Do you really, truly love Bobby Goren? Want to show your love in a concrete way?

Check this out this news now:

http://majorcase-ci.com/index.cgi?action=d...5282&page=1

Darn it! ...I may be on the road while this is going on and I really wanted to call in to say to Rene Balcer personally how much I'm behind the cause...so much so that I'm driving to a fundraiser that's 2 hours away from me to meet some of the people who I hope can help me work to making great things happen.

Anyhow for everyone here who is helping me behind the scenes with my fundraising idea, I appreciate your help...I am working hard to pull something off I hope you all will really enjoy (and I have signed up for membership in the forum mentioned above but have yet to be approved so I guess that will happen eventually).

I promise I will spill the details as soon as I can...if I can pull off everything I am trying to accomplish, I think it will make a lot of you here extremely happy, but if I only pull off some of it, I still think a lot of you will get a kick out of it

The Vault

you're such a big tease!

*bug*

Bug check your PMs...you overly curious one
The Vault

lol.. thanks my friend
we keep winking at each other .. people are gonna start talking.. ..uh.. I mean

*bug*

Hey I am getting jealous.

Link to broadcast
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...toryId=15597397

Well did any other fool besides me try to call in?

I got through the busy signal but unfortunately they only had time to take two calls and I was probably the third caller or later. Oh well. I would have given Rene more time to talk than the usual suspects (the segments on Iraq and the presidential candidates kind of bored me...I can read about them anywhere, but the segment on people who had to immediately evacuate their homes and had to figure out quickly what to take was cool).

The Vault

You know, the point of the Frances Goren Library project is to help Rene Balcer raise money for poor kids in Asia and Africa who don't have books of their own. It is not another occasion for you to draw attention to yourself and your bizarre obsession with Vincent D'Onofrio's used clothing and possessions.

Donations may be made to the Frances Goren Library project at Room to Read. Don't forget -- use the space provided online to specify that your donation is for the Frances Goren Library project. If you do that Rene Balcer will match it, dollar-for-dollar.

Who said anyone was doing that? Did I miss something?

well jc if you did I did too.. what a malicious.. (not to mention ungrounded) thing to say!

*bug*

Hardly malicious. Ms. VDO Vault's posts are always egocentric. Any perceptive person reading them can see that clearly. The Frances Goren Library is not about her. Charities need cash; she wants to force Room to Read to accept artifacts which -- further -- require more personnel time and other overhead costs. She angling to get VDO's autograph on certain objects -- ie, she's making unnecessary work for others that serves only to puff up her own sense of self-importance, Charities work most efficiently when they can conserve as many dimes in a dollar for the beneficiaries of their cause. The focus should be on them.

Time to make a small financial sacrifice and focus on the poor kids who need our help. That's what Bobby Goren would do at Room to Read.

MsS

P.S. In reality, Ms. Vault's call was screened out by NPR because she had sent the show a rambling letter asking that NPR get Rene Balcer to get VDO to autograph these things. The smart people at NPR's "Talkof the Nation" saw immediately what a self-centered, delusional person she is, and kept her off the air.

well this is the *Criminal Intent* board.. and the library is named after the lead characters mother.. it's only natural the connection be made.. and reaching out to fans with these little teasers they can buy is a way to raise money.. If balcer didn't expect or even hope for this reaching out to fans.. why name the library *the frances Goren library*?
If Vault wants to spend her time and resources in this way to raise money.. if ANYONE wants to spend time and resourse.. use conncetions or what have you to raise money for a good cause.. how can you possible degrade them for it?
yeah.. It was a malicious slam against someone you hardly know..who is trying to be charitable.

*bug*

Using personal resources to raise money is very commendable. But a true act of charity is done quietly, with humility.

I do know Ms. Vault -- probably better than you do. She's a typical glory-seeker and she's pestering a lot of people to get access to VDO, using this project opportunitically to do that. There's a great deal you may not know about her.

The legal definition of "malice" concerns using the written word to spread information one knows to be lies. As the Supreme Court decided long ago, reporting the truth is not malicious even though it may not be flattering to the person involved.

BTW, bug, have you made your contribution yet to Room to Read? Rene Balcer's appeal was clearly one-to-one. I hope everyone who's a true CI fan and a believer in this great cause contributes today.

