Just curious if there have been any ideas for fundraising? I kind of wanted to mention this to the board, but I can't seem to create topics in certain areas. Anyway, I've got some ideas working up here in Canada, but I'm living in a small town. There is a few potential community projects which could call for a speaker. I could easily host something up here if anyone on the board is willing to lend a letter of support. I wish I had more time to organize stuff it can be done. I've got a lot of support in the community up here and I would be able to get something off the ground. The scholarships are worth $2,000 Cdn. I was thinking of maybe flying a speaker here and accomodations and food would be covered. I'm thinking that is between an $800 to $1200 dollar trip and the rest of the money could go to Male Survivors. It's just an idea but perhaps if I could get the addictions center I worked at to be involved we could try to raise some money on top of that as part of a mini conference/workshop. Held over a day or two. I'm thinking it would be easy and would probably raise $1,000 US and create some awareness along the way. If anyone else has some ideas I suggest we try to network them together. Cheers for now.

Jim Woodworth
Dawson Creek, BC (way up north)

Hey Jim:

On behalf of the crew here, both sung and unsung, much appreciation for your concern and thoughts.

I would like to work with you on your ideas. The only two centres for male survivors of abuse up here in the gwn (great white north): The BC Society and The Men's Project here in Ottawa. Perhaps we could pull something together. Both Don Wright and I are on the board of MS, and can be reached through the coordinates of the Board of Directors in the Directory.

Currently, The Men's Project is "touring" Ontario wtih a two day training conference on working with male survivors of sexual abuse. This is all courtesy of the taxpayers of Ontario (the Office for Victims of Crime). One example is that if we can get costs covered, perhaps this could be put on for your community, and arrange the proceeds to MS. That would be very cool.

Regardless of the eventual net of an event like this, the benefits are three fold: good hands on training for folks working with survivors already, good community education especially with media coverage, and perhaps most importantly, the building of links and network with those who get the picture. We are a fledgling movement indeed.

Check this conference out at sss.themensproject.ca and then under training (Guelph, Nov 27/28) and tell me your thoughts. Or give a call to Don out at the BC Society.

You are onto something.

Best,

Rick Goodwin