Helping Others in Second Life X – We Have a Puppy!

Happiness is a warm puppy. 

Charles M. Schulz

  

 As my three loyal readers know, along with a few other stalwarts, I’ve been reporting on the efforts of a friend in Second Life (SL) to obtain a diabetic service dog in Real Life (RL).    

My friend, XMarieX (Marie) Fairport, has diabetes in RL and a service dog would make a major improvement in her life as well as be potentially lifesaving.

Recently, I was happy to report that Marie was on the short list to receive a dog. 

Well, now I can report that a dog has been identified and assigned to her.  Musketeer

is his name! 

I’ve included some photos of Musketeer here and additional ones and videos can be found on this flickr page.    

The last challenge for Marie is to achieve her financial goal of $15,000. 

(Sadly, in this country, resources like Musketeer have to be privately funded.)

If you’d like to help, here’s how:

First, contributions can now be made directly to Diabetic Alert Dogs of America (DADA)!

Go to http://www.diabeticalertdogsofamerica.com/     

At the bottom BLUE part of the page, second from the right, click on PAYMENTS.

 Click BUY NOW. 

In the description, type MUSKETEER PUPPY, enter an amount and continue.  Verify the payment type (credit card, debit card or PayPal) and know that your help is greatly appreciated by Marie and her family! 

(Important:  You must enter "MUSKETEER PUPPY" in the payment description, othe wise those funds will be "lost"). 

Donations can ALSO be made via L$ to XMarieX Fairport.  

Also to any Wells Fargo Bank, let them know you wish to donate to MUSKETEER

THE DIABETIC ALERT DOG.

The down payment is just the first step!  Half of the remaining balance is due the end of October. 

How else can you help?

Not everyone can always afford to donate even if they want to.

But, you can help in other ways!

First, share this story with its links to your friends and ask them to help

Next, keep Marie and her family in your thoughts and prayers!  These do help!

I know other people’s thoughts and prayers have helped me in my life.  (Significant Other nods in agreement.)

Marie will be keeping all of us up to date with any new information about this life saving Service Dog at http://mariesdog.blogspot.com/

Be sure to check it out! 

I’ll be updating as we go along and hopefully we’ll soon have pictures of Marie with Musketeer!

Thanks to all of you who are helping in whatever way you can! 

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives. 

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

            If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life  please click here.

            Open roads and kind fires!

Helping Others in Second Life IX – A Progress Report

When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.

Maya Angelou

As my three loyal readers know, I occasionally blog about a need someone has in Real Life (RL) and tell everyone how they can help in Second Life (SL) if they’re both willing and able to do so. 

Most of these are one-time requests and I don’t often get a lot of feedback on what happens.  (The last thing people in need should worry about is getting back to me!)

However, I’m happy to be able to give a progress report on one of these requests for assistance.

XMarieX (Marie) Fairport is a woman living with diabetes in RL.   

SL has become somewhere she can go to cope with the distress and chronic pain that this disease causes her. 

A while back, I blogged about her efforts to raise $15,000US to acquire a diabetic service dog from Diabetic Alert Dogs of America (DADA) to help improve the quality of her life and to potentially save it as well. 

Recently, Marie has cleared her first hurdle in acquiring her service dog.  She’s successfully raised the down payment for her dog (To be called Musketeer.) and is now number 23 on the waiting list with DADA. 

Approximatively six weeks from now, Marie'll be on the top of the list and DADA will begin to look for her dog (already named Musketeer Puppy) according to her needs and

lifestyle that have already been communicated to them.

When Musketeer Puppy has been located, DADA will send Marie a scent kit.  She'll provide scent samples (spit) of her low, normal and high blood sugar levels. The scent kit will be sent back and the samples will be used to train Musketeer. 

While all of this will be going on, Marie’ll receive weekly updates, photos, and videos that she’ll be sharing of what Musketeer has been successfully trained to do, what he is currently working on, field trips he's taken and how he did.  Seems Musketeer will get to go to Target, Wal-Mart, restaurants, etc.

Sounds like Musketeer’s going to be a busy dog! 

Now, for the best part!

How can we help Marie get Musketeer?

Here’s how!

First, contributions can now be made directly to DADA!

