SPRING DRIVE 2006 - Part 1: Announcement

[3yardsandacloud]

SPRING DRIVE 2006 - Part 1: Announcement

It’s that time of year again at BuckeyePlanet.

As an online community project, BuckeyePlanet continues to amaze. So many people add to our community in ways large and small - all done for the love of the Buckeyes. Our purpose has nothing to do with commercialism or financial gain of any kind, but simply to serve as a vehicle for Buckeye fans seeking to continually expand the Buckeye experience. Clarity’s vision of a free resource for Buckeye faithful and a place where people come together as a community has come to fruition in ways few imagined would be possible.

This time last year we were making a push to purchase a new server for BuckeyePlanet. In the early stages, the challenge loomed large and daunting, and success was uncertain. In true BuckeyePlanet style, we pulled together for a common and worthy cause, and thanks to each of your contributions, our goal became a reality.

This spring we face a very important issue. A personal issue. An issue facing BuckeyePlanet’s owner, Clarity. After several years of hard work, love, and a good deal of his own money, BuckeyePlanet is finally in a good place. The new server gives us stability and the ability to grow and expand the features that our members request. Clarity, however, is not in a good place.

As many of you know, Clarity has been burdened with a host of medical ailments that remain difficult to diagnose and have become increasingly debilitating to an extent no one should ever have to face. He is almost completely bedridden, and has only had the strength to walk into his own driveway once in the past year. For reasons we will discuss in a separate thread, there have been significant difficulties in obtaining the financial aid needed to address these ailments. Clarity is a proud man who has time and time again resisted sharing his problems with those of us in his online family. The thought of having his private difficulties made public is one he despises. We are sad that we can no longer honor his wish for privacy, but Clarity NEEDS OUR HELP.

In the past a small group of those members who were aware of his health issues would collect some money to help defray some of his expenses. Most recently, when financial issues forced a sale of his Florida home, a small donation was made to help with his move to Ohio and the ambulance service that was required to ensure his safe arrival. Occasional private fund drives and stop-gap measures simply won’t suffice anymore. Clarity is in danger of losing his home (again) in Ohio. He has been delaying even the most basic health care (tooth broken below the gum line) both due to cost and because even the simplest of medical procedures become far more complicated when simply getting to the appointment can set off major heart and respiration problems.

Amazing, isn’t it? Clarity is living this day-to-day type existence of quiet desperation while we go merrily along our way at BuckeyePlanet. Oblivious... happy... content. We miss Clarity’s presence on the boards because he only pops in on occasion to make some improvements to our online home. Clarity has declined offers from others to acquire BuckeyePlanet (most recently this month). He has declined because the new owner would most assuredly depart from Clarity's vision of what BuckeyePlanet could and should be: A free resource for the Ohio State community. Can you imagine? Needing the money badly, yet declining to sell out an online community. It's easy to see why the man engenders so much love and respect and forms such strong friendships.

To repeat a Buckeye phrase, “One Buckeye down, all Buckeyes down.” We need to rally here, folks, and do our best to help another Buckeye... a friend... one of our family. For that reason we want this fundraiser to benefit Clarity in a personal way ... not BuckeyePlanet. If anyone deserves to get back a small fraction of what he has given to BuckeyePlanet, it is Clarity.

So PLEASE donate to this Spring Drive. This is not to better our site directly, but to lend a hand to a friend that needs our help. I hope you find this cause deserving of your consideration. All donations made to BuckeyePlanet from the time of this announcement through the end of the Spring Drive will go directly to Clarity for use in obtaining medical care, paying for past medical care, and making housing payments.

We are in a position to help only because Clarity’s vision has led to this extraordinary community of people who care about the site and each other enough to come together for important projects such as last year’s server drive. This time our project is not merely important – it’s vital. It isn’t “just a messageboard,” it’s the well-being of a family member. And we are going to make the difference.

INCENTIVES AND DRIVE DISCUSSION

Our purpose is very serious, but we’re still a community that enjoys having, oh, maybe just a little fun from time to time, and this fundraiser is no different than any other in that regard. We have goodies for gamblers, items to satisfy the fashionista in all of us (cue Thump), and some spiffy spiffy vFlair. Check it out!

