Inundated - let's help - Five Skies

I know a family who is going through a very very bad week with their son, who has a similar diagnosis to Brody, but who is sick, very sick, with many many more hospitalizations (think most of his life). His family is hanging on by a thread, to their sanity, and hope.

I just heard of another little boy, Dax, who is 2 and has only weeks to live, so his family and his neighborhood are decorating with Christmas lights early.

It's gotten to the point that I feel nauseous when I see these things. I think the nausea is telling me to get up and do something.

So, I'm doing this.

Five Skies is NOT in any way a 501(c)(3) foundation. It's not approved by the IRS. It's an idea.

But if I have to wait for the IRS to approve it, it'll be months, perhaps even a year.

If you have $5 or $6 or $2 to spare, please donate to help the families of these children.

There is nothing worse, nothing, than watching your child suffer.

I know money will not fix these children, but it might help ease the stress and terror of the family, maybe even just let them know that someone cares.

It won't count as a tax deduction, you are not giving to a nonprofit, but every dime you give will go to the family of a sick child.

I know no one has money to spare, so I understand. I just. . . I just cannot let this go anymore. It's not fair, it's not fair that these families are torn apart, that mothers cry for their sick child, that little brothers and little sisters grow up in hospitals. . . I'm so sick of it, and I'm getting angry, and I need to channel it to something positive.

To all who donate, you get a guaranteed accounting of where and to whom your money goes.

Special thanks to Sarah, who, days before she gave birth, provided the mock up graphic for Five Skies.

A free offer

Obviously, by Monday I really meant by Wednesday. See? I'm on time.

Now for the free offer....

A few months ago, after I wrote the announcement, I received an email from a man at Silkfair. I had never heard of Silkfair, but he found my blog one night and was moved by the post that he read. He offered to do some amazing things for the Five Skies Foundation (working title) through Silkfair as far as promoting the nonprofit on their site (and I will take him up on that hopefully very soon).

At any rate, after my Medicaid debacle, I received another email from yet another Silkfair employee. How awesome are these people? Offering help to strangers.

Let me explain Silkfair and then tell you about what the first 50 readers of this post are going to be able to receive.

Silkfair is like Ebay or Etsy, but better, more functional, more user-friendly, and, here is the really good part, cheaper.

The latest way to sell anything is by using Silkfair's new selling tool, the "Silkfair Custom Shop."

The Custom Shop was created to address some basic needs in the market: to give sellers the leverage to retain and promote their brands (instead of sending their fans to third party sites).
For those online sellers that are put off by, or simply cannot afford, the cost of selling on eBay or Etsy (with listing fees, etc.), Silkfair is a cost-friendly alternative for setting up shop online. They are also making use of the eBay and Etsy import tools to easily move their stores without disruption or tech hassle.

This new tool is priced monthly at $24.99 and NO commission or listing fees. It is essentially doing for e-commerce today what Google's Blogger.com has done for the public blogosphere -- making it super-simple and affordable for anyone to do it. And making it personal. Compare two shops: one using regular Silkfair, and the other using the Custom Shop.

Here is the free part. Silkfair is graciously offering two months FREE Custom Shops for the first 50 readers who respond to the offer.

That's a $50 value. And that's not including the money you will make for selling your knitting projects, photography, jewelry, vintage items in your home, paintings, collectibles, hand made stationery, baby items, etc.

Lest you think I'm being hoodwinked, here is what some other people have had to say about the greatness that is Silkfair: an ebay alternative that shines; lauding the custom shop (and offering a deal not nearly as FREE as the one they are offering to us); and an article in the Wall Street Journal.

To get the 2 months free offer, here is the coupon that you'll need when you sign up:

* Coupon code : launch09pub* Set to Expire: on 7/16/2009* Redemption Qty Limit : none* Subscription plan name : Risk-free Intro Special #1 * Details of plan : First 2 months free, thereafter at regular price $24.99

The coupon code is also set to expire by 7/16, and it's without quantity limit for redemptions. When you sign up for the custom shop, you will see 2 plans presented, and a coupon code field with a "Show Hot Deals" button. Yoou need to key in the coupon code, and then click Submit, and that will show you the 2 months free plan to be selected.

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Here is a step-by-step instruction for signup :

1. User selects "Start Up" button from Silkfair homepage Custom Shop banner.

2. Register on Non-non Member if no account yet on Silkfair.

3. Click "OK" on the pop-up window notification reminding user to click on email verification in their InBox.

4. Click "Yes" to 'Create your shop. Do you have anything to sell?"

5. Enter credit card information on the 'Seller Identification Verification' pop-up window, and save.

6. Click "Yes" to 'Do you want Custom Shop?'

7.Select a template

8.Enter a coupon code. Authorization and subscription goes through.

9.Congratulations! Your custom shop is now ready.
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Thank you Silkfair and Mona and Andy. Any questions, post them in the comments and I bet they will answer.

And yes, I'm setting up my own Custom Shop to sell the jewelry I make. That will, naturally, deserve its own blog post.