4.The gulf oil spill has been in the news for two solid months. Every day, in all the evening news reports, the Yahoo News front page, on Facebook, Twitter, and all forms of media, we have heard about the tragic beginning, the horrible middle, and the on going struggles the Gulf Coast region is facing due to a terrible industrial accident. An imaginable, traumatic, and, quite frankly, horrific reality we all have to live with from now on.
This is a global reality folks, and we have to face that fact. It is a small world. By our own doing, it is a very small world indeed. Unfortunately, what happens in the Gulf Coast region of the United States of America, will not stay in the Gulf Coast for long.
Being a half glass full kind of girl, I find it very hard to see my “water half.” However, I do like looking for a silver lining in everything. Luckily, just before I was about to give up, I found ONE very nice silver lining, indeed!
Help The Gulf Coast
There is an Etsy Shop which is completely run by the individual artists and entrepreneurs that form Etsy which sole purpose is to collect donations to help the Gulf Coast region. The way it works is Etsy Shop owners can donate items - virtually - to this new collective store and once the item they donate sells, the monies go directly to the collective store’s account. Once Etsy and Paypal fees have been paid from the sale, the rest of the money is donated to two charity groups - Oxfam and the National Wildlife Foundation.
Thanks to Katie.
A girl named Katie started the whole thing. She initiated the rallying cry, she opened an account with Paypal, connected the new Etsy collective shop to that account, contacted Oxfam, contacted the National Wildlife Foundation, promoted her idea, recruited Etsians, recruited her mother, and frankly, I don’t know how she gets any sleep at all or have a life. But for her, I am grateful!
So, here’s to Etsy entrepreneurs trying to “save the world” one handmade, vintage, or art supply at a time. And, here’s to the Gulf Coast region, may you have a miraculous recovery and get back all you have lost.
Join Us and Click on These Links
Help The Gulf Coast Etsy Store - Shop, Browse, Buy!
Buy from this Etsy Store! Not only do you get FREE shipping, you will own a cool Etsy item, and also donate to Oxfam and National Wildlife Foundation in the process. Get early Christmas presents, make your birthday list, call your friends and help our small and fragile world!
Help The Gulf Coast Blog Page - Donate!
If you’re an Etsian who would like to donate items or learn more about
where the donations are going.
Help The Gulf Coast on Facebook - Spread The Word
Just want to help in any way? Spread the word to your
friends a
nd family and join their Facebook Page.Lastly, to Katie, this is her shop link Flapperdoodle Store
What a wonderful idea! I need to donate an item...
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing this great cause with us Yvette!!
Thank you so much for this article! I can't tell you how much this shop means to me and the many many others who have donated their time, items and hearts and souls into it. So far we have raised over $6500 for Oxfam and The National Wildlife Federation and the shop has only been open a little over a month.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your very poignant and honest post. I found the shop the day it opened. I was having the kind of day where I was thinking of just giving it all up. The gulf spill really had broken my heart and I was lost, what matters anymore? why create? what does it all mean? then I found the shop and though I already had my shop set up for partial proceeds to go to Nature Conservancy, I had to give to this shop, my item sold within minutes and I was reinvigorated. I didn't feel alone, I was part of a community who wanted to something.
ReplyDeleteWhat you said about silver lining is true, I look at the donations as bitter sweet. The excitement also comes with a sense of sadness but I am glad of the community. In addition to donating an item I also bought the item you listed here-the amazing photo of that most beautiful egret by jewelfish.etsy.com
Great job Yvette!
ReplyDeleteI have also donated to this great cause.