they can support it as well.

This is a group of teenagers willing to help -- even if in a small way -- to make a difference.

All the donations, all the time, all the energy and effort benefits ALSF and helping the researchers find a cure.

Remember, if you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to email us. info@thefandomgivesback.com or one of us directly Nina, Christina and Lauren

Affiliates, please post at your discretion to your sites.

Thank you!
Nina

What exactly is "Team Bidding" on the Author Auctions?

2010-04-01T21:40:00.010-04:00

The auctions aren't for a few months but excited ficsters are clamoring to form teams to bid on their favorite authors!

Here's a quick Do and Don't List to follow if you're hoping that a "team bid" is in your future!

Team Bidding

Do!

Decide if leading the team is something you really want to do. It's a lot of work to coordinate team members and ultimately you're responsible for having a cohesive offer to present to the author and also you're in charge of collecting the funds!

Check with the author to make sure that they're participating in FGB.

If they're not, please, respect their decision. They may change their mind but auctions are a lot of pressure on authors and not all want to participate.

Check the author's forums for other people to join the team, Twilighted threads, Live Journal groups and Twitter are great ways to find fellow fans! The bigger the team, the more funds raised to win your favorite author!

Once you've got a team together, stay in touch with them and the author! Each team member may have a limit they can pledge towards the final amount.

Remember! There may be more than one team bidding on the same author. It's unlikely but it is possible!

Filter ALL payments through the ALSF/FGB donation page! You collect receipts, not cash

Don't

Don't badger your favorite authors to make them participate! Harping on them will only turn them off from auctioning anything off.

When deciding on the team terms, i.e. a minimum amount, remember it's all for charity and some may not be able to give as much as others.

As you form teams PLEASE let us know! Use the comment section below or email mailto:teamcoordinator@thefandomgivesback.com

We'll gladly add them to the sidebar with contact information to make it easier for others to join!

For a list of Teams, please click HERE

Note: The FGB Organizers are NOT involved in the management, recruitment or operations of ANY of the teams formed. We are only posting their contact information.

Fandom Gives Back: Eclipse General Information

2010-03-26T09:28:00.008-04:00

FGB Eclipse: June 26-July 2

The momentum and positivity surrounding Fandom Gives Back: Eclipse has been staggering.

In all sincerity, staggering is putting it mildly.

Just a few things…

The call for affiliates has been above and beyond what we had in November. We’re getting new fan sites and support every day – but – we can always have more passionate people to spread the word.

If you’re interested in affiliating with FGB, and have not done so, please fill out this form.

We’ve finalized the sign up requests for our author auction, with some exciting changes!

The authors will have their own site dedicated to them!

The auctions for the creative arts and for the autographed merchandise will have a separate site entirely so neither has to ‘compete’ with the other for attention.
Speaking of autographs, while we are thrilled at the willingness to donate your purchased merchandise, we ask that you refrain from using the FGB name in order to procure free merchandise, special treatment autographs or photographs.

You can certainly tell them it's for charity and the FGB fundraiser but acting untoward at the venue by asking for free tickets to events, or free photos w/'insert cast member here', VIP access or anything else in the FGB or ALSF name is putting the fundraiser at risk.

We've been made aware of many instances recently and needless to say, this is ultimately for charity and therefore needs to be held to a standard.

Ultimately, it’s our responsibility to protect and uphold the fundraiser’s commitment and relationship to ALSF.

All forms for sign ups are located in our sidebar.

If you've got any questions, comments, concerns or suggestions, please do not hesitate to ask one of us.

Nina@thefandomgivesback.com
Christina@thefandomgivesback.com
Lauren@thefandomgivesback.com

Affiliates: Please feel free to post this to your respective sites.

Sincerely,
Nina, Christina & Lauren

If you’re interested in hosting separate events in support of FGB & ALSF, please contact one of us first, as many events are already in the works through different sites.

With an $86,000 total after the first edition, we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us to make FGB2 an even greater success!

The Fandom Gives Back Auction & Fundraiser

2010-03-26T08:00:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone!

