Friends,
My 7th Annual “Going to the Dogs” benefit sale is a now a wrap! This was a long one---we started way back on June 13th with Part 1 here: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/afaustin’s-7th-annual-“going-to-the-dogs”-sale-dedicated-to-boy-part-1.1667277/ We chugged along through Parts 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and now arrived here at Part 7---the Grand Finale! And this Part is what it’s all about---making the donations and helping the pups!
I’m happy to report that this has been the most successful sale ever, with 39 knives sold and $2470 in gross fees and contributions. (I don’t take out for the PayPal fees or shipping costs, so the pups get it all.) I rounded that up to a nice even $2500. I mentioned at the outset that I always try to get some matching funds when possible, and thanks to two generous friends of the recipient organizations, that was accomplished as well (details below).
The main reason we broke all records this year is pretty simple---I had tremendous help from some great friends and BladeForums members who sent me lots of beautiful knives to sell, and others who puposefully “overpaid” for the knives they bought or just made outright cash contributions (or both!). A few have reluctantly agreed to let me name them: Phil (Phaint on BF); Ann (nannybear on BF); and my friend Kirk, premier Bark River collector on the planet and about the most generous person I know. The other fine folks have threatened me with grave bodily harm if I don’t let them remain anonymous, so guess I’d better do that. I can say, though, that they are all outstanding BF members and dedicated dog lovers, and I am forever grateful for their generosity and support.
I also want to thank all the buyers—wouldn’t have been much of a sale without them! Several were repeat or multiple buyers and made an oversized contribution to our grand total. When I see these same good folks return year after year and buy up a bunch of knives, I just have to tip my hat to them. And virtually every single buyer not only made a purchase, but also added some kind words of encouragement or support and often told me a little about their own well loved pups.
I mentioned in the intro to Part 1 that I was going to try hard, as I have for the last several years, to find donation recipients which can secure some matching funds so that this donation will have a bigger impact. There were no organized matching programs I could find this year, but the resourceful folks at the Austin Humane Society and Soi Dog reached out to two dedicated supporters of their organizations, described this sale to them, and they each agreed to match up to $1000 of the proceeds. I’m already a big fan of these two groups and so that clinched it for me—I split the proceeds this year once again between the Austin Humane Society and Soi Dog. You can read more about them and their incredible work for the pups here: http://www.austinhumanesociety.org/ and here: https://www.soidog.org/
I divided evenly the gross proceeds of $2500.00, so that was $1250.00 for each organization. The $1000.00 matches at each brought that up to a $2250.00 total contribution to each organization. So that makes a grand total of $4500.00 this sale raised for the pups! I’ve copied below the very gracious acknowledgment letters I received from the recipients.
Thanks again this year to the mods, Spark, and BladeForums for providing the perfect venue and allowing this sale to happen. And thanks again to the great contributors and buyers for making the result possible. Back in Part 1, I said that this year’s sale was dedicated to our kind and noble Shepherd rescue, Boy, who we lost earlier this year. I truly believe that our Boy provided the special inspiration which made this year’s sale such a success. Wherever his good soul is resting, I know he is at peace and happy.
Andrew
My 7th Annual “Going to the Dogs” benefit sale is a now a wrap! This was a long one---we started way back on June 13th with Part 1 here: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/afaustin’s-7th-annual-“going-to-the-dogs”-sale-dedicated-to-boy-part-1.1667277/ We chugged along through Parts 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and now arrived here at Part 7---the Grand Finale! And this Part is what it’s all about---making the donations and helping the pups!
I’m happy to report that this has been the most successful sale ever, with 39 knives sold and $2470 in gross fees and contributions. (I don’t take out for the PayPal fees or shipping costs, so the pups get it all.) I rounded that up to a nice even $2500. I mentioned at the outset that I always try to get some matching funds when possible, and thanks to two generous friends of the recipient organizations, that was accomplished as well (details below).
The main reason we broke all records this year is pretty simple---I had tremendous help from some great friends and BladeForums members who sent me lots of beautiful knives to sell, and others who puposefully “overpaid” for the knives they bought or just made outright cash contributions (or both!). A few have reluctantly agreed to let me name them: Phil (Phaint on BF); Ann (nannybear on BF); and my friend Kirk, premier Bark River collector on the planet and about the most generous person I know. The other fine folks have threatened me with grave bodily harm if I don’t let them remain anonymous, so guess I’d better do that. I can say, though, that they are all outstanding BF members and dedicated dog lovers, and I am forever grateful for their generosity and support.
I also want to thank all the buyers—wouldn’t have been much of a sale without them! Several were repeat or multiple buyers and made an oversized contribution to our grand total. When I see these same good folks return year after year and buy up a bunch of knives, I just have to tip my hat to them. And virtually every single buyer not only made a purchase, but also added some kind words of encouragement or support and often told me a little about their own well loved pups.
I mentioned in the intro to Part 1 that I was going to try hard, as I have for the last several years, to find donation recipients which can secure some matching funds so that this donation will have a bigger impact. There were no organized matching programs I could find this year, but the resourceful folks at the Austin Humane Society and Soi Dog reached out to two dedicated supporters of their organizations, described this sale to them, and they each agreed to match up to $1000 of the proceeds. I’m already a big fan of these two groups and so that clinched it for me—I split the proceeds this year once again between the Austin Humane Society and Soi Dog. You can read more about them and their incredible work for the pups here: http://www.austinhumanesociety.org/ and here: https://www.soidog.org/
I divided evenly the gross proceeds of $2500.00, so that was $1250.00 for each organization. The $1000.00 matches at each brought that up to a $2250.00 total contribution to each organization. So that makes a grand total of $4500.00 this sale raised for the pups! I’ve copied below the very gracious acknowledgment letters I received from the recipients.
Thanks again this year to the mods, Spark, and BladeForums for providing the perfect venue and allowing this sale to happen. And thanks again to the great contributors and buyers for making the result possible. Back in Part 1, I said that this year’s sale was dedicated to our kind and noble Shepherd rescue, Boy, who we lost earlier this year. I truly believe that our Boy provided the special inspiration which made this year’s sale such a success. Wherever his good soul is resting, I know he is at peace and happy.
Andrew
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