FictionAlley's fundraiser for Katie O'Brien Memorial Scholarships

[heiditandy]

The order pages are http://www.fictionalley.org/wristbands.html and
http://www.wristspirit.com/OrganizationInformation.aspx?FRCode=FictionAlley

In March of 2005, one of FictionAlley's longtime writers lost her
battle with leukemia. Even while she was in the hospital fighting
against her illness, she continued to find strength as she wrote her
story, assisted by her father, Dave O'Brien. As her father said,
"Katie always wanted to be a writer, and she used this forum
[FictionAlley] to fulfill her dreams. Correspondence with those who
read and enjoyed her story sustained her even during the worst of times."

Katie finished writing her story six days before she died; her father
has continued to upload those chapters onto FictionAlley through the
spring (you can find it at
http://www.schnoogle.com/authorLinks/Dave_OBrien/ ).

When we at FictionAlley learned that Katie had passed, we realised
that the best way we, as a site, could honour her memory would be to
provide other writers, as well as artists and those who give back to
the community, with some help in making their dreams come true, so
with the permission of Katie's family, we are in the process of
establishing a scholarship fund in Katie's name. That's why the first
$4500 in profit raised from sales of these wristbands will go to fund
the first three years of the Katie O'Brien Memorial Scholarships - in
2006, we plan to award one for writing, one for art, and one for
community service; each recipient will receive $500 (US) from
FictionAlley to use towards his or her education.

You can order wristbands via
http://www.wristspirit.com/OrganizationInformation.aspx?FRCode=FictionAlley
if you live in the US and via
http://www.fictionalley.org/wristbands.html if you live outside the US.

If you order by June 5, your wristband will be sent to you by July 5,
which means you should have it in hand to wear to the HBP bookstore of
your choice. We're also going to have the wristbands available at some
of the HBP book parties that FA staffers will be attending - those
will also cost $5.00 each - the list of locations is at
http://www.fictionalley.org/fictionalleypark/forums/calendar.php?s=&action=getday&day=2005-7-15
and is growing daily.

If you're interested in making a directed contribution to the
scholarship fund, please email us at help at ...; you can
also contact us at that address if you have any questions. 

Note:  The bands cost between $1.25 and $1.75 each, depending on how
many are ordered, so FA uses the balance of the $5 towards the
scholarship fund. We have to sell almost 1200 to have enough money to
fund the schoalrship program for its first three years.