Spring Drive 2: Incentives and Spring Drive Discussion

CLARITY’S INFORMATION

Because the money in this drive is going directly to Clarity, it is necessary that an explanation of his medical and financial situation be made plain. Please understand, as we are sure you will, that Clarity is horribly uncomfortable with the idea of taking money from members of this community, and the information we have asked him to share is extremely private and personal. This is a drive that should have happened long ago, but Clarity’s desire for privacy and his independent brand of pride made us slow to recognize the severity of the situation. Once details started to come to light, the staff forced the discussion to a level to which Clarity would never have taken it on his own. We would like to respect his privacy as much as possible under the circumstances. This thread will remain open for discussion but we ask that you treat the situation with utmost respect and thoughtfulness.

Spring Drive 3: Clarity’s Information

CONNECTIONS THREAD

Clarity requires medical attention, tests and more tests, and, we fervently hope, a long-awaited diagnosis of the underlying cause of his medical problems. Given the complexities of his case, he also needs an advocate positioned to help him navigate the bureaucracies of those social institutions which were intended to provide assistance in precisely this sort of situation but have failed to do so. If you have potentially helpful skills or connections, please add your thoughts in the thread linked below. Identifying information is not necessary; the staff will contact people as the conversation requires for further information.

Spring Drive 4: Connections Discussion

ALL donations made to BuckeyePlanet from the time of this post until the end of the Spring Drive is announced will go directly to Clarity for use in obtaining medical care, paying for past medical care, and making housing payments.

Donations can be made via:

MAIL:
BuckeyePlanet
5794 Gradey Pass
Galloway, OH 43119-8598

PayPal:
Link found on the front page of BuckeyePlanet, or in the black navigation bar at the top of most pages.
PayPal Donation Link

NOTE: Checks should be made payable to: Jo Bryant (NOT BuckeyePlanet). Please be sure to include your BuckeyePlanet username with any donation so we can credit your account with the appropriate reward or medal. Additionally, the memo/note area (where you would include your username) is limited to 250 characters. You'll have to be brief.

[bucknut11]

Originally Posted by 3yardsandacloud

ALL donations made to BuckeyePlanet from the time of this post until the end of the Spring Drive is announced will go directly to Clarity for use in obtaining medical care, paying for past medical care, and making housing payments.

Donations can be made via:

MAIL:
BuckeyePlanet
5794 Gradey Pass
Galloway, OH 43119-8598

PayPal:
Link found on the front page of BuckeyePlanet, or in the black navigation bar at the top of most pages.
PayPal Donation Link

NOTE: Please be sure to include your BuckeyePlanet username with any donation so we can credit your account with the appropriate reward or medal.

Make checks payable to...?

[osugrad21]

Originally Posted by bucknut11

Make checks payable to...?

Jo Bryant

[timBUCK2]

I'm just totally shocked to hear this bad news.

I really can't think of anyone else on Earth who's hard work and charity I've more enjoyed. Websites like this are not easy or inexpensive to build and maintain. Clarity's contribution to completely anonymous strangers is the exception - not the rule.

I would urge anyone like me who enjoys free and frequent use of this site to make a donation - even if you can only afford to give a little.

My medical bit -
I was born with Pectus Excavatum and recently had a corrective surgical procedure for it performed by Dr. Leonard in Minneapolis. Pectus is really a birth defect that reaches it's worst point at age 18, so I really don't understand how you could develop later in life. If you have any questions about my experiences with it or the corrective procedure, feel free to PM or call me.

I'll have to agree with Thump on the broken tooth. You would be amazed by how many serious/deadly complications a broken tooth can have like heart disease, eye infections, stomach ulcers, bladder stones and kidney disease.

Take care of yourself! (and Go Bucks! )

[Buckin' A]

I read Clarity's story with a heavy heart. I had no idea he is going through all of that. At first, I thought that the little amount that I could give ceratinly wouldn't make a difference. Then I thought again. I realized that if a bunch of us give just a little, maybe 2 of us pay the electric bill for the month. Maybe another 2 people pay for a months worth of medicine that he needs, etc...

I guess what I'm saying is, not matter how little you can afford, every single dollar is a dollar they didn't have before.

God bless Clarity and his family.

[Folanator]

Best wishes. Wish there was more I could do.