Where is your proof, isn't there a law about spreading lies without proof? Also who are you? If your so sure of yourself, How do you know these things? Just state what you know and who you are and leave. We have a word for people like you. Trolls.

actually that is personal and private and out of courtesy you shouldn't even ask that.. but .. out of courtesy I will tell you yes I have .. is your next question how much?
also.. if what you say about vault is true.. you would be better served PMing her and letting her know you are on to her.. not calling her out in public.. that makes YOU appear to be seeking public attention. If it's true.. calling someone on it privatly shows more humility.. I got that from you.

*bug*

I'm a professional fundraiser, and I have friends at NPR. I have documentation that I'll share with the courts if Ms. Vault decides to sue me. She will lose.

I'm not a troll. It hurts my heart to see people like Ms. Vault engage in self-promotion when the only focus should be these poor kids without books.

I am also a member of this community and will stay one. I apeal to the many good-hearted people who post on this board to band together to raise enough money to sponsor a "room" in the Frances Goren Library by making a small sacrifice without further ado, at Room to Read. yes, we are CI's home board and should be leaders in this way, in my humble opinion. Think of it as a community barn-raising with many volunteer hands doing light work to accomplish something great.

Jryan, have you made your donation yet?

She's been contacted privately. Didn't alter her attitude in the least. That's why the public post. A last resort.

So glad you made a contribution (as I have) already, bug. No need to say how much if you don't want to. Anything is terrific. I hope you'll use your influence on this community to get others to follow your lead.

Yes, Have you? Also if your sooo Intune with the group, can you tell us how much has been collected so far?

Yes, indeed, J. (See my earlier post). So we have that in common. Hey everybody -- Jryan and bugtussle have made the trip to Room to Read -- who will be next?

On the total raised -- money is only starting to come in, and very slowly. Room to Read will post information on its fundraising activities, as required by law of 501c3 nonprofit organizations, in its IRS statement, which -- in turn -- will be available freely and publicly at charitynavigator.org.

If Mr. Balcer wants to announce a goal or a running total, that's his decision. I don't claim to know him, or anyone connected with CI. I only know a lot about individual giving to charitable organizations. I'm just an ordinary CI fan.

With all due respect to you Ms S, you don't know exactly what you're talking about. While I have told you some of the story via the forum's Private Messaging system, you don't know about everything that has taken place...but since you violated a simple courtesy I had asked of you (which was to allow the process of setting up a charity auction reach a certain stage of development *before* posting it publically to the boards here at USA Networks) let me set you and the rest of the board straight.

For the record, I am donating a large portion of my collection of Vincent D'Onofrio related items to Room To Read to be auctioned off to help raise the funds for the Frances Goren Library. I am categorically *not* getting a single penny from the auction (which is being organized by people at Room To Read's headquarters as we speak and if you don't believe me I can give you the names of three different people in San Francisco with RTR who are enthusiastically working on this), nor am I asking for any auction in my collection that I plan to keep to be autographed by anyone.

I thoroughly read through Room To Read's website and contacted them first with my 'crazy idea' before I began going through my network of contacts who might put me in contact with Rene (for reasons which will be apparent in a moment). Room To Read expressed an interest in pursuing this idea even though they've never done anything quite like this before. If Room To Read had said "no thanks", I would have ceased my efforts to set this up and gone on with my life as usual. But the charity appreciated the offer, saw possibilities in it for developing future fundraising efforts and wants to try this out. So I went forward with my attempts to contact Rene or the relevant people necessary to making my idea as profitable for Room To Read as possible.

If you had bothered to do a little exploring on Room To Read's website, the charity has previously done in person silent auctions before through some of its 33 worldwide chapters. So Room To Read is not averse to the idea of conducting fundraisers of donated items via auctions (in fact they are not afraid to trying out *all kinds* of different things to raise money). But they and I are very new to fundraising (the organization began extremely informally in 1999). Although they have never run an auction quite like this (we are attempting to do it online so fans worldwide have a chance to bid and participate), they are excited by the possibilities of raising money from now on this way.

