If I Was a Millionaire by Lynn Lovegreen

If I Was a Millionaire: That’s our theme this month. What a fun concept to ponder….

For my first reaction, I came up with the usual ideas—things or experiences I could buy for myself, family and friends. And if this really happened, I’d certainly do some of that. But I’m lucky enough to have what I need already. What I should do, what would be more meaningful, is to give at least some of that money to people and causes that really need it.

Here’s my list; you can compare it to your own list of favorite causes. I included the websites in case you want to learn more about any of them.

Nonprofits that work internationally:

The Carter Center https://www.cartercenter.org

The Nature Conservancy https://www.nature.org

Peace Corps https://www.peacecorps.gov

UNHCR: the UN Refugee Agency http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/

U.S Nonprofits:

ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) https://www.aclu.org

ALA (American Library Association) http://www.ala.org 

American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org

Planned Parenthood https://www.plannedparenthood.org

Alaska Nonprofits:

Anchorage Museum https://www.anchoragemuseum.org

Food Bank of Alaska http://www.foodbankofalaska.org

Great Land Trust http://greatlandtrust.org

I could go on, but you get the idea. And if we do end up with a little extra money this year, let’s donate it to help the world become a better place. The future begins with each of us and the decisions we make every day. So let’s use that for good. That’ll make us feel like a million bucks! ;-)

Lynn Lovegreen has lived in Alaska for almost fifty years. She taught for twenty years before retiring to make more time for writing. She enjoys her friends and family, reading, and volunteering at her local library. Her young adult/new adult historical romances are set in Alaska, a great place for drama, romance, and independent characters. See her website at www.lynnlovegreen.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Goodreads, and Pinterest.

Authors and Charities—Is It Win-Win?

By Linda Lovely

Let me begin by saying I admire the many authors who generously donate time and potential profits to raise funds and awareness for their favorite charities. They do so by arranging for charities to sell their books and pocket the profits, by forgoing speaking fees to headline charity lunches and dinners, by spending countless hours organizing charity auctions.

In most cases, the partnership offers a win-win for charities and authors. The charities pocket money they might not otherwise receive, get free publicity, and have an opportunity to expand their donor base. Authors gain name recognition and, hopefully, fans, who will become dedicated readers of current and future books.

Earlier this month fellow RTG blogger, Marcia King-Gamble, suggested folks consider charitable efficiency when making donation decisions. She noted, for example, that the Red Cross spends 92.1% of its income on programs that benefit the community with administrative expenses representing less than 5% of total overhead.

That prompted me to consider at what point author-charity partnerships might become more advantageous to authors than charities. Let’s look at a hypothetical charitable event where an author will sell books. The nonprofit provides lots of free promotion in exchange for the author donating a “portion” of the profits.

The Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum

sells NO WAKE ZONE and keeps all profits--.

about $8 per book. We had a signing &

books are sold in the museum gift shop.

In this instance, shouldn’t the people who are urged to buy books to support the charity know the split? If the book retails for $16, how many dollars will the charity pocket versus the author? Let’s say the actual book costs $8, leaving $8 profit. If the author donates only a quarter of the profits, the charity is asking donors to spend $16 (on something they might not otherwise want or buy) in order to reap $2. This isn’t a terribly efficient way to raise money. However, it’s definitely a win for the author who gets all the benefits—promotion, sales, income.

As an author, I can argue this is no different than all the other businesses that donate a “portion” of profits on specific products to charities. When I buy from one online retailer, I’m told the charity I identified as my recipient will get a piece of the action. While I’m sure that “piece” is very, very small, I signed up because I’d make the purchase anyway, and my favorite charity might as well benefit.

So, fellow authors and nonprofit organizers, I’d love to hear what you think. If you’re involved in such an event, should you let your audience know what the various parties will gain?

So far, I’ve been involved as an author with two fundraising initiatives. In one case, I spoke at a luncheon. I received nothing for speaking and the nonprofit made its money from its sale of luncheon tickets. I benefited from the publicity and from a post-luncheon book-signing handled by a local bookstore. However, book purchases were entirely voluntary for attendees.

In the second instance, I provided signed paperback copies of one of my mysteries at cost to a nonprofit that’s near and dear to me. The nonprofit didn’t front a penny. It pocketed ALL profits as it made sales, and it reimbursed me for actual book costs after the fact.

So let’s hear your opinions. What model should authors and charities adopt for fundraising? Should charitable donations per sale of a book or the percentage of charitable proceeds from a luncheon or dinner be made public?

