Donation Drive to Help the Massey Family (One_Of_47)

I am accepting donations on behalf of Jane Massey, wife of One_Of_47 who tragically passed away this past week of complications related to Legionnaires' Disease (news story here). The family is currently setting up a fund to accept donations to help pay some very expensive medical bills and benefit their 7-year-old son. I have spoken to Jane privately over the past few days, and their need for assistance is significant and greatly appreciated. While she did not ask me for help, I am glad to help facilitate it.

For those who wish to donate, the account is being handled through PayPal, and you may contribute through Paypal to [email protected]. Any money sent to that address over the next 3 weeks will be assumed to be a donation for the Massey family, and will be given to them once the drive is complete and the fund is set up.

One_of_47 was only the 91st person to register with Gamers With Jobs, and has been a member of our community since the second week we were live. According to Jane, his first order of business online everyday was to check the site. He was a regular contributor to the forums, a donor to the site, a loving father and husband, and a good man by all accounts.

I want to be clear, that this drive is not directly related to the site in any official capacity. All donations contributed will be given to the Massey family (minus any transaction fees charged by PayPal), and we will not be keeping any part of donation money for the site or ourselves. I will be as transparent in the process as possible without compromising anyone's private information. I will also keep regular updates on the total donation.

No member of GWJ is under any undue expectation to participate in this, and there will be neither special treatment given to those who send money nor penalty for those who do not. Again, this is a private effort, and is unrelated to the site. This is, however, for the family of one of our longest standing members who have suffered a sudden and tragic event, and who have a need. I invite those of you who have expressed an interest in helping the Massey family to contribute.

Anyone may feel free to contact me with questions or concerns at [email protected] .

Thank you for doing this Ely, and GWJ in general. At least we can provide a little comfort and/or sunshine on a tragic situation.

Argh, this is going to be on going for a little while I hope at least?

Im getting married september 2 so Im going to be completely broke until november or so.

I will be making frequent updates here tracking the donations. While I will not reveal who donated what or specific amounts of individual donations I will be posting the number of donations and the totals.

As of Sunday 6:00pm CST July 16th, 2006

7 donations received - total (minus PayPal transaction fees): $776.31

I've tried typing about 10 different messages in here and it all comes out sounding stupid. I'm not all that good with words, I admit. I've avoided the other threads for personal reasons and I just don't know what to say in situations like this. I just wanted to express how much it moves me that this community has pulled together and stands up for the random people that make up it's membership. We're not all friends, we come from all different places and points of view, but we are a community.. and this is our little corner of the internet. I didn't know Joe.. but I knew him. I don't know what I'm trying to say. I can't even imagine what they must be going through. I'm just glad to be able to do something to help out his family.

No worries, Vega. It made perfect sense to me.

Well said Vega.

I've stayed out of the main threads because, well I'm not that frequent of a poster. But it's times like this, when you see the support garnered, that reaffirms your belief in people, and the better side of human nature.

Seconded, I don't post much but I read a lot and I'll be donating what little I can.

Thanks for setting this up, Elysium. I love you people, I really do.

Thanks for doing this Ely.

Thanks for putting this together Elysium.

Thanks Ely. You should have a payment from Soapy Hollow's paypal account coming in. (because it's my only working paypal account) I don't know if commercial accounts track differently, but let me know if there's any additional fees from processing the transaction.

Thanks again doing this Ely and the other goodgers. It is things like this that make me actually proud to be a part of this awesome community.

I want to say that I am struck by how this donation drive helps to further erase the difference between a Real-Life community and a good online one. There's an ongoing debate in the internet world about the legitimacy of friendships and groups that only exist online, and I think we all feel that the GWJ group is very real and substantial - we talk, we laugh, we play, we solicit and give advice, and now we mourn and give as well. I'm very proud of our little corner of the internet just now.

I just wish I could do than just give money as I lack it and I feel like I could do so much more by helping in other ways.

Latest update: As of Tuesday, July 18th - 11:30 pm CST

40 donations for $2354.84

Elysium wrote:

Latest update: As of Tuesday, July 18th - 11:30 pm CST

40 donations for $2354.84

Excellent. I'm sure it's a mere drop in the bucket in the face of the kinds of medical bills Mrs. Massey is likely facing, but hopefully every little bit counts.

Sent Elysium. Thanks for putting this together.

Donation sent. I'm glad to be of help and thank you for setting up such a kind initiative for one of your members. Few places on the net would do something like this.

Mine has been sent as well I think. Internet has been screwy all night.

Sent.

An Update as of early morning Tuesday, July 25.

56 Donations for a total of $2785.00

Thanks very much for your desires to help.

I wish it was not needed, but it's what we can do.

Glad I could help, if only a little. Helps remove the overwhelming feeling of helplessness when reading about this tragedy, yet only a little. Thanks Elysium.

I don't have a PayPal account, nor do I know of anyone with one. Can anybody think of some other way for me to put something into the pot?