In the attempt to help Room To Read maximize the amount of money they and the Frances Goren Library will receive, I am attempting to get the items I am donating signed by the relevant people (mostly VDO but I do have a few Noth and Erbe related items I will be donating) before they are auctioned if it is at all possible. If the items do not get signed by anyone, then they will still be sold by Room To Read with 100% of the proceeds going towards the Frances Goren Library and I will still be bearing the expense of getting the items into Room To Read's possession and giving them whatever help I can to maximize the amount of money they receive.

You might be surprised that I did make a money donation as asked for by Rene to Room To Read. In fact not only did I make a money donation at the Embassy event for the Frances Goren Library and for the South African challenge, put my name on the volunteer list to work with the Washington DC chapter (which is over 2 hours away from my home), and brought along a friend who was inspired to organize another fundraiser for Room To Read at her school (she is a teacher and the chair of a mathematics department at a Virginia high school), it is costing me time and money to do what I can to turn these items into money and media exposure (which everyone present at the South African embassy event agreed is sorely needed by the organization, maybe even more so than money) for Room To Read. Room To Read is opening 3 libraries a week right now...in 3 years time they'd like to be opening twice that many per week. So they certainly need more people and the resources they bring with them to meet that goal.

Everyone I have spoken with about this idea both online and at the South African Embassy was enthusiastic about the possibilities, including some of those who have posted here in my defense (and I heartily thank them for their efforts which they made while I was offline). Why it is that you are the only one who has denounced what I am trying to do and violated a simple request I made of you to delay taking this public, I cannot say. But I am confident that your view is in the minority and I firmly believe that the charity is still going to benefit whether you choose to support what I am doing or not. I hope I can challenge everyone here to support Room To Read in his or her own way and even Rene's minimum $5 contribution (which these days won't buy you much more than a fast food lunch) request will buy 5 books for the library (actually 10 books with Rene's $5 match). $10 is all it takes per for one child to enjoy a community reading room or library for their entire childhood (reading rooms typically serve 300 kids while libraries serve 1000)

As far is NPR is concerned, let me say this:

Of course because you were not privy to my phone call to the NPR show (and I am still surprised that I was able to get through on the phone), you wouldn't know that the NPR producer I spoke with apologized to me about not being able to put my call through (the Talk Of The Nation interviewer wanted to primarily discuss the impending writer's strike). She had seen my email I sent into the show the day before and was glad I called and was hopeful that she could get me in contact with Rene and that she passed along my information to him (public radio has to fund raise to exist and I am sure she saw my offer in the spirit in which it was made).

If I come off to MsS as an amateur and 'rambling' or what have you, then I take that as a very high compliment. Room To Read has in 8 short years of time gone from nothing to positively affecting the lives of 1.3 million children. Their goal is to reach 10 million children worldwide and they do what they do in exactly the way I am approaching this: just brainstorming, working their networks of people they know who might be able to donate money, things or time, and just trying their ideas out. If you had been able to hold in your hands and flip through the childrens books they publish, hear the admiration and appreciation in the ambassador's voice, listen to one of the young girls who went through the program read us a children's book in her native language (Afrikaans I think?) written by a different 10 year old girl who won a Room To Read writing competition, and see the enthusiasm of people from 20-something on up into senior citizenhood trying to figure out how best to help Room To Read, well perhaps you might have not been so 'harsh' in your tone. But I appreciate your skepticism because I will now get to answer your very valid challenge and I hope that with the help of a lot of others in the worldwide fan communites, I convert your skepticism into belief and into making my decidedly 'crazy idea' into a positive future for a lot of children.

No hard feelings, on my part towards you Ms S.

The Vault

Well said, Vault (claps enthusiastically)!

Did anyone notice that Ms S got all hot and riled that someone besides her was informed about and working on this project?

And before you ask, Ms S, I have not contributed to this project, although I believe it to be an immensely worthy one. My reasons for this, as well as my financial situation, is none of your business, so don't bother asking. I don't believe it's necessary for me, or anyone for that matter, to have to make a contribution before being "allowed" to state their opinion.

It's funny how although charity is supposed to be a priviate matter, we should post how much we contribute so that we can have a running total...

It's also funny how people always use boards and stuff like this to air their dirty laundry. Like taking something 'public' is really going to rectify a problem...