A quick update on The Fandom Gives Back Auction.

Bidding will begin June 26 AT 10AM EST. Please post this information to your profiles, author’s notes, Twitter accounts, and blogs.

We chose this time so that people in all time zones in the U.S. will be able to jump on the first-come-first-serve sales. It was impossible to accommodate every time zone internationally, so if you need to arrange to have someone post on your behalf, consider this when looking at the auction offerings.

Again, there are many types of items for sale/auction, so please look around the Auction Forum. Each has its own forum, so make sure you look around to see all the offerings.

Just a reminder: there are two types of sales: straight auction style and first-come-first-serve.

The First Come First Serve sales are exactly that – if you are the first to post to the thread that you want the item being offered, it is yours. If the author offers 5 FCFS items, the first 5 people claiming them win them.

All FCFS sales should be paid for within 24 hours of posting that you want to buy it. This allows the author to open the sale back up in the event that payment doesn’t arrive. We thank everyone for joining in and for being prompt with these types of sales.

The Auction Style sales are straight auctions that begin on June 26th at 10am EST and end on July 2nd at 11:59pm EST (8:59pm PST). Thread mod will post the FINAL BID for these threads at this time. During the auction, each thread will be monitored by the authors themselves, as well as by a page mod who has been assigned to that page of auctions. The mod will post the highest bidder at some point during each day (usually later in the day) to keep track of the bidding process. Any questions should be directed to the author or the mod (you will be able to PM them from a link in their post).

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us at nina@thefandomgivesback.com, Christina@thefandomgivesback.com or Lauren@thefandomgivesback.com We want this to be successful and also FUN, so if there is anything that is unclear don’t hesitate to ask.

Remember, the auction is only one part of the Fandom Gives Back Campaign. We also need to really push for donations through the Fandom Gives Back Lemonade Stand as well, so please keep in mind that donations, without auction purchases, are also a huge part of our efforts.

Thank you everyone for making this such a huge success already. Our hearts swell at the efforts you have all already put forth, and we wrap you all in virtual hugs.
xo

Nina, Christina & Lauren

Our Community & What We Can Do

2009-11-20T18:40:00.000-05:00

We initially started this fundraiser as a way to focus on the good that we can all do when we come together for something larger than the books, the movies, even (GASP!) the fanfiction.

We’ve already raised over $25,000, and this number is no doubt going to continue to rise throughout the day. The strength of the fandom has been demonstrated more powerfully than any of us could have dreamed.

Embedded within the fundraiser – beyond even the money raised – is the realization of what we all knew going into this: this fandom kicks ass. We may each have different aspects of the fandom that draw us in, but when it matters, we come together.

We had intended on writing a blog post talking about why we love this group of people, and why we knew that we could all do this together as a way to thank everyone who got involved. But when we asked for your input on why you love this community, your answers blew us away and said it all better than we could have.

Ultimately, this effort has not just been ours, and it has not just belonged to the fanfiction community. It has grown far beyond that. Because of that, it only makes sense that this blog post is built on your words more than ours.

Unfortunately we couldn’t post all of the responses we got, but we thank everyone who sent us a note to let us know their thoughts. While virtually everyone commented on how nice it is to have a place to go to share this passion for all things Twilight, some of you had additional reasons for being here.

**
From arfalcon: I'm a relative newcomer to fanfiction (March of this year), and there aren't enough hours in the day to get to all the amazing stories I hope to read. I'm the butt of endless jokes by the men in my house about my fanfic addiction, and I've burned dinner on more than one occasion when I couldn't stop reading something.

My 14 yr old son thinks it's weird that I spend half the day reading stuff on the internet, and of course he has no clue that I'm reading a lot of smut. My husband, on the other hand, was truly thrilled when he realized what exactly I've been reading, and has been the happy beneficiary of my overflowing, uh, emotions, on many occasions. I have daughters who are 19 and 20, and they share my Twilight obsession, but are college students and have limited time to read fanfic. I know most of you authors are MUCH younger than me, but you'd be surprised how much fun it's been to bond with my girls over some very universal emotions. And educational, too; fanfic, Twilight and the existence of Robert Pattinson have given us a whole new lexicon to talk about love, commitment, sex and its consequences.

