If you read my platform on the main page you probably saw my note at the end that said: “No Donation Button.” Truth be told it felt awkward to walk out into my neighborhood, and ask neighbors to: “Vote for me as your ANC for 5b03. Oh, and please donate to my campaign.”
It’s hard enough just to knock on a door.
So I sent an email out to friends and family (and some adjacent to that) explaining that I was running, that I wasn’t fundraising from the community, but that I was going to hit them up for donations instead. They came through. Frankly, heartwarming.
My goal was $700 to just help me pay for the domain for this site, the palm cards, 1 t-shirt, and the iron transfer that went on it and the wildly expensive yard signs that shouldn’t cost an arm and leg and a kidney.
Aside from the domain, and the white t-shirt from Walmart – everything else was produced locally here in DC: the palm cards were printed up the street on Rhode Island Ave at the micro- business run by Genius at Global Printing Solutions on Rhode Island Ave. The yard signs were printed by Alan at Next Days Signs in Dupont Circle. And while it was way more expense than doing it online, I kept the money in the pockets of local indie-owned micro-businesses in DC.
In my email pitch to the people I reached out to for money, I said that if they were willing, I’d make them famous by mentioning them in my Road to ANC Blog. And since I do everything I can to keep my promises, I’d like to now thank these incredibly generous people for their enthusiastic support, for putting up with me, all my crazy ideas, my odd sense of humor and my passions for, well, … a lotta of things.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you:
Jody, India, Alicia, Liz, Trent, Tim, Darshana, Kelley, Julia, Ron, Poppy Trico, Morgie, Margie, Earl, Lane, Alexandra, Anna, Gail, Claudine, Rob, Kristina, Adrian, AnnaLee, TBone, Carol, Howie, and my accountant Kevin. And to: V (who always knows how to handle anything and anyone); Papa Combs (my political advisor via text) – and to my greatest champion and unofficial “campaign fundraising manager” – Amy.
These donations came from people who live in: Hawaii, Maryland; Virginia; New York; Georgia; California; Pennsylvania; Colorado; Florida; Texas; N. Carolina; Connecticut; Missouri; London and DC.
I also want to thank 2 special people who were Volunteers: Maggie and Nini. Both ladies work at my tea company and helped in different but important ways:
• Maggie volunteered to walk with me to knock on doors + stand at polling sites
• Nini volunteered the tech part of my website domain and laying the initial framework for the website to get me started
Whether I win or not on November 3rd, I thank them all sincerely for believing that I could/can do this and for parting with some valuable coin and/or time to help me with this endeavor.
5 days to go…
– Elise for ANC5b03