Ask v. Tell


Well I survived one week of bringing my lunch, Shut up! It was a big deal! I don’t bring my lunch, I haven’t regularly brought my lunch to anywhere in a long time. I like going out for lunch. I like not just getting out of my building but getting away from my building.

This week I think the Wake County SPCA is going to get the donation money. I know they are sheltering some evacuee pets and they have so many animals as a result of the storm that they had to cancel the planned Dog Festival this weekend because they couldn’t do it and deal with all the new animals they are taking care of. I think they should have done it anyway. They could have brought some of the rescued animals, the more bedraggled the better, and raised huge amounts of money. All they would have to do is say

"These poor sad babies people have been sent to the four corners and who knows when they will be able to come get them. Their people are probably in some shelter somewhere wondering where their little friends are and if they are all right. You know where your little friend is, help us take care of these poor, sad little evacuee pets, help ease their peoples minds at this most difficult time".

They would raise money hand over fist. Let the crowd see their tiny little wet faces up close and wonder about where their people are, if their people are going to be back for them at all... They would have to wring the tears out of the cash they brought in, but they would bring in bank.

I mean, hell, they could bath them before they brought them out. If they didn’t dry them off post bath, hey, you know, they have so many and the image of those wet little animals... it’s warm here! What? They wouldn’t uncomfortable and I’m not saying they should be kept wet all day by, but maybe they could have cycled them in and out... anyway, seeing actual poor, sad, hurricane victim pets , would be very effective in getting wallets open while showing us exactly where our money would be going.

We had the second collection for hurricane relieve today. The Cathedral did a little better then the church I was at last week. The Cathedral had some one from Catholic Charities come down and talk about the refugees that are in Raleigh and what their needs are and gave several avenues for helping them and announced a supply drive for them in the coming weeks while making it clear that the need will not be over for months and we will be asked again. It was good, but dry. They needed to work the audience more. A better choice would have been to remind us that New Orleans is a Catholic city and was home to a huge number of Catholics and they are our brothers and sisters in Christ, and the city was full of Catholic Churches and now all those parishioners are with out Church homes as well as their homes and blah, blah, blah and not to mention we too live in a hurricane zone and this could have happened to us and has, although to a much, much, much smaller degree and again, Catholics, Catholics, Catholics... . I mean, if you want to make people give you money , asking them isn’t enough, you have to TELL them to give you money! And you you should tailor your message to your audience, bring the story to them, make them part of the story! make it personal to them. This week because I know where my animals are, the Wake County SPCA will get $25.