A Land Far Away

Okay,

silly as it is, but an idea has been simmering ever since Dr. Nick made his call to get registered as organ donors.

Now, I'm myself a regular blood donor, and just went for the 20th time, persuading a few of my buddies to defeat their inner pig-dog and come along - some of them also became regulars.

Course, you don't get money for full blood in Germany, but there are still many benefits. A regular and free blood analysis and health check-up. A lot of fun and joking about. Getting that warm fuzzy feeling knowing you've done something good, or as simple as having overcome your fear of the tiny sting.

Do I feel a better due to doing it? You bet. Would you feel better, too? Almost guaranteed.

So... then we also have the problem of Patrice aka Hialmar footing the bill for ALFA's hosting, with rather unsuccesful donation drives so far. After consulting with Rotku, here's what I'm offering.

For every ALFAn donating blood (full blood, the real deal, not plasma or other shenannigans) between 1st of octobre and 1st of january, I'm going to throw 10€ into a pool, to wire Hialmar the money to foot ALFA's running bills - which are almost 40$ a month. Hialmar is unaware of this drive, and has not been consulted, so he can get no blame. Spouses, spawn etc. will also be counted at 5€ a donation. You don't have to be a first time donor, but of course it would be more than cool if you are.

I know you guys could just fake, it's mostly honour system - just post at least a proof with anonymized / hidden personal data of your donation, say, like this:



Seriously, it's not as bad as some folks believe. Does it hurt? Nope, it's a tiny sting, and if the nurse is good you won't even notice that. You can get a lil vertigous after, but it's seldom, and you're not in any real danger. Make sure to drink enough the day, and don't take any weird meds a while before donating.

And what if this is a scam? Well, then I scammed you into doing something good at little to no personal cost for you - the horror. If you're truly worried about this, you can ask Hialmar about my trustworthiness I guess, he and I pooled ressources for ALFA hardware in the past already.

So what's in it for you?

- fuzzy warm feeling
- decent free health check-up and blood analysis
- supporting ALFA
- you can tell your friends, relatives, spouses that online gaming / roleplaying made you a better human being
- we get to say "ALFA runs on BLOOD!"

If you've been thinking about donating blood, I hope this is the final nudge you needed.

Cheers,

Alara wrote: So... then we also have the problem of Patrice aka Hialmar footing the bill for ALFA's hosting, with rather unsuccesful donation drives so far. After consulting with Rotku, here's what I'm offering.

That statement seems at odds with the information presented in the GD forum. Are we not substantially ahead of fund-raising goals?

Still, blood donation is something everyone who is able to do, should.

My father was a rare blood type, and donated every eight weeks all of his adult life. I started donating blood when I was seventeen.

And then I developed leukemia.

Donated blood has saved my life. I still depend on blood based products.

There is always a chronic shortage of blood. Always. And there is never enough to cover things like war or natural disaster casualties.

Please, give blood. You really will be a lifesaver.

THE VAMPIRES WILL GET YOU OMG :O

Since I have epilepsy I cannot donate blood. Sorry.

fluffmonster wrote:Are we not substantially ahead of fund-raising goals?

True enough, I didn't check Pat's thread recently .

Regardless, the worst that could happen is that we have enough to also experiment with an NWN 2 (central?) hosting solution. And remember those seven fat cows followed by them other other cows that ate the cows...

So... BLOOD 4 MONEY PLZ.

Access Denied

Talk about blood money indeed. Anyway, interesting and good idea, though I cannot participate as the blood taking folks won't take my blood given my sexual history.

I donate regularly, and I believe a session will fall between those dates.

Everyone who is not medicall precluded from doing so should do so - you never know when it will be *you* that needs it.

Especially if you ae a rare group. Doubly especially if you are O negative, the uiversal donor!

Regular blood donor here too, both in Greece and Belgium.

I'll do it if you give the money to me.

IIRC, or at least here, those who donate blood recieve free blood-insurance to any of their immidiate family.

I should do it once, just to find out what my blood type is.

I'm a regular donor as well, lucky to have been born with O-positive and good-wide veins so it's a fairly quick and painless process for me. Good for your own health and immune system as well, as it stimulates your pluripotent stem-like cells to get busy making you some fresh new blood afterwards.

As it happens, was already planning to donate in about a week on the 11th when the Sacramento bloodsource is doing a drive near my work. I'll post the dealamagig after. Siphoning off some of Alara's euros to ALFA's benefit is just an extra bonus.

Great idea, Alara. In case any of you are at a loss as to where to find out about donation in the UK, info is at www.blood.co.uk here: http://www.blood.co.uk/pages/a1where.html

I am, amusingly, a big fat wuss when it comes to needles (only where they're going into me), but did try to donate blood a few months ago - happily or unhappily, though, I was still too close to having been in India so they wouldn't touch me!

But I'll try again. It saves lives, and having just spent two months in a country where they would ask a patient's relatives to donate blood before doling it out, I've first-hand experience of just how important it is.