But the thing I love most about being part of the Fandom, albeit only as a reader, is the compassion and commitment I see among you authors. I had a lot of fun working with MsKathy on TeamRichWood during the Support Stacie Auction, and I cried when I read that so many of you chipped in to buy Algie a new laptop when hers crashed. You guys are wonderful. [Right back atcha, darling]

From alonelilylanded: I’ll be honest. I’m a bit late to the proverbial party, at least as far as my communication with other Twifans is concerned. This is mostly because my Twiddiction can still pretty well be summed up as being very much in the closet. I didn’t really become involved in communicating with others until I started really getting deep into reading fanfic, and as a result decided to open a Twi-only twitter account. And damn, what fun I’ve had.

The community means many things to me. It’s a virtual sisterhood, support group, playroom and local pub where I can hang out with people who are generally like-minded and where I can really let my hair down – something I don’t get to do much in my RL. Psychologists would argue that I’ve become one of the collective conscious of the Twidom, and that’s okay by me. It’s my release, my touchstone and my contact with one of the deeper sides of myself I don’t get to express very often, and a place I relish being.

From boobookitty: I love this fandom so much because at the end of the day, it’s all about supporting each other. Regardless of the silly fights between this branch of the fandom or the other, there really is something for everyone. I can only speak for myself about this, but being a stay at home mom with four kids, it’s nice to have a place that is all mine. Here I'm not simply a wife, or a mom. I have an identity that is mine. I know that may be hard for someone who works outside the home to understand, but it is a great feeling to have something that is mine. Writing is something I've always done for my own enjoyment and never dreamed that a place like Twilighted or Fanfic.net ever existed and never thought I'd ever have the guts to ever put myself so out there. But I'm so thankful that I did. I've met wonderfully strong women from all over the world that that have become dear friends.

You know, my grandma always used to say that she was a non-person and I never really understood what she meant by that, until I became one. Don't get me wrong, I'm so thankful that I have the luxury of being able to be a stay at home parent, but it is so easy to get so wrapped up in it that you lose your identity as an individual. I'm a better parent, a better wife and a better, happier person because I have this outlet. I'm also thankful that I have a husband that understands that and has been so supportive and encouraging with this.

And while I may tweet silliness as a cat, I am forever grateful that I bit the proverbial bullet and jumped in.

From BrookeLockart: I cannot say enough about the kind, caring and wonderful people I have met through the Twilight Fandom. With a broken heart and a tormented mind, I found the books and luckily stumbled upon a hilarious blog (LettersToTwilight.com) and later Twilight Fan Fiction to help fill my time. It was easy to chat with the bloggers and commenters on the site; we loved to laugh at ourselves, the movie, actors and books (as well as the REALLY crazy fans). I’ve met several people from the fandom in person and have forged incredible friendships – we’ve even traveled together to tour the Pacific Northwest! I was very fortunate to become “real life” friends with UC from LTT who lives in the area. I really don’t know what I would have done without her this year. I’ve also been fortunate to have met some hilarious and generous friends who regularly send me “Cullen smiles” and cards in the mail or fly in from Chili to visit! For some of my friends, I’ve only been able to keep an email/chat/phone relationship, but I know they care deeply about me and the feeling is mutual.

It’s amazing that at 29 years old, I’ve made so many remarkable friends in such a short period of time. These fantastic women have been my crutch when I could barely get through each day. I cannot adequately express how much they mean to me, how much I needed them, and how I will be forever grateful for their friendship.

From imdominating: I have met some amazing women and some amazing writers. These are funny, funny ladies. I am constantly covering my mouth & stifling snorts and guffaws. I am a huge fan of "If it's not fun, why do it?" Obviously, I am having a tremendous amount of fun. I have made great friends that fill my days (and my nights when I stay up way too late) with gut-busting laughter. Who wouldn't want that?