Classy reply, The Vault. (I quoted only your last comment so this post wasn't so long.) Great work on the RTR project!)


spook

Well I could easily say I contributed $10,000 who could prove me wrong?

I'm all for free speech.

I'm all for volunteering.

But don't kid yourselves: Charities need cash. Auctions typically raise less than 50 cents on the dollar net and are often too labor and cost-intensive to be worthwhile.

Auctions also require cash because auctioned items have to packaged and sent to the winning bidder -- even if there are a lot of volunteers supplying the labor.

Giving to charity is the act of an open heart and shows a deep concern for others. Most individuals who give to charities in the United States are middle class or working class women and men making gifts of what money they can afford, all anonymously. (When I asked about trying to raise $3000 together, I was trying to see if there was enough of a sense of community on this site to do that -- I guess that didn't get through.)

When you don't have much money, giving is a something of a sacrifice, but I'll bet there's hardly a fan on this board who can't make the one-time sacrifice of $5. Five dollars with no strings attached. Five dollars without getting something tangible in return -- like an old VDO press kit.

Goes back to my original question: How much do you love Bobby Goren? CI? Rene Balcer for creating Bobby Goren and CI? How much do you try to follow, in your real life, the "better angels of our nature" as Goren tries to do?

Wouldn't Goren give to this kind of literacy project if asked? Just $5 that will be matched and doubled by Rene Balcer?

Then truly search yourself and ask why not you?

Room to Read contributions are tax-deductible.

Pardon me for taking the liberty of combining several of Ms S's statments made in various posts and putting them into one reply post



That's great to hear Ms S! In fact I have another one of my possibly 'crazy' ideas to share with you:

Might I ask you to consider sharing your expertise, wisdom and insight directly with Room To Read, that is if you would feel comfortable doing so? I know they are looking for professionals to join them both in paid positions which they post at http://www.roomtoread.org/about/employment.html and also in a volunteer capacity. Admittedly they are a young organization and are somewhat inexperienced in how the more established fund raisers at other institutions work but I am certain that they would greatly appreciate your direct input. And as you are a professional fundraiser, perhaps you might be able to assist them beyond the duration of the Frances Goren Library campaign (which will only reach a limited number of the 10 million children they would like to reach by 2010). If the idea interests you, I would be happy to provide you with the contact information of the Chief Operating Officer, Erin Ganju and offer my recommendation of your services to the organization.

I am especially impressed by your ability to write well founded arguments on behalf of making donations to the cause both in this thread and others. I am quite convinced that if you were to offer these invaluable skills directly to Room To Read that they would be excited to either pay for them or accept their donation and to put them to good use in many campaigns.




I'm afraid I didn't receive any PMs from you via the USA board or any emails from you. Am I looking in the wrong places? Could there be a technical glitch with USA (it has eaten a few PMs of mine I thought I sent to others before)? I was offline when you initially posted (I needed to catch some sleep and tend to a cat of mine who is not eating like he should, so my apologies for not more fully reading all your posts sooner). If you would like to contact me directly you can try PMing me again.

As far as my being 'egocentric', a 'glory-seeker' or interested in my own 'self-importance' well that is clearly a matter of opinion and in the eye of the beholder. I don't know if you are also an attorney, but I can say that it would be quite foolish of me to sue you over what is clearly your own opinion, to which you are clearly entitled by law, which you are quite free via the First Amendment of the US Constitution to express, and is one of the areas of defamation law that is well settled. I don't have a valid cause of action in a court of law to sue you because you choose to publically express your unfavorable opinion of me nor am I ignorant enough to do so. So you have no worries there.

I also want to correct a possible misconception you may have about me that was implied in your last post...that I am somehow incredibly rich and out of touch with the giving habits of the working and middle classes. While I will give you the point that I'm not often perceived as anonymous or humble, my personal finances are not as fabulous as my education and law license imply. I didn't come from a rich family (my dad was a career soldier, my mother a high school math teacher) and until I went to college, my family lived a pretty frugal lifestyle.

