Treebywater Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Has anyone else experienced the feeling of telling people that you feel you really know and love--and for family members--telling people who also knew your family member with LC--that you are walking, and having them give nothing.... but having people that you know as acquaintences or just through the internet be the ones who support you? I'm talking people who you might label your 'closest friends' or 'your family' coming through with nothing? I guess my expectations for my 'real life' friends are too high.... and I should have known better from who really was there when Mom was sick and after and who wasn't.... but it is disappointing. I guess it is one more reminder that even over a year after Mom's been gone I'm still part of a club that few people understand and nobody wants to be in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Yes. Yes. Yes. The very first person to donate to my page (after my kids) was Debi. I have donations from 3 people I have never met because my neighbor forwarded my page to her relatives with a note asking them to donate and explaining who we were. I do have donations from my closest girlfriends but I am disappointed in 3 that said they would and haven't. This fundraiser says a lot about the people in your life. On a positive note...it has been great for my kids, they give me $3.00 from their pop bottle money every time they return them and they are racking up quite a bit. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Yes suck a duck, I am sooooo disappointed. I am going to send the link once more when I send an update about my dad from the oncologist. You would think that in my case especially, having my dad JUST diagnosed it would hit a nerve with people. The only thing I am thinking is that the bar was set too high b/c a few people donated $100 and $50 at first. Who knows. I am disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geri Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Val, I'm so glad that you've brought this up.......I thought I was the only one. I have had some very generous donations from "old time friends" that I've been away from for years and some smaller but just as appreciated amounts from some more recent friends and aquaintances. I have been surprised at the number of friends who received the same email and have not even mentioned it. I'm disappointed like Rochelle that some who said they would still haven't but...they still have time! My first donation came when I was in TX for the bash. I had lunch with 4 friends and one asked me about the walk and proceeded to take this bill out of her wallet and hand it over. The other three saw it and said nothing. When we were driving after lunch my generous friend told the others to cough up for the walk.......silence. She tried the guilt route, the "cheapskate" route and several others to shame them into it but eventually had to give up. I'm finding it very uncomfortable to approach people in person but yesterday as requested I took my pledge form to a volunteer ofice (where I'm on the board and well known), when I produced it in a room of three people two looked away and didn't say yes, no or kiss my *ss. These are people that I volunteered for through my dx, tx, bald head, fatigue, nausea and all the other crap. Right now they'd better not ask me to buy any raffle tickets that they're always hawking for some fund raiser or other! I'll get over it, but I'll certainly be very selective over my future raffle ticket purchases. There it's off my chest thanks for letting me vent. I feel much better now firstly for the whine and secondly knowing that others are having the same results. It's good to know, yet again, that I'm not the only one. Geri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadstimeon Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 OH Yea! It's been my experience since day one when I was first diagnosed that the people who you expect and think would do the the most have done nothing or next to nothing and it's the people who have come into my life that have done more and it's the same with the walk. The board, the satellite walkers, strangers etc have done more collectively then some of my family and friends have done for whatever reasons. By the time I listen to some of there sob stories I feel like giving them ten bucks. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muriel Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 The same day that I donated to Debi's walk, I received a request from a good friend, to donate to a walk for another (also good) cause. I did so and sent her the information to donate to the Lung Cancer Walk. Never a thank you for my donation or a donation to our cause. Strange. Muriel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogfam Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 OH MY GOODNESS, YES!!! I'm so glad you started this, I was feeling a little sad about my friends and family and even sent out my link again just TODAY, with the addy of LUNGevity as well, cause a lot of my family won't donate online with a credit card... I have 20 sponsors (says 21, but one guy, I've NEVER even met donated twice!) and 14 of them are on line friends!!!! (from another site my hubby and I frequent.) Thanks Val, I don't feel so alone in this now.. Thank God we have each other! ((hugs)) to you all, Christy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treebywater Posted September 26, 2006 Author Share Posted September 26, 2006 I feel better knowing it's not just me. I was wondering if maybe I've just been a lousy friend or something. I guess maybe it's just the nature of the beast.... It does stink though and it is hard not to be disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 