Friday, April 9, 2010

Last requests

For Jesse and Liz: spicy mango!
For Neil and Karen: cranberry-orange-mango!
For Laz and Annie: blueberry!
For Dan: treacle tart!
For Susan: apple!

OK, the last two weren't specific about the pies they wanted to sponsor, so I have assigned them pies I wanted to bake. Still, a win/win, right?

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

A request for apple AND pecan

In the same pie! Susan has sponsored a pie and claims to have had apple and pecan in the same pie. I'm up for the challenge.

Tuscaloosa Tollhouse has been sponsored.

Linda wanted something with chocolate, so that is what she will get.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Pecan has been claimed

My friends Steve and Monica probably won't be able to come up from Baltimore, but they are sponsoring a pecan pie. Delicious.

Sponsorships are coming in

My friends have been very generous, and several pies have already been sponsored.

My brother Alexander has made a request for a blackberry pie (it seems that Tiffany is fond of blackberries).

Shea has opted for the buttermilk pie. A wise choice.

And Patrick and Eva, well they have a weimaraner named Mercury Pendlhart. I'll let them explain: "In honor of the Thanksgiving when our beloved pooch broke into the kitchen (while we were at the movies) and ate an entire pumpkin pie (but left the apple intact) we would like to claim the Mercury Pendlhart Pumpkin Pie." Pumpkin it is. I figure they'll leave Mercury at home, though.

Some other friends have donated $31.42 or more, but they haven't told me which pie they want to sponsor. The possibilities are endless.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the party?
Sunday April 11, from 2pm to 4pm.

Where is the party?
400 East 85th Street, Apartment 9D. This is on the southeast corner of 85th Street and First Avenue.

This is a fundraiser?
Yes, I am raising money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which provides support for people affected by cancer.

How do I donate?
Simply click on this link, which takes you to my fundraising page. Your donation goes directly to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which will send you a receipt right away, avoiding any awkward exchange of money with me, waiting for checks, etc. They're a 501(c)(3), so your donation is fully tax-deductible?

Fully tax-deductible?
Yes, because you receive nothing of material value in exchange. Apparently, the IRS doesn't consider my pies to me of any material value (shakes head in disbelief).

So how much should I give?
As much as you feel comfortable giving.

That's really vague, Christopher.
I am suggesting that you each give $10. I'm suggesting this the way the Metropolitan Museum of Art suggests that you give $20 for admission. Not strictly speaking a barrier to entry, but a nice gesture.

For your pies (and to fight cancer) I would gladly give more! Should I donate more than $10?
You are too kind! In that case, I would suggest that you sponsor a pie.

How much does it cost to sponsor a pie?
After consulting with my inner math geek, I decided on $31.42. Which is approximately ten times pi. Geddit?

What do I get for sponsoring a pie?
I'll put your name in bold on the program (note to self: make programs for this party). Plus, you get to take home any leftovers.

Can I pick which pie to sponsor?
Sure! Why not?

So, tell me more about this Livestrong Challenge I noticed on the donation page.
The Lance Armstrong Foundation has a series of events in four cities, including a run/walk and a bike ride (that cycling connection). Last year I went to the one outside Philadelphia, and I was most impressed with the organization.

And it says you're part of Team Fatty? What is that? I thought you were just big-boned.
Team Fatty is a project of fatcyclist.com, which is a blog started by Elden Nelson. Elden, an cycling enthusiast, decided he needed to shed some pounds and started a blog to use the power of public humiliation as a motivating tool. It turns out that he is a very entertaining writer, and the blog took off. Later, Elden's wife was diagnosed with cancer, and the blog morphed into the story of how he and his family coped with fighting the disease. The blog has won numerous awards and has raised millions to fight cancer.

Just because I'm a little bit cynical, I have to ask: is my donation going towards sending you to Philadelphia to ride your bike?
No, I already paid for that part. Your donation goes directly to the foundation. And don't feel bad about being cynical. I get that.

Finally, are you sure that pies would be against cancer, if only they had the power of speech?
I most certainly am.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

How to donate to the Lance Armstrong Foundation

Pretty easy, as it turns out.

Here's the link:http://philly2010.livestrong.org/cjstephens

The money goes directly to the foundation, and the receipt for your tax-deductible donation goes straight to you. No fuss, no muss. Like I said: easy.

Monday, January 11, 2010

A placeholder posting for now

Yes, I'm planning a party. A party that involves pies. And, I believe, that if they were asked and if they could express their opinions, pies would be against cancer. Because pies are good, cancer is bad, and good things (like pie) are not in favor of bad things (like cancer). So I'm having a party to raise money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation (which is a good thing), which works against cancer (a bad thing, remember?).

The party will be in late March or early April. I haven't set a date yet. I'll keep you posted. If you're reading this, you're probably already on the invite list. If you're not sure, drop me a line at christopherjstephens at gmail dot com.