As for the stories themselves and how they link the community, I liken it to cheering for a sports team. We're all pulling for the characters together. The author is the referee. They're calling the shots. You might think they're unfair. You might want to yell, 'Get off your knees, you're blowing it!' - which, come on, we would yell either way. But we are invested. We are rooting for the home team. When they win, we win. When they lose, we all snotsob together.
I count myself very lucky because I've been able to do this with so many people in person. I know a lot of people keep their fic life and real life very separate. I'm lucky enough to have brought several of my real life friends into this fandom with me. I've also brought some of my fic friends out of my computer and have been able to meet people I love and admire in person.

From Kimpy0464: I've been lurking around the Fandom since January. I've been hardcore since probably March-April. What I enjoy the most is the fact that I have found a group of women who share common interests with me. I'm pretty geeky, and I'm simply amazed that there are so many other highly intelligent, interesting, diverse, witty, smutty, snarky women out here in Fandom. If you told me a year ago that I would be highly connected online with a group of women, I would have laughed. However, that being said, I've never felt more empowered than I do right now; my online activities have allowed me to embrace my sexuality in a way I can't in RL. I've never really connected with women before. But these women? I get them (for the most part). They make me laugh, sometimes they make me cry, but the bottom line is that they add so much goodness to my life. If someone forced me to give up the Fandom, I would be devastated. Seriously. I rely upon these women, whom I've never met face to face, to keep me going every day. I never imagined that I could feel so attached to someone I don't really know, but clearly, I'm highly capable of bonding online.

The positive aspects of the Fandom are many. I enjoy the stories, that include the characters whom I love so dearly. I enjoy interacting with the authors, who are funny and fun. I love being able to leave reviews and give authors feedback that you cannot do in RL. I believe Mrs. The King summarized it perfectly when she stated how amazed she was that people were willing to sit down and read her stories piece by piece in tiny type on a computer screen. The Fandom enticed me to finally do my own writing, which I've always wanted to do, but never got around to doing it. I had a story in my head for TEN years, (really, ten years!), and it was the Fandom that brought it out of me. Even if I only got one review for my story, the writing process alone makes the Fandom worthwhile. Being able to write has unleashed a creative side of me that I didn't know existed. I love it, and it is absolutely my hobby. Again, I never imagined that something so rewarding was out there for me, but I am grateful for it. It has made me so happy and satisfied. That I can meet and interact with people who are so incredible on top of the rest? It's icing on the cake.

Why do I stay? I can't imagine being anywhere else. When people I love drop out of sight, I worry. When there are a few days that pass and I haven't been able to check in with some of my favorite people, things don't feel right. I tend to be a loner and like to keep to myself, but the Fandom has actually brought me out of my shell. I've met people in person, something I never would have done before all this. I Skype with people, for god's sake, and I never talk on the phone. Clearly, it has brought out a completely different side of me, and a more confident person has sprung from this.

From Bellove72: Besides loving all things Twilight and EdwardxBella, I enjoy the fandom because it gives me the opportunity to ‘out’ my incredulous addiction while staying in the closet at the same time! There are few people in my RL that know of my infatuation with all things Twilight! I also like that there are so many other wonderful people that have the same obsession that I do, as well as a place to speak freely about it!

I stay because reading fanfic is my escape from RL but at the same time it’s what keeps me grounded. I’m not a writer but if I’m not mistaken, one of the first rules of writing is to write what you know. If that’s the case, many of the fics I’ve read are filled with angst which leads me to believe that a good majority of the story lines are actually versions of the authors own personal story. So when I say it keeps me grounded, it’s because I remember that everyone has something they are or have gone through and are trying to heal from. Reading some of the fics I’ve read helps me to remember that I’m not the only one that has issues to deal with and it makes it a little easier. If the fics really do touch on personal issues for the authors, I love the fact that there writing about it is probably the best kind of therapy and very healing.