Do Your Brain a Favor—Support Alzheimer’s Research

By Linda Lovely

Author Vivienne Lorret, my fellow blogger, has already alerted the followers of our Romancing the Genres blog that June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month. But I decided two blogs on this topic isn’t overdoing it.

Consider these statistics, provided courtesy of the Alzheimer’s Association (http://www.alz.org/):

·         Alzheimer’s is the 6^th leading cause of death in the U.S.

·         1 in 3 seniors dies from Alzheimer’s or another dementia.

·         It’s the only cause of death in the top 10 that cannot be prevented, cured or slowed.

·         Alzheimer’s affects about 6% of people 65 years and older.

·          2/3 of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women.

·         5.3 million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer's—an estimated 5.1 million of them are age 65 and older.

I’m over 65 and female. My mother suffered from Alzheimer’s. So every time I forget a word or a person’s name, can’t find my car keys, or stare at a pantry shelf wondering what the heck I needed, I worry. Has it started? The one thing I don’t forget is to contribute to Alzheimer’s research and support groups—the brains trying to protect my brain, and yours.

If you’ve known and loved someone with Alzheimer’s, you know how hideous this disease is. My mom was a lot smarter than me. She skipped two grades, and she could add and multiply large numbers without aid of electronics (or even paper and pencil). She was a card sharp, too. When she was about 76, we noticed she began to have problems remembering what cards were played. She asked us to repeat things a lot. At first, we thought she needed a hearing aid. No, she was stalling for time to try to make sense of what we were saying. She was able to live on her own for about four years after the symptoms began, because she recognized her illness and tried to adapt. She pinned house keys to practically every blouse and jacket she owned. She scribbled notes to herself when she had more lucid moments.

Still we were forced to put Mom in a nursing home when she was 80. By then, she was suffering from hallucinations and was extremely paranoid. She still knew the people she loved, but was often very confused and excitable. The manager of her apartment complex was afraid she’d leave on a stove and start a fire. Taking Mom to the nursing home was the hardest thing I think I’ve ever done. Mom lived ten more years. Watching the mother I knew disappear was heart-breaking. 

So, please consider what you can do to support Alzheimer’s research. We baby boomers will—unfortunately—swell the ranks of those who suffer and die from this form of dementia if something isn’t done to find answers to the why of this dreadful disease. 

Hooray for Grass-Roots Nonprofits

By Linda Lovely

Many well-known nonprofit/charitable organizations are national—even international—in scope. Such organizations often have paid staff and sizeable budgets for promotional mailings, websites, and brochures. They may even have celebrities to champion their causes.



Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum



That’s seldom the case for grass-roots nonprofits—ones started because a single dreamer or perhaps some like-minded folks see a community need that’s going unmet, a wrong that needs to be righted, or they have a quality-of-life vision. This blog salutes the tireless heroes and heroines who have such dreams and won’t stop working until they breathe life into their goals.   



Captain Steve Kennedy



My late cousin, Stephen Ross Kennedy, was one such hero. A native of Spirit Lake/Lake Okoboji, Iowa, he loved the history of the Iowa Great Lakes. Steve lamented the passing of the golden era when tour boats plied the lakes, ferrying passengers from one grand resort to another, or giving folks who couldn’t afford a boat a chance to experience a sunset cruise. Steve wasn’t alone. Working through the Chamber of Commerce, Steve and his friends raised funds to build the Queen II, a double-decker tour boat. After tour revenues paid off the Queen II mortgage, profits built the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum, located in Historic Arnolds Park, an amusement park that’s entertained Midwesterners for over a century. The museum is another nonprofit gem.

My family with Steve's statue.

Steve became the first captain of the Queen II and the first director of the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum. However, borrowing one of my cousin’s expressions, he’d have been “happy as a clam” even if he hadn’t been honored with these opportunities. He’d also be surprised to know his statue now stands on the Arnolds Park pier. Steve’s love for the lakes was contagious, and the Queen II and museum are gifts that continue to give. The Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum offers fun history lessons for every member of a family—from bathing suits our great grandparents might have worn to the evolution of motorboats. The Queen II also retains her regal status as the first lady of the lake. 

 

NO WAKE ZONE, the second book in my Marley Clark Mystery Series, is set in Lake Okoboji/Spirit Lake and opens with a billionaire’s death aboard the Queen. The Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum also figures in the mystery. Last summer, I did a book signing at the museum with all profits going to support the museum. I hope every

Has a grass-roots nonprofit made a difference in your hometown? Are you helping?