This February 15-18 marks NOAH’s 3rd
annual Bowl-A-Thon national (well, international when you come to think of it)
fundraising event. Sure, NOAH functions from day-to-day with member dues and
donations, but we can do so much more for the albinism community with your help
in this event.
The thing about the AOC is that we are all so spread out
around the world that it is hard to have us all get together sometime that
weekend to help NOAH by rolling the rock! But wait a second… this is the age of
the Internet? Distance isn’t supposed to matter, right?
It does indeed matter not! We’ve created a virtual team for
the AOC using NOAH’s Bowl-A-Thon site at Events.org. It is our goal to make Team AOC the event’s most successful in
terms of sponsorships. We’ve set the bar high at a $10,000 team goal, but we
know AOC members will come through with flying colors.
The process is simple! Join Team AOC and then encourage your
friends, family, and associates to sponsor you as a bowler on the weekend of
February 15-18, 2008. You can join any of the number Bowl-A-Thon events being
hosted throughout North America, or you can simply head out to the local lanes
with some family and friends to roll the rock.
If bowling isn’t your thing, be creative and hold a dance-a-thon, a
skate-a-thon, a trivia night, or some other fun activity to raise money for
NOAH.
The money raised will go toward programming at NOAH’s 2008
National Conference in Las Vegas, new parent support programs, advocacy
projects, outreach, the HPS Network, Positive Exposure, and so much more that
will help the albinism community on a daily basis.
The Events.org site makes it easy and secure to donate with a credit card.
Using the AOC costs you nothing. Volunteers maintain the
community with physical plant supplied as an in-kind donation to the
organization. Think of how much the AOC has meant to you. Maybe it was your
first point of contact with the albinism community after your child was newly
diagnosed with the condition and you were scared stiff. Maybe it has helped you
to realize that you aren’t the only one with “really blond hair” and a propensity
to hold a book really close to your face. Maybe it has helped you through the
hurdles and pitfalls of getting a drivers license. Maybe it has opened doors to
resources you never knew existed. Whatever the case, this is your chance to
help give back to NOAH and the AOC.
So, lace up those snazzy bowling shoes, make sure your
bowling ball has a nice polish, and roll a turkey or three for NOAH!
I invite you to join Team AOC!
-Brendan Cosgrove
NOAH AOC Committee Chair