I have never been one for Woman’s lib and burning bras, etc. Just didn’t matter to me. My real life isn’t surrounded by over domineering males and I haven’t really encountered anything like that. But with the woman I’ve met, I understand for the first time in my life how powerful we really are. I am truly amazed as what I see/read every day. I can’t even form a complete sentence to describe what I mean. But here are some adjectives that I see, feel, hear, read, that all give me this feeling: creative, intelligent, powerful, witty, courageous, sexy, determined, sensual, serious, astounding, compassion, nurturing, I could go on and on. I see the things and know that as woman we really can do anything and that gives me hope. Geez, so didn’t mean to get so heavy but every day I’m awed and humbled by the extreme talent around me in the fandom!

**
Every response we received made us smile (some made us tear up). One of the responses we saw the most was people feeling proud to be a part of something as big as TFGB.

And trust us, we couldn't be prouder. So, the three of us really want to say thank you.

Thank you, of course, for the monetary donations.

But thank you, too, authors and artists, for volunteering your time, energy, and creativity for the auction.

Thank you to our affiliates for contributing their resources and alerting their followers to the fundraiser.

Thank you to everyone who spread the word, whether it was to a friend, to a mass of followers, or in an author’s note.

We truly hope that everyone feels ownership of this effort – it belongs to all of us.
Love,
Nina, Lo, Christina

PS: Please share your own thoughts about the fandom in a comment!

A Researcher's Perspective on ALSF

2009-11-18T13:50:00.000-05:00

I’m sitting in front of my computer staring at the current total that The Fandom Gives back has raised for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation: $17,575.39.

$17,575.39.

That number will undoubtedly go up in the next few hours – it already has as I’ve written even these first few paragraphs of this post – and probably will more before I even have a chance to hit "publish post". It’s truly astounding that we’ve raised this much, and we still have 2.5 days left in the auction. This total doesn’t even include what KStew411 has raised on behalf of Kristen Stewart. I can hardly wrap my mind around any of this.

I wish I could communicate what it does to me to see this happening, but I know I don’t need to because I know you all feel it too. It’s one thing to find community and kinship here in the Twilight fandom, and it’s also one thing to enjoy being able to continue writing and reading about these characters we all love. But we all know that it’s another thing entirely to be able to corral that energy and do something so completely meaningful with this fandom that we’ve all built.

So what does this mean for ALSF? Well, as we’ve mentioned in the side bar, ALSF has made the GiveSpot List. In order to make this list, the charity has to solicit funds from the public and run in an efficient and transparent manner. All of the groups listed spend 75% or more of annual expenses on program services. In fact, ALSF spends 89% on program services, which includes research grants, nursing grants, and travel grants to help families with travel expenses as they travel for treatments for their children. They also have an annual Childhood Cancer Symposium that brings families together for education about the disease course, treatment options, and to foster community.

ALSF is particularly impressive to me in the way that it emphasizes research. I am a research scientist, working in the neuroscience field and (without giving up too much of my identity) working in age-associated diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and neuropathic pain. My husband has been studying cancer biology since 1997. My sister is a pediatric oncology nurse. My mother is a cancer survivor. My family – as do many of yours as well – knows the importance of research and outreach in disease and the fact that 87% of ALSF funds go towards program activities is astounding.

So what could 87% of $17,575.39, or $15,642, do for a scientist?

It could fund a small research array to identify genetic changes in a type of malignant tumor.

It could purchase enough reagents, equipment, and supplies to conduct an experiment on a novel cell signaling pathway and how it affects tumor development.

It could pay a large part of a graduate student’s salary (sadly enough, ha) as well as travel funds to a meeting to meet other scientists and senior researchers.

It could fund the development of a novel tumor cell line which could be used to screen novel therapies.

It could do any of these things or so many others. The amount that WE have raised TOGETHER is already enough to help impact childhood cancer in a MEANINGFUL and SIGNIFICANT way. I hope you all understand that what we have raised has the potential to be an entire research grant, or to fund a nursing grant to expand on the current care options for sick kids.

Perhaps even more importantly, it’s enough to send an entire family to another city for several weeks while their child receives treatment.

