Consider it a caution when I say that in order to continue reading this document, there may be several qualifications you should meet before hand. You must be brave. You must consider yourself capable of maintaining your composure under extreme pressure and be able to react and respond quickly. If you are currently taking medication, you may want to consider coming back under a lower dosage. If you have an inhaler, keep it on hand. If you are terrified of spiders and large numbers, this is not the place for you to be and I need you to vacate the premises immediately. And most importantly, if talking about money makes you feel uncomfortable or nervous, you may want to go put on another layer of deodorant.
Actually, I'm going to keep this as simple as possible.
Going on the World Race means that I am going to need to fundraise $15,500. Plus gear, insurance, and medical expenses. That may be a bit of a daunting number, but there is some good news in the picture too.
1. I don't need all the money before I leave in January
2. $15,500 is actually a very reasonable amount considering the number of planes I'll be getting on
3. I'm a little excited about fundraising (this is good news for me, because if I wasn't looking forward to it then this whole process could become a little miserable for me)
Here are the financial deadlines I have to meet over the next year:
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$150 Deposit – Due 7/25/2012 (2 weeks after you’re acceptance date.)
- $3,500 – Due 9/29/2012 (2 weeks before Training Camp)
- $6,500 – Due 12/18/2012 (2 weeks prior to your trip)
- $11,000 – Due 4/1/2013 (End of 3 months on the field)
- $15,500 – Total Due 7/1/2013 (End of 6 months on the field)
Since my application was accepted in the middle of July, I've been researching, planning, and preparing a number of fundraisers to meet these deadlines. Now fundraising, I'd say I'm pretty familiar with. If Fundraising had a Facebook page, we'd be friends. I spent two years fundraising for a great Christian ministry in Texas to be a part of their Honor Academy internship and to tour with Acquire the Fire youth conferences. I could tell you stories of ways God has provided that you would find hard to believe, they sound so miraculous. I could tell you about people who have endured and persevered and sweat over every dollar they've had to raise, and tell you that I haven't even sweat the way I've seen some of my friends. I know what it means to say that I'm going to fundraise $15,000. And so I hope the fact that I'm still going forward with this shows you how much this opportunity means to me.
Some of you have already shared with me that you plan on helping me financially (before I've even asked, I can't tell you how much that means. Thank you!). Some of you I'm going to challenge by asking you to consider if you would be willing and able to support me. And some of you aren't going to be willing or be able to donate to my account, and I acknowledge and respect that decision. But this is the tricky part about fundraising. Far too many times I've seen conflict and tension arise when someone starts fundraising, and that is the opposite of what I desire to accomplish. I know a lot of my friends won't feel I need to be this 'defensive' with them, but if this disclaimer saves even one person discomfort in my relationship with them, I know it's worth taking the time to communicate:
I know that fundraising for $15,500 is my responsibility, and I will not put that pressure on anyone else. I promise. And I understand that not everyone will be willing to or able to give, and I have no intention to 'judge' those people.
Rather, my desire is to offer an opportunity for people to partner with me in something that is going to make a difference, to support me as I walk out the life I feel called to live, and to invest into the Great Commission. And even though I'll be updating you here on how my fundraising is advancing, the main purpose of this blog isn't even for finances. It's about sharing this adventure with you, hoping you can learn some of the things I'm learning, and sharing a part of myself with you.
So with that said, let me tell you now all the details about how you can donate to my account. There are several different options, each with their own pros and cons.
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Credit and Debit Card Donors
– PROS: Quick and efficient. Most preferred method. Able to setup automatic monthly withdrawals. Easy online access.– CONS: 5% fee deducted from your support account which goes to the credit card company to pay for that convenience.
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Bank Draft Donors
– PROS: Still quick and efficient online access.– CONS: 3% fee deducted from your support account which goes directly to the processing company to pay for that convenience.
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Written Check Donors
– PROS: No fee deducted. Sent directly to our bank where it is deposited. The bank then sends an image of that check to our accounting department to apply toward your support.– CONS: Can take approximately 2 weeks from the date you mail the check before you expect to see it in your support account. Also please note that you cannot receive letters or any correspondence at this address.
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DynaPay Donors
– PROS: Automatic deduction from a checking account each month with no fees. To sign up for DynaPay, have your donor fill out this form and return it signed with a voided check to Adventures in Missions, Attn: Accounting, 6000 Wellspring Trail, Gainesville, GA 30506.– CONS: The donor MUST contact us in the office to stop the automatic withdrawal when they no longer wish to keep giving. DynaPay will continue to deduct each month unless the donor directly says “Please cancel my donation now.”
If you were to ask my preference on how to donate, my answer would be whatever is most convenient for you. Although, as long as I'm not rushed by a deadline, the more people who donate by check, the better, because there are no processing fees. If everyone were to donate by credit card, the extra 5% would mean an additional $775 I need to raise. To write a check, make it out to Adventures in Missions, with the note "The World Race-Melissa Paape." You can either give the check to me (there's a contact tab on the left if you would like to email me for my mailing address) or mail it directly to AIM. Their address is:
Adventures In Missions
P.O. Box 534470
Atlanta, GA 30353-4470
Alright, so if you have any further questions, let me know so I can help you. Below are a couple more resources to see how AIM spends the money put into their possession, in case you're curious.
Policies and Principles for Tax Deductable Donations: https://www.adventures.org/policies/policies.pdf
World Race Donations:
The $15,500 is broken up like this:
- Training Camp–$320
- Field Support–$620
- WR Development Program–$1,860
- Administration Fees–$2,635
- World Racer–$10,075
The 65% that goes directly to the 11 months I spend on the field is broken up like this:
- Intercontinental Travel–$4,235.00
- Food–$1,256.25
- Lodging–$1,758.75
- Transportation–$1,005.00
- Long Distance Travel & Misc. Supplies–$1,115.55
Thanks so much, and Congratulations! You made it to the end of a ridiculously long blog post!
