In response to a comment left by Linda last night, I’ve updated my GoFundMe Campaign For a Stronger Cell Signal Booster:
This is the booster I need to buy: https://www.repeaterstore.com/collections/home-office-kits/products/surecall-triflex?variant=858334729
The tech who recommended it understands my topographic situation and based on how my current booster is working promises a 30-day money back guarantee that I will see a ‘night and day difference.’
With shipping to Canada, this booster comes in at just over 1,200CAD. It is ridiculous that I need to buy something like that when there is a great signal in the uninhabited hills above my valley, but that’s my situation.
My community is slow to get together on projects like these. I’m the only person who needs internet access NOW. Please help me improve my internet situation in the next couple of weeks rather than months.
How does this help the bigger issue of the Canadian government giving telecom monopolies too much power? It doesn’t. But it could change the life of one person in distress.
I’ll close off by sharing a story Dr. Jane Goodall told me one day that has always resonated with me and which I feel is relevant here:
There was a man taking a morning walk at the beach. He saw that along with the morning tide came hundreds of starfish and when the tide receded, they were left behind. With the morning sun rays, they would die. The tide was fresh and the starfish were alive. The man took a few steps, picked one, and threw it into the water. He did that repeatedly.
Right behind him there was another person who couldn’t understand what this man was doing. He caught up with him and asked, “What are you doing? There are hundreds of starfish. How many can you help? What difference does it make?”
This man did not reply, took two more steps, picked up another one, threw it into the water, and said, “It makes a difference to this one.”
I have heard that lovely story a few times and it is a great reminder sometimes to pitch it no matter what.
I wish you much luck with this project. In the whole picture of life a $5.00 donation is but a drop in the bucket for me. You have my donation and my support.
Thank you, Contessa. I have had times in my life where $5 was the end of the world for me.
Hi Rae,
I’ve been staring at the screen for a few minutes now not knowing how to phrase my question. I don’t want to offend you, I just want to understand the thinking behind your gofundme. Maybe it’s because I’m from an other generation but I don’t understand why you’re asking others to pay for your booster. If I’m not mistaking you’ve mentioned that July was a very good month for you financially.
I keep thinking that when we bought our lot here we needed to bring in 20 loads of dirt. We didn’t ask anyone else to pay for them. It was our decision to live here and our responsibility to pay for the dirt. I understand your frustration with the lack of reliable WIFI and I have a lot of respect for you that’s why I’m trying so hard to understand why you started this.
I would understand if you decide to delete this comment.
Nicole
Bravo, Nicole.
Nicole,
You make a very good point. I will also point out that Ray had gravel brought in for her lot also and did not ask for a donation to pay for it. She also bought two granaries that she did not ask for a donation.
Do not think I am speaking for her but she now needs help and may think that her Facebook and Website provide information and entertainment for her readers. She is now asking those readers for some help to continue providing said information and entertainment.
I can understand why you would ask the question and why you would not want to make a donation.
I guess I’m from a different era.
Rae, tried to donate to your booster fund through PayPal and it took me to a screen to apply for a PAY PAL credit card which I do not need and do not want. Since I am in the USA I do not know how to donate.
Thanks, Sandy. If you still want to help, you can send your donation through PayPal directly to me at rae@uskeba.ca. I’ll update you on the GFM site as an offsite donation (just let me know if you want your name posted or not). Thank you so much!
Nicole, I can relate to what you are thinking. Ed I think Rae has made it abundantly clear she needs this booster for work reasons, so I think this is what Nicole may be having the issue about. So in that case it is a work related expense.
As for blogging I guess I thought people did it for fun, then get a following and then try to turn into a income generating platform. All fine and dandy.
However with this style of blog we can wait for the service to be resumed to follow posts that can not be patched through due to weather related and signal problems, but Rae’s work can not. Hence it is more work related.
Sorry Rae
There is another similar campaign about a canadian in SMA needing chemo funds, maybe this is a sign of the times.
I wish both success.
“maybe this is a sign of the times”
It is. You see, in the old days, people helped each other out, usually through the church. That was their community glue. And the community was much smaller. We live globally now, so we’ve lost that sort of social cohesion today. There was a time when that woman in SMA wouldn’t have had to ask for help — her community would have recognized her need and prepared a plan to help her. I agree that some people abuse the fundraiser thing and have no accountability for themselves. But a one-time plea should be seen as a cry of distress and meriting an ounce of compassion instead of being met with derision. I know about the lady in SMA. She has had a really bad string of luck and is at the end of her rope. She doesn’t deserve your derision.
We worked long and hard. When things got tough we never turned to anyone when we couldn’t make a mortgage payment or not enough to money to feed our kids. Sorry, you chose this lifestyle. My son just lost $6,500 to a contractor who has skipped town. He is 32 years old with a wife and 2 year old…he is not asking for a hand out. I am really offended by your asking. We visited your town and you are in a low lying area and in the middle of nowhere.
See my current post.
You’re allowed to be offended. I get offended by people telling me that because I don’t fit the societal mould and have a 9:00 to 5:00 job and kids that I don’t don’t deserve to have anyone in my life willing to ease the burden every once in a while. A little compassion never killed anybody.
And we are not ‘in the middle of nowhere.’ I have been to the middle of nowhere. It’s called the far north. Communities with five people have cell service there even if the next town is 200KM away.
And I bet you’re helping your son out, right? He’s very lucky.
Actually, no we are not helping our son out. He has never asked.
How about a meal, help with childcare, a listening ear? There are many ways to help, not all of them monetary.