We all did that. It’s truly amazing what we’ve done already, and we still have 2.5 days left. I relied on small research grants for some of my graduate and post-doctoral fellowships and I can’t tell you what a difference it makes to a young (or even more established) scientist to have funding for exciting and innovative projects.

So, I thank you as a mom, as a sister of a woman who gives treatment to sick kids every day, as the daughter of a cancer survivor, as a friend in the fandom, but also as a scientist, because I’ve seen firsthand what this kind of generosity can foster. I hope you all know that the three of us are beyond grateful to every one of you.
With love,
Lola, Christina, and Nina

The How-To for Sellers and Buyers in the FGB Auction

2009-11-14T15:47:00.002-05:00

SELLERS

Remember to check your thread regularly - you are the primary moderator for your thread(s). Although there will be page mods who will come in daily and post the current top bid (usually later in the day), it is your responsibility to ensure that:

(1) FCFS item sales are acknowledged when sold and you make a clear statement when all FCFS items are gone. Please indicate when a FCFS sale has been finalized, because buyers may be waiting to hear if the sale went through (i.e. not paid within 24 hours).

(2) Every page has the top bid posted somewhere (some pages get chatty during auctions)

(3) The current top bid is clear if someone happens to miss a post with a higher bid.

Communicate with your buyer about your terms, price, and expected delivery date when you receive confirmation of their payment (they should put your email in when they donate so you receive the receipt - make sure that they have this information when they win the item).

The receipt will have their information and yours in the "display name" on the donation receipt.

Example: Auction for author tby789/winning bidder LolaShoes ($50)

As a courtesy, please forward this receipt to the buyer (or, conversely, have them forward it to you). All written communication is considered the sales contract between buyer and seller, so maintain records of this communication.

If you have any questions, please contact your page mod, the forum mod, or Nina, Christina, or Lo.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

BUYERS
Make sure you register on the boards so that you can bid beginning tomorrow. If possible, use your FF or twitter username so you are easily identified. The forum is organized by auction/sales type. An easy list of the auction offerings can also be found here, with links to each individual thread. This is a handy link - thanks to Kassiah for hooking us up!
For First Come First Serve sales, whichever post comes into the thread first is the winner - even if the time is identical. If your post is on top, it wins. Keep in mind that the sale is not closed until the winner pays, and that must happen within 24 hours of the FCFS sale, otherwise the offering is released to other buyers. Once the sale is finalized, the author will post that the FCFS item has been closed.
For auction style, bidding will begin tomorrow and end at 11:59EST on Friday, November 20th. At this time, the authors and/or page mods will indicte the winning bid. Payments need to be sent within 24 hours of auction close.
General courtesy:
Please ensure that when you post a bid, it is clear. It is fine to have some chatting in the threads, but if you are bidding, either submit a separate post with only your bid amount OR BOLD THE TEXT of your bid amount so it is easy for the author/mod to identify.
WHEN PAYING FOR AN AUCTION/FCFS ITEM:
Payments should be made through the Twilight Fandom Gives Back Lemonade Stand. On this page, you will see a box that says, "Twilight Fandom Gives Back" on the right side of the page, and underneath that is a lemon that says, "DONATE". Click this link to pay for your auction.

At the very top of the donation page, it will say, "Display name." Here is where you indicate the auction information. When paying, the payment must be made in the BIDDER and AUTHOR name, with the receipt going to the AUTHOR. This way the author will know when the payment has been made and the auction can be finalized. Either put the author's email address, but your (the winning bidder's) billing information, or your email address and email them a copy of the receipt when you receive it. You must also email a copy of the paypal receipt.

Example of how to enter "display name": Auction for author tby789/Winning bidder LolaShoes ($50)
As always, there are lots of us here to ensure that this runs smoothly, and feel free to email us anytime. Our contact info is always at the top right of the page.

Thank you everyone for joining in the fundraising efforts! Let's make some money for childhood cancer research!

xo
Lo, Nina, Christina

General Information about the Auctions

2009-10-29T15:41:00.001-04:00

To get a better understanding of how the auction will be run, we've explained everything below.

