What can $25 do?

"Boundary Waters" photo by Virginia Spiegel

I'd like you to consider a question for me today, dear reader: What can you buy with $25?

Several things come to mind:

• a new DVD movie
• a yard of hand dyed fabric
• a couple skeins of yarn
• a nice meal at a restaurant
• specialty coffee drinks for a week

NOW consider what $25 can do when its donated to the American Cancer Society:

• Fund research for new treatments to not only extend but IMPROVE the quality of LIFE

• Fund programs to HELP patients and their families COPE with the effects of cancer

• Give HOPE to patients and families when they need it most to keep going

We've all heard these points before. We are so bombarded with requests for money from charities and companies wanting to us to buy their products that its easy to glaze over them. But go back and really read what that money can do. And imagine if you were the patient or the one supporting your mother, father, brother, sister, husband, wife, friend. Those items would help define your world and touch your life in a truly profound way.

And what's even more impressive about that small amount of money, is that we as artists have been handed a unique opportunity to not only donate it to help others, but to get something in return.

You've read posts from me before about Virginia Spiegel and the project she leads to support the American Cancer Society, Fiberart for a Cause. And you'll continue to read posts about it from me until I'm blue in the face. And here is why:

Virginia continues to put together fundraising efforts for the ACS with absolutely no compensation to herself . She does a tremendous amount of work coming up with new and exciting things to encourage us to donate. And when it comes right down to it, she's giving it away in order to gain donations. You've heard of paying it forward, right? Well, she has made it easy for all of us to exercise this by doing nothing more then clicking on a button and making a donation.

Virginia's latest fundraising effort is her e-book. Its truly a treat. It contains her essays and poems and photos. There is so much to read and she continues to add new items to it. When have you ever bought a book and had it updated with new content before?

I really encourage you to get her e-book. I've spent a lot of time reading each section and her writing really commands your attention and draws you into her life. The whole thing is very personal and inspirational and like nothing I've ever read before. The quality of photos and writing is outstanding.

"Wren" photo by Virginia Spiegel

I know I personally think nothing of buying a book for my fiber arts library for inspiration only and often pay far more then $25 for it. Virginia's e-book is doing double duty by speaking to us as a fellow artist and changing the lives of people who are battling cancer.

And if you still aren't sure you want to make the donation for the book, Virginia even has a sample chapter posted so you can check it out. I encourage you to give more then the $25 minimum donation she is asking for this treasure if you are able to. Not only are you receiving a beautiful piece of written work for it, you are helping to make the lives of cancer patients and their families a little bit better.

Now you tell me: what is better to spend $25 on?