Archive » Worthy Causes

The 2005 Templeton Prize winner was announced this week; the $1.5 million award went to Charles Townes, the Nobel laureate whose inventions include the maser and laser and who has spent decades as a leading advocate for the convergence of science and religion.
USA Today has a nice profile of Townes today.
The prize was established in [...]

There’s a Marine who needs you. From the Bakersfield Californian:
LOMA LINDA, Calif. (AP) - A Marine who received a liver transplant because of a near-fatal infection that developed after his return from Iraq may now need a bone marrow transplant.
Lance Cpl. Christopher LeBleu, 22, has a “high probability” of needing the transplant because he has [...]

…to indefatigable blogger-extraordinaire Ed Morrissey and his wife, who will be undergoing a pancreas transplant tonight or tomorrow morning.

Bring a box of Kleenex. You will need it.

Remember this moving photo of an injured Marine?
The Omaha World Herald has a riveting follow-up story today.
More at The Right Report and Blackfive.
We are truly blessed to have such men of courage serving this nation.

A man who found $850,000 on the road returned it to its rightful owner.

Following up on the controversy at Marquette University over a College Republican fundraiser for Adopt a Sniper, which we blogged about here last week, even al Jazeera has weighed in with a story now.
I heard over the weekend from John McAdam, Associate Professor of Political Science at Marquette and the faculty advisor of the College [...]

I first blogged about the “Adopt a Sniper” program last August. (See also here.) It’s a terrific charity that supports snipers serving overseas in the War on Terror.
Now comes word from many of my readers and fellow bloggers that Marquette University is preventing College Republicans from raising money for Adopt A Sniper. From the Milwaukee [...]

The first Operation Iraqi Freedom Medal of Honor nominee was named today. Sgt. Paul Smith’s incredible story is here.
Hat tip: Blogger El Capitan.

Over the weekend, FOX News business anchor Neil Cavuto interviewed SPC Jose (J.R.) Martinez about the Iraqi elections. Martinez expressed elation over the success of the process and gratitude for his fellow men and women in uniform.
Martinez’s unbridled enthusiasm and love of country captivated me. He is an awe-inspiring spokesman for Salute America’s Heroes, a [...]

Ten-year-old Shelby Dangerfield of Billings, Montana, has launched a campaign to show solidarity with Iraqi voters:
“It will symbolize our support if we wear ink on our fingers,” Shelby said. “We’re not forcing them to vote, but they have a chance to do it and they should take that chance.”
Shelby said Saturday afternoon she hoped to [...]

For those who have been following the story of Baby Jordan, here is the latest wonderful news sent to me from Jordan’s dad, Jeff:
BABY JORDAN RECEIVES A HEART!
Statement from Jeff and Sadaf Trimarchi
We are so happy to announce that a donor heart became available for our baby Jordan on Wednesday, January 26, 2005. Jordan underwent [...]

Time is running out for Baby Jordan, the newborrn in need of a heart transplant. The latest update on his condition is here. An excerpt:
As some of you may have seen on the Fox News Channel, our little Baby Jordan is quite a fighter. He approaches his 5th day on the heart bypass and [...]

Jordan Zane Trimarchi was born last Tuesday with a 3.5 centimeter tumor in his lower left ventricle. Surgeons at Columbia Presbyterian Children’s Hospital in New York City were able to remove some of the tumor, but not all of it. At this point, Jordan’s only chance is a heart transplant–but that won’t happen unless [...]

Yesterday was the deadliest day for the New York City Fire Department since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Newsday reports that three firefighters were killed and four critically injured yesterday battling blazes in Brooklyn and the Bronx in frigid cold and ice.
Lt. Curtis Meyran, 46, of Battalion 26 and Firefighter John Bellew, 37, of Ladder [...]

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) are co-sponsoring the “HEROES Act”–a bill to greatly expand death benefits for America’s military personnel and their families. Rep. Terry Everett (R-Ala.) is sponsoring the House version. It’s something politicians on both sides of the aisle should unite behind.
Blogger Bill Faith, who runs Small Town Veteran, [...]

In response to my post yesterday on those “Count Me Blue” bracelets, a reader pointed me to this site:
Hero Bracelets

A little about the charity:
Since the invasion of Iraq, America has lost over 1,350 American troops. More than half of them have left behind a family that will never be the same. Our goal is to [...]

Three-and-a-half-year-old Evan Parker Scott was handed over to his biological mother earlier this afternoon. It’s a heart-breaking story:
Evan, bundled in a blue jacket and sucking on a pacifier, was carried outside by Dawn Scott, who along with her husband, Gene, cared for the child for most of his life. The couple had appealed a judge’s [...]

Last night, I mentioned La Conchita mudslide victim Jimmy Wallet, whose wife and three young daughters died in the wreckage after he left his house to get them ice cream. Wallet and a surviving daughter were staying in the house owned by another mudslide casualty, Charlie Womack. A reader has passed along information about a [...]

Jim Baratta sees a double standard in ABC News’s disaster coverage of the California mudslide victims vs. the tsunami victims. Check it out and see if you agree.
By the way, I have noticed there hasn’t been much attention paid in the blogosphere to the mudslide victims. No, it’s not a catastrophic tsunami. But these are [...]

Just a reminder: It’s World Relief Day at Captain’s Quarters. Do pitch in if you haven’t already. Thanks!

Just a reminder that Jan. 12 is World Relief Day via Captain’s Quarters. Chip in if you can, and hang around a while at CQ. One of the best blogs for political analysis and general commentary in the blogosphere.

Gateway Pundit writes about the plight of tribal members on the Nicobar Islands and the “Sea Gypsies” in Burma. For those interested in donating to these victims, there’s more info here.

Whoa. The German race driver opens up his heart and purse…
BERLIN (Reuters) - Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher is to donate $10 million (5.3 million pounds to help the victims of the South Asian tsunami, his manager Willi Weber says.
The donation from Schumacher was announced by Weber on a German television fundraising drive [...]

…in Washington state?
Meanwhile, reports of disenfranchised military voters keep coming in, prompting a creative Washingtonian to re-fashion those “We support our troops” ribbons accordingly.
ReVote Washington is seeking help here.
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Late-breaking updates: Stefan Sharkansky finds more “Enron Math” in King County and calls on readers to help investigate.

That’s the current tally of American contributions to tsunami relief over at Chuck Simmins’ blog. Check out his spreadsheet (PDF file).

The Austin (Tx.) Business Journal reports:
On-again, off-again Austin resident Sandra Bullock has donated $1 million to the American Red Cross for tsunami disaster relief in southern Asian and eastern Africa.
Kudos to her! Will other Hollywood Citizens of the World follow suit?

11-Year-Old Raises Tsunami Donations By Selling Hot Chocolate

St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church Tsunami Relief Fund raises nearly $7,700
Girls raise $600 selling chocolate in paper pockets
N.C. woman working to ship 1,000 bicycles to tsunami victims
And more.

Captain Ed is organizing a fund-raising effort for tsunami survivors via World Vision. I just donated and hope you will, too.
Update: World Vision has compiled a list of top 10 myths of disaster relief and also offers advice to donors on how to ensure that charities use their contributions responsibly.
And more blogger charity initiatives at [...]

Renowned science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, who lives with his family in Sri Lanka, survived the tsunami. The Associated Press excerpts an e-mail Clarke authored yesterday letting friends know of his fate.
A reader with ties to Clarke forwarded me the entire message, which includes Clarke’s plea for aid to Sri Lanka and also a [...]