Last week's event was a blast. I have to admit. It beat even my own ambitious and so-I-thought-unrealistic expectations. From an initial target of £15k, we had soon realized we had been too conservative to want to build only one water well with such an evening. By the time the lights were on and the event started we were well over it, net of costs. The moment the auction had the first bids we knew we already had secured another well, only with the starting bids. But the night went on. The speeches, though a bit long (including my own), went very well. People were touched and impressed by how little it would take to achieve so much. And that is in the root of all of our fundraising - asking people for little gestures, to get great helps.
I will admit, my own expectation was at £50k, assuming the evening was a success. But truth be said, I was far from the almost £70k raised and still counting, pre-matching and with some gift aid to go. What a blast.
More important than having been fun, entertaining, a blast and a productive evening, is the fact that this money will allow us to give the first kick to the 2 water wells in the pipeline, assure the full year of pre-school funding for the 2 schools we work with, start another 2 family huts and leave an endowment for water wells for the remaining of the year and 2013 as well. what a blast. That is all I could say.
When I came home that evening, I knew it had been good. I just did not know it had been awesome, using my once continent-mates expression. I had to count it that same evening. B knew that and I know he was curious as well. So he patiently sat in the sofa while I went through each bidding sheet. Funny enough, half of the bidding sheets were missing, and I was already missing £15k, so I decided to call it a night and email the trustees with the results. What was I thinking... The excitement mixed with tiredness and stress of the last days mixed it all into us leaving the bags outside our own door. So even though it was past midnight, here we go again, computer on again, and we start counting one more time. I could not believe my own eyes and I went to bed unable to sleep. B was patient and heard me tell every story, every person that talked to me, every comment that was made. I think I will remember them forever.
I will admit, my own expectation was at £50k, assuming the evening was a success. But truth be said, I was far from the almost £70k raised and still counting, pre-matching and with some gift aid to go. What a blast.
More important than having been fun, entertaining, a blast and a productive evening, is the fact that this money will allow us to give the first kick to the 2 water wells in the pipeline, assure the full year of pre-school funding for the 2 schools we work with, start another 2 family huts and leave an endowment for water wells for the remaining of the year and 2013 as well. what a blast. That is all I could say.
When I came home that evening, I knew it had been good. I just did not know it had been awesome, using my once continent-mates expression. I had to count it that same evening. B knew that and I know he was curious as well. So he patiently sat in the sofa while I went through each bidding sheet. Funny enough, half of the bidding sheets were missing, and I was already missing £15k, so I decided to call it a night and email the trustees with the results. What was I thinking... The excitement mixed with tiredness and stress of the last days mixed it all into us leaving the bags outside our own door. So even though it was past midnight, here we go again, computer on again, and we start counting one more time. I could not believe my own eyes and I went to bed unable to sleep. B was patient and heard me tell every story, every person that talked to me, every comment that was made. I think I will remember them forever.
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