Promoting a Good Cause

Last week I received an email from a friend that has been widely circulated. The text of the email encourages readers to make a donation of any amount to Planned Parenthood in honor of Sarah Palin. Well I can tell you that it took me about 5 seconds to make the decision to donate. As a volunteer for our local Planned Parenthood chapter I understand the good work this organization does from providing health care for women, education in communities, to advocating for reproductive rights including access to birth control. Planned Parenthood is not a "one service" organization that many claim.

Given my support of Planned Parenthood imagine how pleased I was later in the week when I learned that this simple email message had generated 31,313 donations totalling $802,678 in Ms. Palin's name. Boy, that woman really does know how to fundraise!

On a related note: Another friend forwarded me an email about an anti-Palin demonstration held in Anchorage which was, according to the email originated by someone in attendance, the largest political demonstration in the city's history with some 1,400 in attendance. Gotta love those Alaskans!

(The photos in this post are from the Alaska demonstration.)