To this day I happen to be an adherent to the principles of voluntary simplicity. I live on a decidedly lower-to-middle middle class income and while I am well educated and could aggressively go after a much higher income, I choose to earn less, consume less, and deploy my resources in such a way that I can afford my hobbies of collecting and blogging and also to spend more time doing things I love (reading, spending time with my father, socializing informally with neighbors, working only for a few clients I really care about, taking life at a slower pace, etc). I took myself off the fast track professionally for a lot of reasons I won't get into here but I don't regret it. I also practice economies that others might not choose to practice (like I rarely buy new clothes or eat out, I don't have a mortgage, and I am slow to buy cars...in fact I wish I didn't have to own one, but living in the country you can't rely on public transportation). Thanks to my choices I can afford to collect and blog and spend more time with family and friends and what have you. But in my case I highly prize my freedom and my independence and my quirky hobbies and I pay for them by being frugal. And I feel decidely rich and fortunate though my bank balance might not appear as large as you might think. Others I know of may choose differently and I respect their choices so long as the others in question are happy with their choices.

Following in that vein, there are a variety of styles of giving to charities. Some people will be motivated to give money to an organization with no expectation of receiving anything in return. Others like getting a tangible reward for their money. Still others choose to donate goods, services, assets, ideas, time, connections and so on. What I have tried to do in my own admittedly clumsy way is to offer something I can afford to give that was received (to my pleasant surprise) quite enthusiastically by Room To Read. It was refreshing to see that they want to work on this and didn't just counter my offer with 'sorry we only want money'. I can't speak for others, but I am often turned off by charities that are too stringent in the forms of help that they will accept and for those reasons tend not to give money to them. So personally I give a lot to local organizations that tend to be more flexible with donations (like I anonymously donate many books and DVDs to my public library which operates on a tight budget and is always looking to grow its collections) and to slight organizations that only want cash (which I am cautious in giving out). Others may feel differently and I respect that. I consider all opinions on this topic are valid.

Would I like to write out a $10,000 or a $3000 check to Room To Read and pronounce the Frances Goren Library project a done deal? Of course I would. That however does not fit my finances or my life goals nor does it give the others opportunities to contribute in their own way. I have a lot of respect for a variety of people here who do things differently and I am always interested in hearing what they have to say. I am proud of the fact that CI fans are an intelligent analytical skeptical bunch that for the most part are also tolerant of each others differences.

While we may differ in our opinions on how to fund raise, on how best to help out a cause, the efficacies of charity auctions versus the solicitations of cash donations or what have you, and on how best to solicit the help and support of our fellow fans, I do believe we are playing on the same teams. We both like CI and Room To Read's mission otherwise neither of us would be posting here.

Admittedly I'm the rookie here and you raise valid points about the potential costs to the charity of running an auction while I have been looking primarily at the benefits, namely that the charity creates a new fund raising avenue, stands to gain worldwide exposure and support (and perhaps some sorely needed widespread publicity), and perhaps can inspire others in the entertainment industry to help fulfill their mission with more projects. But I'm looking to bury the hatchet here and not to gore someone else's ox.

So hopefully I've addressed all your points of contention...if I haven't, feel free to raise them privately or publically with me (though I think the majority of readers of this thread might prefer the former)

I hope everyone here has a marvelous weekend
The Vault

Thank you for the comprehensive background on your work and charitable activities. I can see that your intentions are very good. I hope your auction efforts have a better-than-average return for the Frances Goren Library Project. Truly.

I'm a fully-employed professional fundraiser (and have been for 20 years); I'm not seeking paid work. I do volunteer my services, as my time is available, to various nonprofits. (I contribute cash too.)

The folks at Room to Read are very skilled fundraisers, and there's probably not much more I have to offer, in general, to the organization in terms of expertise. However I already am contributing volunteer time on the Frances Goren Library project.

But, Ms VDO Vault, nothing you or I are doing will be much help if the members of this -- CI's official home board -- don't respond. I'm dismayed at the resistance of some who say they cannot afford even a one-time $5 gift. Because, for the most part, it's not that they can't, it's that they're saying they won't.

Why?

$5 represents:

- a little less than a 10th of a tank of gas in these inflationary fuel days.

- a little bit more than a grande latte at Starbuck's.

- fewer than two TV program downloads at Amazon Unbox.

