FundRaising Malawi: Hey! I think I feel raindrops!

OK, so like two minutes after my earlier RainMaker post, I got an email from my friend's sister Molly Lopez who camped out at my pig-stye of a place in NYC as her new apartment was getting ready. I am renovating now. It's rough. Anyway, she donated $100 to Raising Malawi in a gesture of thanks, so that brings us to $30,533.57!

Me and my new team (Heather, Leah and Meital - we meet once a week) are also in the process of collecting donations for a silent auction(s) to be held in LA this summer. Details still to follow on that. So far we've got:

1. Four tickets to Cirque du Soleil show: KA in Vegas (David Duncan and his friend Mario)

David called his friend Mario - top marketing guy at Cirque du Soleil - who will donate 4 tickets to KA in Vegas. David offered to kick in for hotel to make it a travel package. (David...maybe we can call MGM and see if they can donate for whatever night and then you can kick in for something else or make your $1,000 contribution straight to Raising Malawi?)

2. Donated Downloads from new release; $30-40K potential (Rose Reiter)

This is not the download song, but it'll give you a feel for her music (nice, huh?). Rose just shot the video for her new release,"Can't Hold me Back", so I'll post that when it's ready. She is proposing to donate 50% of all digital downloads from day one release (June 1) until my goal date - Dec 25, 2008 - to Raising Malawi. So, quick math, if she had a goal of 100,000 downloads, then it would be about $30 - 40K to Raising Malawi. Any music gurus out there who know how to help us promote this?!

3. One African Djembe (Diana Fengler-Shores per Remo.com)

I work with Diana. She's into the whole new age thing (like me) and also drumming scene. I'm certifiably clueless about drums, but what she's shown me is beautiful. She just secured a donation of one large festival Djembe. In Africa, one of the Djembe's functions is as a healing drum. Remo Djembes are based on the same traditional Djembe tone and form combined with Remo's modern advances including a wide range of tuning systems, heads, finishes and sizes.

4a/b. A painting (details to follow) and Neil Lane Jewelery (Leah Reynolds and Neil Lane)

Leah, my Fundraising Malawi partner found someone to donate a painting. I'll update this post with the details after we meet tomorrow and I can remind myself of the specifics. She also works at DeBeers and would LOVE to sell a diamond to anyone shopping for a diamond. This way too, she'll have some more sway at the office, if you will, and can influence the powers that be to host an event at DeBeers, ideally this fall. When we do host (which we intend to), she secured a commitment for a piece of jewelry from Neil Lane. I'll get the specifics on that tomorrow.

5. One session of acupuncture with the fabulous Heather Lounsbury, L. Ac.

Heather (my other Fundraising Malawi partner) is donating a session of acupuncture. She's a doctor. I asked her about my neck pain and she diagnosed me as carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. I love Heather :)

6. Something good from me as soon as I get the inspiration.