Lakeshore

As announced before the con, Norwescon, the Northwest Science Fiction Society, lasirenadolce and myself worked with matchitforpratchett.org to do matching fund raising at Norwescon 31. This was in coordination with Pat Cadigan's campaign to match Terry Pratchett's US$1MM donaton to Alzheimer's research.

In the ten days since that challenge, nearly $100,000 has been donated online globally in honor of Terry. Norwescon, Eastercon/Orbital and ICFA were the first conventions that were able to attempt fundraising. Eastercon reportedly raised about $4,000, ICFA raised $1,054 (thanks fjm for the info), while Norwescon members, vendors and pros donated a total of $3,403.70.

People gave what they could - whether it was $1 or $100. A few people emptied all of the change in their pocket every time the walked by the donation box. Many gave multiple times. BASFA heard that we were doing a campaign and sent money up from San Francisco. One vendor gave a percentage of all of their sales from the weekend to the cause. Another vendor gave all of her profits from Terry Pratchett books.

I believe lasirenadolce will be posting some practical tips about the experience, which may be of use to folks considering a similar effort at other conventions. Meanwhile, ( a few photos of the fundraising... )

As usual, more at the Flickr set

You’ve probably heard that Terry Pratchett has early onset Alzheimer's. One of our most beloved writers is a very angry and frustrated man. As he’s said:

“personally I’d eat the arse out of a dead mole if it offered a fighting chance”

Terry has put his money where his mouth is, and donated one million dollars to fund Alzheimer's research.

“funding for [Alzheimer’s] research is three per cent of that which goes to find cancer cures”

Pat Cadigan has started a campaign to match it for Pratchett. The goal is to raise another one million dollars for Alzheimer’s research. To help Terry, and the millions of others who battle this disease.

“the number of people with the disease will double within a generation”

Thanks to lasirenadolce, I am teaming up with the Northwest Science Fiction Society to have a matching funds effort at Norwescon this coming weekend to raise $2,000 for Pat's matching funds campaign. (See my previous comments here.)

That's less than $1 per attendee.

We'll have signage and flyers around the convention directing people to donate at the NWSFS table in the registration area, and we'll be asking the pros to mention the drive in their panels if they feel comfortable doing so. As Pratchett said:

“I’d like a chance to die like my father did — of Cancer, at 86”

My thanks to Michael Ormes, the Northwest Science Fiction Society, and lasirenadolce.