- Under the cost of one movie ticket (non-discounted).

- the cost of a two or three beers at a local watering hole (depending on where you go).

- the amount equal (or more) than a new lipstick or mascara wand at the local chain drugstore.

You get my point. It's a small sacrifice that everyone can make. It just takes an open heart, and the willingness to ask yourself, honestly -- "What would Bobby Goren do?"

Room to Read's website is open and the folks there are waiting and hoping for you to respond, today. So are those poor kids in Asia and Africa.

You can opt out of any future fundraising contact easily. Your e-mail address (or any other personal information) will not be sold. Rene Balcer will match your gift, dollar-for-dollar. Just be sure the put "The Frances Goren Library Project" in the box provided.

Did you ever do any work for feed the children?

Hi JCsavestheday --

I haven't worked (or volunteered) for the specific oprganization called Feed the Children but I have done so for more than a dozen food and hunger projects locally, nationally, and internationally. Most were aimed at feeding imnpoverished children or the elderly.

In addition to help with fundraising, I deliver meals to homebound AIDS patients once a month in my county.

I've also been giving to one of these organizations for the last 11 years with an annual cash contribution. Some years my contribution is larger than other years -- depends on my financial situation -- but I always kick in something.

Why do you ask?

Your post read like a Feed the Children commercial.

Well I'm glad to be on the same team with you Ms S. and that you're volunteering specifically on the library project. I'm also glad that we have arrived at an understanding.

Let me ask you this...have you dropped in on some of the other boards, blogs and sites that are giving space to the appeal for the Frances Goren Library project? I am sure that you can persuade them quite convincingly there too. Sure I agree with you that it would be awesome if the USA CI board gave the most and it could be good if there were a little healthy competition between the various sites, but I think what matters most is that we reach the goal and not who exactly gets us there. I have been doing work behind the scenes with emails contacting some of the admins I know and would be happy to put you in touch with them so that they can spread your message. Unfortunately I don't know of or read every CI/VDO other actor or Law & Order universe board, blog and site, but I would be happy to put you in contact with who I do know to get the word out. I think your list of what you could give up that costs around $5 is a very effective one (the first thing that came to my mind was a fast food meal).

Oh and it's still early in the fundraising campaign so I'm not discouraged yet. Have a little patience and I think you'll be surprised (I'll bet a lot of lurkers will get us there...frequent posting blow hard posters like me are the minority of readers here, I'm sure).

I'm just brainstorming here Ms S, trying to help. Not trying to step on your toes or anything

The Vault

PS I made my money contribution by money order and mailed it in (at the embassy they have rules about not taking cash (which I had brought a little of for my contribution) or checks, just credit card pledges and I try not to use credit cards unless absolutely necessary). A money order is a pretty good way to donate and not have to give up your email address or your checking account or credit card info and you can get one cheaply at your local post office or grocery store or discount store.

I once supported a child when I was able to afford it. But had to stop when times got too tight. But I must say something about these organizations. If they wouldn't spend so much money on asking for more money. Even while I was supporting, they were sending me stuff in the mail two or three times a week, I know that cost money, the printing, the mail, thats money that could have been used to feed the children, even it that is donated stuff. They could have sold that stuff, cause I was already donating.

ROFL!!!

Glad to be on the same team too. Don't worry about my toes. You can step all over them if that gets the Frances Goren Library Project to its goal.

Well I'll try not to Ms S...but if you want to compare notes you can try PMing me (I'm hoping it's not broken )

The Vault

Vault.. Sweden... I can't tell you how happy I am to see you two have come to terms...always good to work together .. always good to have one more alli.

*bug*

As of October 30th, the Frances Goren Library Project has achieved about a fifth of its total goal, thanks to the generosity of fans who truly love Bobby Goren.

The "bandwagon effect" doesn't tend to kick in until a fundraising effort has hit the halfway mark. You -- and only you -- can make that happen. When you're watching Bobby on Thursday's episode "Depths" think about how much pleasure he gives you, and -- during a commercial break -- go to your computer and log on to Room to Read. Any amount from $5+ will be matched by Rene Balcer. Just make sure that you type in "The Frances Goren Library Project" in the online space provided.

