RB Charity Auction: 2021 * * * CALL FOR DONATIONS * * *

[Blu]

Hey Racketboy Community! It's time for another charity auction!

Like the years before, this is a pretty smoothly running train, and like Anapan has done before, I'm copying and pasting the template, and providing edits where pertinent. If there's an error, please mention it and we'll get it resolved.

About Donations:
Donate whatever gaming-related you'd like that you feel will attract bidders. It can be games, consoles, controllers, magazines, swag, etc.
Please PM me (Blu) with what you'd like to donate. Please send an email to andrewmblumenthal@gmail.com with individualized photos for each item, so that folks can see what they're bidding on.
Please try and have any and all donations submitted by September 5th, 2021 at 11:59PM. Donations will still be accepted after September 5th, and added as late additions to the auction.
All items will have a starting cost at the estimated cost to ship; meaning donors will not pay shipping and shipping costs will be reimbursed through PayPal. If international shipping is required, buyer will need to pay the additional shipping accordingly.
A current list of items donated is available for viewing here.

About the Auction:

The auction will last for two weeks.
Bids will be accepted beginning Monday, September 6th at 12:00PM until Saturday, September 18th at 11:59PM.
Payments are due Saturday, September 25th by 11:59PM
All funds will be donated lump sum after donors have been reimbursed for shipping. Retrogaming with the Racketboy Community or something of the like, so that the community gets recognition, too!

The Racketboy Charity Auction has been a standing tradition since around 2009. Community members donate duplicate or unloved gaming/electronic wares to try to raise funds to benefit an elected charity. It has also been a place where the more artistic of us have created incredible works of art for the cause. Let's keep the tradition alive because I have always enjoyed the camaraderie that comes from a community united by a cause, and at the same time competing to win some cool gear at a bargain. I've always been astonished at what the community does during these events! Please share far and wide, and let's get ready to bid!

I am donating a large share of items, which I think is only fair. Please though, see what extra gaming items you have in your closets, drawers, possibly your heated garage!

Where is the money going this year?

This year, I'll be riding in the Bike MS San Antonio - Valero Ride to the River on October 2nd and 3rd. I was diagnosed with an early form of Multiple Sclerosis in March of this year. This will be a great challenge for me; I've completed marathons before, but never have I cycled or participated in a cycling event. I'll be riding 100 miles on October 2nd and 38 miles on October 3rd.

All funds raised will be donated to Meat Fight and the National MS Society via Bike MS

Meat Fight is - a Dallas based, but nation-wide charity that provides bicycle starter packs to people who are living with MS. Meat Fight has provided me my bike, a Meat Fight cycling jersey, and most of my gear, at no cost to me. I'm passionate that I pay this forward, and your donations will help impact others living with MS in getting their bikes too. Here's some more info about Meat Fight:

Meat Fight started in a backyard in Dallas, Texas, in 2010, as a barbecue competition that helped raise funds for Bike MS and the National MS Society.

Since that time, Meat Fight, Inc. has become a 501c3 nonprofit and has raised over $2 million for the National MS Society, in addition to creating its own original endurance programs that help people living with MS tackle Bike MS, Dallas Marathon, Pike's Peak Ascent, and the 70.3 Half Ironman in Galveston, Texas. Meat Fight provides the equipment, you provide the grit and determination to take on an epic endurance challenge. Meat Fight is here to make a tangible, immediate, visible difference in the lives of those living with MS.

​And we're gonna have a blast the whole time. We host funlanthropy events that are weird, exciting, sometimes hilarious, and always benefit a good cause. Party with us. You'll have a kickass time making a difference for someone else. We promise.

Additionally, My Meat Fight / Bike MS fundraising page is also located here (https://andrewmeatfightandbikems.causevox.com/), if you'd like to get involved, but aren't interested in participating in the charity auction. I'll have some incentives to make it fun for those who are donating (a videogame-related song on my training playlist, an entry into a raffle, etc)

Cheers all! Hope we can have another great charity run this year!

Expect your donations to go live September 6th, when the auction begins!

[Ziggy]

Awesome, thanks for the full month to get the donations together. I will definitely be donating some items!

[NotLuke]

Hello!

Checked the site and have some questions.

How are donations distributed?

What % goes to MS research?

This isn't an .org. As a 501(c)3, why not?

Seems neat. Looking forward to your response.

[Blu]

Thanks Luke for the questions:

Donations will be distributed via PayPal. Marurun or Anapan could do this in place of me, in the chance of a perception of conflict of interest / self-gain.

Meat Fight has a direct connection with a lab here on UTSW's campus. There is an endowment by the name of: Meat Fight MS Research Endowment at UT Southwestern. Funds will go towards that endowment and the labs conducting MS research there.
Otherwise, 100% of proceeds will benefit people living with multiple sclerosis. Funds will go directly towards Meat Fight’s Meat Bike program, which purchases bikes and equipment for athletes living with MS so that they can take on endurance events all across the US.

Same goes with the National MS Society, those funds will directly go towards meeting my goal in order to ride in San Antonio. That money raised will also go towards research and helping people who are living with MS.

I've split myself between those two charities.

As far as the domain, I'm not sure for the .org? Familiarity with .com recipes? I doubt there is any insincerity by the co-founders, for transparency's sake. I've done some volunteering with them, and they're really awesome people.

I mean, Nick Offerman came to a Meat Fight Charity Event and ate a lot of barbecue, does that help?

Please let me know, and I can reach out for any additional clarification.

[Ziggy]

I took a look at the donation list and noticed that only Blu and Anapan have donated items so far. I'm not sure if it's up to date, but hopefully more people will be donating stuff.

Blu, I will be donating items! Sorry for the wait, but hopefully it'll be worth it. The items aren't ready yet, but here's a couple of preview pics. I wont reveal what they are just yet, but hopefully you guys will think they're as cool as I do.





Also, I figured I'd bump this thread. Blu, feel free to bump this thread! There's less than 2 weeks left to donate items, I think we can afford to bump it a few times between now and then.

[SpaceBooger]

There are some nice items listed for auction. I will see what I have to offer, but it looks like I may be a buyer this year.

[marurun]

I still need to find time to go through my stuff. That’s been the real challenge.

[Ziggy]

ONLY 5 DAYS LEFT TO DONATE SOMETHING!

For anyone that doesn't have anything they think they can donate, remember to ask friends and family if they have anything that they can give to you to donate.

[prfsnl_gmr]

I’ll definitely be a buyer, but I can also donate:

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team (GBA) - Cart Only

Rayman 3 (GBA) - Cart Only

Tactics Ogre: The Knights of Lodis (GBA) - Manual Only

Not much, but maybe good for a few bucks?

[o.pwuaioc]

Can we extend the time for donations? I only just today saw this thread, and I'm sure there are others who haven't seen it yet.