The forum address will be released on Sunday

TYPES OF SALES IN AUCTION:

There are currently two types of sales within the Fandom Gives Back auction.

FIRST COME FIRST SERVE: Are buy-it-now type of sales where the first person to grab the offer for the requested price is the “winner” of that offering. These offerings, once “claimed” will not be available. Payment must be sent within 24-hours of claiming the offering so that another person has the opportunity to buy it if the first sale falls through.

AUCTION STYLE: Are straight-auctions where bidding will be carried out across the auction duration (November 15-20th). For each offering, the highest bidder will be called out at the end of each day to keep track of where the bidding process is.

AUCTION THREADS:

The auctions will each be contained within a thread for each author under the author’s name, in alphabetical order.

Within that thread, there may be one or more offers up for sale, and the author is responsible for moderating and tracking the highest bidder on auctions as well as the going prices for each individual story item they are offering.

Each day the high bidder will be posted by the author in the thread to keep track of the auction progress.

Questions regarding prompts, story ideas, specifications, and author-detailed rules are to be directed to the author, not the Fandom Gives Back email account. Please, when in doubt about a specific question regarding an author’s offering, always contact the author first.

AUCTION PAYMENTS:

Payments will be sent through the Twilight Fandom Gives Back Donate link (the lemon on our Lemonade Stand page) and the donation must be made in the BIDDER and AUTHOR NAME with the receipt sent to the AUTHOR. This way the author will know when the payment has been submitted and the auction item can be initiated.

EXAMPLE: AUCTION FOR LOLASHOES/WINNING BIDDER $50 NINAPOLITAN

GROUP PURCHASING/POOLING RESOURCES:

Groups of people can certainly come together to bid on an author’s offering. However, during payment for the auction, the payment for the winning bidder needs to be submitted through paypal from a single buyer, therefore, any groups pooling money will need to send it to a single member of the group to submit to paypal.

IMPORTANT COPYRIGHT CONSIDERATIONS:

Please remember that all of the stories are copyrighted by the authors and
cannot legally be reproduced or performed without their permission. Technically,
stories are copyrighted whether they say so or not, so any use without the
author's permission is not allowed.

These guidelines will be included in the auction threads for each reference. Please contact lola@thefandomgivesback.com with specific questions related to bidding once the auction has begun.

Get the word out...

2009-10-28T16:07:00.000-04:00

Check back for auction board opening date.

Huge thanks to @heathrdawnc for the amazing banners.

Mission Statement

2009-10-18T14:40:00.000-04:00

Dear friends, fans, and followers,

Did you know that every year over 200,000 children worldwide are diagnosed with a form of childhood cancer? We cannot ignore this shocking statistic impacting the youth of the world, and we certainly hope that you won’t either. We need your help.

Starting Nov. 15th, through Nov. 20th, you will have the opportunity to help in the fight against childhood cancer. We haven't set a monetary goal because we're firm in the belief that no matter what we set, you will surpass it.

Running this virtual stand is the biggest challenge we have ever faced – the challenge of raising awareness of just how serious the epidemic of childhood cancer is.

The money raised will go to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer, a 501(c)3 public charity, to fund childhood cancer research projects. The mission of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is to raise funds and awareness of childhood cancer causes, primarily to support research into new cures and treatments; to encourage and educate others, especially children, to raise money for childhood cancer by holding their own lemonade stands; and to expedite the process of finding new cures and treatments, and bringing them to children with cancer now.

Please help support our efforts and this critically important cause by making a contribution through our virtual stand. You can make your donation online by visiting our Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation Fundraising page: Twilight Fandom Gives Back Donation Page.

You can also help us by passing this message along to others who may be interested in visiting our virtual stand, or holding one of their own!
Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

ninapolitan, lolashoes & tby789

Nina, Lola & Christina

P.S. you can find out more about Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation’s by visiting

http://www.AlexsLemonade.org
http://www.thefandomgivesback.com