Think also about those poor kids in Asia and Africa who will never hold a book without this project. Ask yourself "What would Bobby do?" We all know the answer to that.

And if that isn't the question that inspires you, ask yourself -- in dollars -- how HOT Bobby/VDO is. Is he a $5 hottie? A $10 hottie? I think he's a $25 hottie at least. And I'm willing to skip a week of lunches just to scrape together an additional amount to contribute (with an additional payoff to me, personally, of perhaps a few pounds lost.) Who will join me?

And while you're cogitating, think about how VDO will feel if he finds out all this noise about his sexiness doesn't translate into positive and concrete action for kids who need your help. He's a person, after all, and what happens with the Frances Goren Library Project will communicate something lasting about how loyal his fanbase really is. You have the unique chance to show him with your Room to Read donation. Please -- let's not let him down.

Amen, All this hot for Bobby talk, put your money where your mouth is. If you can afford Internet you can afford a $5 donation.

Way to go, Jryan.

Bumping this up to remind everyone watching tonight's episode "Depths" that if you truly love Bobby Goren you can take a couple of minutes in the commercial breaks to log in to Room to Read and donate $5 or more to the [b]Frances Goren Library Project[/b]. CI co-creator Rene Balcer will match every dollar for every contribution of $5+.

It's what Bobby Goren would do, were he asked to help support local libraries for poor kids in Asia and Africa with no books of their own.

And if you really think Bobby/VDO is "hot" let's see a vote on that with small financial sacrifice that will mean so much to VDO and those kids.

Has VDO made any announcements that he is supporting this project? If he has, I seem to have missed it. If not, how do we know he does support it? And if he doesn't support this particular charity, how does my giving to it show him how big a fan I am? If my goal is to show VDO how hot I think he is or how great an actor I think he is, shouldn't I find out what charities he supports and donate to them? I think this is a wonderful project (and yes, I've made my contribution). But it is the project itself that makes it worthy, not my obsession with all things VDO. Rene Balcer's involvement makes it fun because I love the show so much. But to cross the line from asking for donations because of the popularity of a fictional character to asking in the name of a real-life person who may or may not support this particular project just seems unethical to me.

BWhahahahaha PWNT. thanks ciaddict

OK, Nat--I give. What does PWNT mean? I thought maybe its an age thing and asked around my office, then I texted my 15 y/o daughter to ask if she knew (umm...I didn't text her anything dirty, did I?) and no one knows. So we are all stumped--enquiring minds want to know!

Okay having been distracted by other things in my offline life, I can't definitively say that I know whether VDO knows anything about the Frances Goren Library project and if he does whether he has publically come out in support of it (if he has in the last few days, I have not heard about it, but realize that due to circumstances beyond my control, I have not been dilligent about checking all the usual places for the latest news).

My personal support of the project is mostly about honoring Rene Balcer (and indirectly honoring VDO). And I am enthusiastic about the Room To Read organization (last week before my cat got so sick, I consulted with my county librarian who is spreading the word with our six county library branches and I hit up some of the members of the board of trustees of the county library for contributions to the Frances Goren Library project in person...hopefully a few of them kicked in something).

We are still pretty early on in this campaign (the publicity has only been out there for a few weeks). It would be cool to have $1500 (half the money for a $3000 reading room) raised before Christmas. It would be even cooler to have $5000 (half the money for a full fledged $10,000 library that will serve 1,000 kids) before the end of the year. But 1) the word has to get out to more people, not just the most faithful of the CI faithful and encourage them to open their wallets too and 2) I am sympathetic to people who are not sure of what they can afford to give yet or if they can afford to do so...this is an expensive time of year even in the best of economic times (which to me clearly these are not) even though they love CI/Rene Balcer/VDO/what Room To Read is doing or some combination of them.

So have a little patience y'all and if you can't spread a lot of cash around, spread the word to people you know besides CI fans about how great the organization is and what Rene is doing...you never know where the money might come from (why does it have to be only us hardcore CI fans making the contributions?) and frankly if we hit the target, who cares where exactly the money came from?

I'm keeping my eyes on the prize (which is raising $1500 or $5000 that Rene will have to match dollar for dollar)

The Vault

I loved it, thanks King B! K