And it is me too!!!! Can y'all hear my resounding YES!!!!!!!!! I breakfast each week with a large group of very LONG time friends................most make no mention that they ever received word of the walk. And when the subject is brought up by the one or two who HAVE donated.........the others just drift away. What's up with this anyhow???? Got a big fat 0 from the local docs.............is anyone who knows that story surprised???? BUT got big $$$ from financial advisor and dentist. Maybe we should all just give all of us who are walking $$$.......you know from all of us to all who walk....don't know. But relieved I'm not the only one disturbed by these 'friends'...........guess I should have talked it up more at the beach with the 'fun' girls!!!! Oh yeah, RIGHT!!!!! Just wait! Love to ALL the walkers! Kasey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdjenkins Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 I'm so glad you started this post Val. I have been feeling the same way. I sent my sponsor request out to all my friends and family, as well as my Mom's friends. I got a big donation from Dad's financial advisor and from my brother. But my really good friends never donated. They said they got the email, but never donated. I'm shocked and really disappointed, these friends have seen what lung cancer has done to my family in the last two years. Couldn't they give up a starbucks or two and make a small donation? People are funny when it comes to things like this. The ones you expect to help don't, and others surprise you with very genorous gifts. There is still some time left so maybe some of my friends will come through for me. I was really excited about this event, but when I see how hard it is get someone to make a donation it kind of takes the excitement out of it. I wonder if I was walking for breast cancer if I would have this much trouble getting donataion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debi Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Oh my gosh, am I GLAD this post is here!! This is like pulling freakin teeth for crying out loud!!! I have come to the conclusion that the only people that really care are the ones that are affected by lung cancer. Everyone else couldn't care less!!!!!!!! Most of my donations are from my friends here. I guilted my sister into making a donation and her new boyfriend is trying to make an impression so he gave me $25.00. My daughter sent my email out to 98, count em, 98 friends and family members and I got my first donation of $15 from one of her friends. THe other 97, including my ex in-laws, my son-in-laws family, etc, gave a big fat nothing!! I sent emails out to people at work who asked that I send them the link, and have gotten nothing. But let's not get discouraged- we just have to persevere. My plan b attack is to leave flyers around town (those freakin flyers, I will get them done SOON), and leave some in my oncologist office, etc. I also am going to contact the newspaper toward the middle of October and see if I can get an article written with the info in it. I was thinking too that I may target medical type places in my town, ie oxygen supply places, etc. I'm trying to think outside the box so to speak because the inside of the box is pretty empty. Anyway, glad we are all having the same challenges. I don't feel as friendless anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazy Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Yup...me too I thought it was just me...or that maybe I should send the link out from private email - I was hoping the lack of response meant my emails were sitting in someones' spam folder, and not evidence of indifference to the cause. I still have the big guns...and a couple of aces in the hole...primarily corporate "leads" to follow, but yeah...considering I'm doing this to honor "fallen" family members ~ I'm, frankly, quite puzzled... Yours in HOPE! (& determination ) Stacey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debi Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Okay, ya bunch of whiny walkers... I have to share something with you, I am so excited!! I was set up with an email address on the Boston site under satellite walkers, people are advised to email me with questions. SO I logged onto my Boston lung cancer walk email tonight and there were FOUR, count em FOUR, requests today for information on how to be a Satellite Walker. I have had a couple emails previously about it, but tonight there were FOUR!!! So as we sit stewing about not raising money fast enough, we need to remember the invisible part, the awareness part of our 'mission'. Somehow, 4 people found their way to that website, today alone, and clicked on satellite walkers, through your efforts out there. It was some of your emails that attracted potential walkers who will raise more money and bring even more walkers!!! So I guess the moral is basically, what we are gaining is not always measured on a thermometer... keep your chin up everyone- we ARE gaining momentum!! Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees, ya know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadstimeon Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Just to add to what Debi is saying. Between the satellite walkers/board members you have combined to raise well over $5000.00. Also the board members combined have donated several thousand dollars in In-Kind (thanks to Rochelle's hard work in that department) goods. You don't get that anywhere else but here folks. Thanks Debi and everyone for all you hard work and generosity--keep it up! Because together we can make a DIFFERENCE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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