I would like opinions/thoughts/suggestions on fundraising ideas to help generate money for the Muller's.

1. A set of prints from some of my selected paintings from Bonaire.

2. Auction of one of my oil paintings from BON.

3. A calendar with some of Ellen's UW photos and commentary on the critter and the location. (I haven't discussed this with Ellen yet :-)

Please feel free to comment and be honost about the value of these ideas. I figure that friends will be willing to make donations, but if I can come up with an idea that will appeal to strangers as well, that will be more helpful in the longrun (the pockets of friends and family are only sooooo deep!)

Dara, how much money is needed? $100? $1000? $10,000? $100,000?

For ideas, it helps to know the target...

The private room charge is 619 Nfl per day, paid in up-front deposits of 2,500 Nfl. As of today (18 days), that amounts to 11,142 Nfl (~ $6,130 USD). With the uncertainty of the time before a bed becomes available in rehab, that could easily triple (if we could manage to keep him in a private room).

Ellen is having difficulty finding some place to rent to her for a short and undetermined amount of time (the advantage of a private room is that she can also stay there 24/7). I can imagine one scenario of her having to rent a hotel room for up to a month ...amounting to maybe $3000 ($100/day local rate, if that's realistic).

On the low side, maybe $8,000 possibly as high as maybe $20,000. Just thinking about it raises my blood pressure. This doesn't factor in the travel costs and loss of wages.

My efforts are really meagre in the face of the costs that might accumulate, but I figure every little bit I can do is helpful. I'll be buying a Powerball ticket tonight, just in case!

Does Ellen sell her pictures? She has beautiful pictures. Some of which I believe some people would really like to buy in prints or to buy as electronic files that they could print themselves. I'd rather buy pictures, with commentary if possible. I would like to frame a couple to hang in my home. Rather than a calendar. I don't know if I could afford it, would depend on the price.

Dara, I just googled you to find your art. Very nice! I would think your art could cetainly raise money in a fund raiser. It is very nice of you. I have to wait til pay day (mid Feb - I only get paid once a month and the economy is tight right now). But I do want to contribute at that time.

I know that Gaia does prints on Canvas. If we can find someone who can put these prints on a frame (like a painters canvas) then I'm sure I can find people who are willing to pay good money for those prints. Maybe I can even get someone at the cruise ship market to put them in their stand? Now of course it would help if anybody knows someone at Gaia and could get them to sponsor this thing by doing the prints for free??? I'm willing to put in my time.

So: let me know if anybody can find a way to get free prints on canvas and if someone can put the canvas on a simple wooden frame. I will then work on trying to find sales points.

Of course this all assumes that Ellen is willing to supply high resolution digital copies of her pictures! This might be a problem since she is in Curacao??

Anyways...If I can help I will.

Bas.

Bas, When I invoked "The Force" to give Erwin strength and protection, I didn't expect an appearance from OB1 :-) Pleased to make your aquaintance - this has got to be a good sign!

I can actually do archive quality prints on my printer and it will print canvas, but I think that's more relevant for prints of paintings than of photos (IMHO). I am a framer as well and could sell matted or framed prints or mounted canvas prints. I was offering up my own art collection because I had fairly good success selling art when I lived there, have ready access, could do prints on demand and not have to pay for a minimum run of anything printed by someone else.

I think doing reproductions for Ellen is also possible, but a longer term project given what she's dealing with now. I have some ideas for some collaborative work, as well, once Erwin is back on his feet.

But in the meantime, I'm trying to think of some things that have broader appeal to people that don't know Erwin but would easily part with $20-25. I'm going to look into having a dance fundraiser here in Minneapolis. The ballroom dance community is always looking for another opportunity to dance and it might be especially appealing in the subzero weather if I can come up with a good cause, a Caribbean or Bonairean Karnival theme, and a Salsa/Merengue dance review....I just have to see if I can get enough friends to volunteer and a price break to rent a studio.

In the meantime, I'm not too proud to continue begging for donations from far flung friends :-) And if you can't send cash, send healing energy out into the Universe - it will find it's way.