Go to http://www.diabeticalertdogsofamerica.com/     

At the bottom BLUE part of the page, second from the right, click on PAYMENTS.

 Click BUY NOW. 

In the description, type MUSKETEER PUPPY, enter an amount and continue.  Verify the payment type (credit card, debit card or PayPal) and know that your help is greatly appreciated by Marie and her family! 

(Important:  You must enter "MUSKETEER PUPPY" in the payment description, othe wise those funds will be "lost"). 

Donations can ALSO be made via L$ to XMarieX Fairport.  

Also to any Wells Fargo Bank, let them know you wish to donate to MUSKETEER THE DIABETIC ALERT DOG.

The down payment is just the first step!  Half of the remaining balance is due the end of October. 

How else can you help?

Not everyone can always afford to donate even if they want to.

But, you can help in other ways!

First, share this story with it’s links to your friends and ask them to help

Next, keep Marie and her family in your thoughts and prayers!  These do help!

I know other people’s thoughts and prayers have helped me in my life.  (Significant Other nods in agreement.)

Marie will be keeping all of us up to date with any new information about this life saving Service Dog at http://mariesdog.blogspot.com/

Be sure to check it out! 

I’ll also be doing another update as we get closer to knowing who Musketeer is! 

Marie would like to thank everyone who has contributed, shared her story, and prayed for her!

If you’re ever inworld when she is, give her a shout out!  She’d love to talk with you! 

Thanks in advance from me for whatever you decide to do!

I’d like to thank Marie for taking the time to chat with me about Musketeer and I wish her every success in her endeavors! 

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives. 

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

            If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life  please click here.

            Open roads and kind fires!

Helping Others in Second Life VII – Will You Help a Child Go to School, Please?

You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.

John Bunyan

           Wandering across Second Life (SL) for the last several years has taught me at least one very important lesson.  (Significant Other cringes.) That lesson is that residents inworld are at least as generous as they are in Real Life (RL), perhaps, even more so.  (Significant Other exhales slowly and looks relieved.)   

          There’s Relay for Life and efforts to help with diabetes.  I continue to see communities come together when one of their own runs into RL issues.    

          A note of warning before we go any further!

          I happen to believe in the general goodness of people whether in SL or in RL.  I don’t think we’re superior to others because we can walk by others less fortunate than ourselves who may be lying in the gutter kidding ourselves that they’ll get out when they feel like pulling themselves up.  Building walls neither hides the problem nor makes it go away. (Significant Other smiles approvingly.)  

          I remember what I once heard in a RL church during a homily (Yes, they let me in but they do keep an eye on me.), “The spare coat in your closet belongs to the poor.”

          And, yes.  If you think this rant of mine is a result of the current political situation in my country right now then you’re correct!  

          Now, that that’s over with…

          My good friends at First UCC in SL are once again sponsoring a RL child from

Children International through their RealReach program.  

          First UCC was originally attracted to Children International because they are not a directly sectarian effort tied to a single denomination.  They had strong ratings through charity tracking sites, and they tied education and skill-building programs into their outreach efforts.  They actively involve the families of the sponsored children in in-country community efforts.  They are not just a drop-off-the-food-and-clothing kind of place.  They have programs right in the neighborhoods they serve, and they interact daily with those they're helping.          

          This year a seventeen year old girl in Mexico has been identified as the latest beneficiary of RealReach.  She lives with her family and attends school.  But, she needs help with her school fees.  She has waited 216 days for a sponsor.  First UCC will pay $32US per month to support her education.  

          Now, here’s where folks like us can help!  

          On Thursday, June 16, 2016, at 6:00PM SLT, First UCC will be holding a dance and

an auction to raise funds to cover one year’s expenses for the child that they’re sponsoring.  The dance has a pool theme!  So grab your swimsuit and join the fun!  (Please no skinny dippers, this is a church function after all!)  

          If you can afford to please come by and make a contribution.

          If you can’t afford to make a contribution then please come by any way and lend your moral support.  

          I plan on being there!  (Although, Significant Other suggests that I offer to stay away if it means more people will contribute.)  

          Hope to see you there!  (Unless someone makes a material donation and I’ll stay away!)  

          I’d like to thank Jer Newstart, Becca Kellstrom, and XMarieX Fairport for their assistance in preparing this story!

          Some of the photos used in this story are from First UCC and used with the permission of their ministry. 

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.  

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here. 

          Open roads and kind fires!  

Helping Others in Second Life V – Would You Please Help Here?

 

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of others.

Charles Dickens

  

          With this story I return to an earlier story about a woman who is overcoming her Real Life (RL) disabilities by living without them in Second Life (SL). 

          Her name is XMarieX (“Marie”) Fairport and she needs our help. 

          In that last story, I wrote about how Marie is trying to raise money to acquire a diabetic alert dog in RL to help her live with her juvenile diabetes, diagnosed over thirty years ago, which had caused her to fall and has left her in great pain from her injuries. 

          I chose now to write about Marie’s needs because it’s American Diabetes Month and she is running several functions inworld to help raise funds for her service animal, to be called Musketeer, and I wanted to highlight her story again and her fund raising drive, and to ask for your help. 

          Marie has raised some funds so far but is nowhere near her goal of $15,000US necessary to obtain Musketeer.

 

          Marie is married in RL with children and dealing with diabetes and the pain from her fall.  She lives in constant fear that her condition will worsen or that she experience kidney failure or blindness.  Marie fears blindness the most.  She wants to see her wee ones grow up.  80% of those with her type of diabetes go blind within the first fifteen years of being diagnosed.

          The diabetic alert dog will provide assurance against the latter. 

          Marie needs help and I’m asking you to help if you can. 

          Before I go any further, let me address those doubts you may have about raising a not inconsequential sum of RL money for a SL avatar.  (Marie does wish to remain anonymous and I will respect that.)

          Diabetic Alert Dogs of America (DADA) will be supplying Marie with her service dog. 

          Marie is registered with them and if you call the number on their website they will confirm that Musketeer is one of their projects. 

          They will not supply Marie’s RL details.

          Wells Fargo Bank through its charitable receipts program is accepting funds for Musketeer.

          American banks are very choosey about who they do business with and whom they receive funds from these days. 

          Now, here’s how you can help Marie!

          First, in SL:

1.     By buying her merchandise at her shop, ~XM~ Designs, located here. 

2.     Joining the I HELPED HUNT, details of which can be found here and hints can be found here! 

3.     Donating Lindens at the kiosk located in her shop.

4.     Attending the inworld functions going on this month in SL:

a.     The November 7^th dance, the theme of which is a pajama party, being held here at 8:00PM SLT. 

b.     The November 28^th I HELPED Live Auction/Formal Dance to be held  here starting at 7:00PM SLT.

5.     Hiring Marie and her husband, Kiva Fairport, as DJs for your inworld functions. 

 

Next, in RL:

1.     Walking into any Wells Fargo branch and making a contribution to the MUSKETEER THE DIABETIC ALERT DOG fund. 

2.     Contributions can be made to DADA for Musketeer.  One caveat, until they receive the down payment of $2,500US they will not accept donations so achieving that first interim goal is crucial! 

3.     Donations can be made to wisconsin_marie@yahoo.com through Paypal.

 

If you need a receipt for tax purposes then either Wells Fargo or DADA should be used. 

Even if you can’t contribute financially there are ways to help Marie!

First, if you would share her story with your friends and communities through whatever social media you use that would help greatly!

Or, if you would just attend her functions and lend moral support it would mean a lot to Marie. 

Finally, just reach out to Marie personally and let her know that you’re thinking of her and support her.  How many people when they have problems suddenly find themselves alone?  A few moments to visit and a few kind words can mean a lot!

Marie will try to stay in touch with everyone who helps but this could be a daunting task!  (I’m expecting a lot of folks to help out!)

So, for ongoing updates on Marie’s progress, her blog will be a good source of information.

Marie also welcomes questions from all who have them. 

For many of us, SL is a place to come to, meet friends, and enjoy ourselves.

Sometimes, it’s easy to forget the real people with RL problems behind those friendly avatars.

If you could help Marie either financially, with your time, or moral support then please do so!

A RL mother is asking for our help. 

Will you please help make a difference here?

In case you’re wondering what I’ve done, I’ve given a small financial contribution but it’s nowhere near enough.  I’m also helping to get Marie’s message out to the SL community. 

Thank you in advance for however you can help!   

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

          Open roads and kind fires!