Black Lab Adventures – 2012 Charity Fundraiser

November 13, 2012

Black Lab Adventures 2012 Charity Fundraiser

(This page will be posted until December 27, 2012, when the fundraiser concludes.)

Current Total: $1,180.00  (As of Dec 27, 2012)

THE FUNDRAISER IS NOW OVER.  THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!

I am involved with two charities. One charity was founded as a resource to help people; specifically children. The other charity was founded to help animals; specifically wolves and wolf-dogs.

 ___________________________

Alström Syndrome International

“Damlaya damlaya göl olur”  ~  “Drop by drop a lake is formed”

Alström Syndrome is a rare genetic “autosomal recessive” disorder. It is caused by a change in a gene called, “ALMS1”. Swedish doctor, Carl-Henry Alström first described the disorder in 1959. An infant born with Alström Syndrome will most likely have symptoms that effect: Vision; Hearing; Stature; Heart; Type 2 Diabetes; Blood Lipids; Liver; Kidneys; Intelligence; and Other Problems. To date, there are about 1,000 diagnosed cases of Alström Syndrome world wide.

Alström Syndrome International was founded nearly 25 years ago by, Jan and Rob Marshall. ASI is located on Mount Desert Island; right next door to where I live. You see, Rob and Jan have been my landlords for the past 6 years. I have spent time in their home helping to rebuild computers to donate to their “kids”; brainstorming web based ideas; meeting and spending time with families affected by Alström Syndrome; and I have participated in the annual, “Stuffing Envelopes” party for their own fundraiser event, each year, for the past 6 years.

Rob and Jan, have also been the caretaker of my Black Lab dog, “Reuben”; providing me the opportunity, and freedom, to ride to all of the wonderful places that I have been able to visit since 2007, (The year that I purchased my Suzuki DL-650 V-Strom.)

Here is a link that describes Alström Syndrome in greater detail: What Is Alström Syndrome?

Here is a link to ASI’s website: http://www.alstrom.org

Just a few weeks ago, the annual “Stuffing Envelopes” party was held in the Marshall home. Folding… Collating… Stuffing… Sealing… Stamping… Mailing… Pizza…

I would like to help Alström Syndrome International with more then just my talents of stuffing envelopes!

_______________________________

Loki Clan Wolf Refuge

“Lending A Helping Hand”

“If you can not give me a place to live, at least give me a place to die.”  – Chief Joseph

I literally stumbled across, Loki Clan Wolf Refuge, during one of my motorcycle riding adventures, in late June of 2012. I was studying a map, looking for rural roads that, laced their way around the White Mountain region of North Conway, New Hampshire. I found one, “thin red line”, on the map, that twisted its way through a section of woods that straddled the Maine – New Hampshire border. It looked highly promising! And, it was! But, not how I expected it to be!

The video clip below best explains what Loki Clan Wolf Refuge is, and what it does:

Since my first encounter with the wolfdogs of Loki Clan, I have returned three more times to help out where they need me to. I work alongside other volunteers; “Weed-whacking” tall grass, cutting and removing brush from the animal pens, erecting fencing for new pens, road work, building new dog houses; anything that needs to be done!

Here are some photographs of my second trip to Loki:  August Fence Party

And, my third visit:  October Fence Party

I returned to the refuge on November 10, 2012 to continue helping to build dog houses for the animals. Here is a link to a photograph album of work done that day:  November Fence Party

Here is a short clip that I shot of the wolves “singing” to each other:

Here are some special photographs that I shot from the November 10, “Fence Party”.

Here is a link to the refuge’s website:  Loki Clan/About

I would like to help both of these charities out. As a way to raise funds, I came up with what I felt was, a brilliant idea of offering up my motorcycle to be raffled off to raise money. However, friends and acquaintances quickly pointed out to me that, I couldn’t legally do that. To conduct a “Game of Chance”, I needed a Gaming License to proceed with a raffling off of my motorcycle.

I sat back on the heels of my motorcycle boots, and scratched my head for a bit; “How am I going to figure this one out, after promising both charities that I would raffle off my motorcycle, as a way to raise funds for their causes?” The answer follows below.

Embedded beneath this text are 12 “Sample” photographs. I culled through five seasons of photographs that I have shot during my adventure rides. I came up with a dozen images that have sentimental meaning to me. I felt that, if they have a sentimental meaning to me, my thoughts are, maybe they would convey, or “speak”, to other individuals as well.

1) For a donation of $10, I will send, (a link via e-mail), three full resolution images to an individual, (4000 x 3000 x 6+mb average size.). A person may choose which three images they would like to receive for their donation to these charities. Along with the three images, a free gift** of gratitude will be included with their order.

2) For a donation of $20, an individual may select any six images of their choice. I will e-mail a link where full resolution sized images can be downloaded by the individual. Along with the six images, I will include three free gifts** as recognition of gratitude.

3) For a donation of $30, an individual may choose nine photographs of their liking. Again, a link will be e-mailed to a location where those images can be downloaded. Along with the nine photographs, I will include six free gifts** of gratitude, with their order.

4) For a donation of $40, an individual will receive all 12 photographs, in full resolution size. As a way of saying “Thank You”, the individual will also receive ten free gifts** included with their order.

Important Notes To Read:

– One hundred percent, (100%), of the money raised, will be equally divided between Alström Syndrome International, and Loki Clan Wolf Refuge.

– This fundraising effort will conclude at 8:00pm EST December 27, 2012.

– The “free gift”** will be in the form of an entry, to a drawing, where an individual will be given my motorcycle. Because of the motorcycle’s high mileage, (110,537 miles), and the amount of personal custom modifications I have made to the motorcycle, the bike has no published “book value”, or “street” value. The drawing is NOT a contest for a prize of value!

– To the individual who has been determined to receive my motorcycle, they will assume the responsibility of its delivery to them, and for the removal of it from my residence. (14 Whitney Farm Road, Mount Desert, Maine 04660)

– Because of the high mileage on my motorcycle, and the personal customizations I have made to it, I will not be held liable, or responsible for the motorcycle, or any part that I have made for it, in any way, once it has been determined who is to receive it as a free gift, and after it has left my residence, and is in the possession of that person. The motorcycle is being given to an individual in, “as is”, condition.

– Details of my motorcycle can be seen here:  My Motorcycle/About

Added to the gift of my motorcycle will be the following:

This pile of used tires.  There is still quite a bit of tread left in all of them!

Also, a box of various spare parts, an OEM rear shock, (Needs rebuilding), an OEM Service Manual, and four homemade tools: 1) “Bearing Basher” – Used for seating a new steering stem bearings; 2) Stem nut removal and tightening wrench; 3) Socket/wrench to remove the swingarm bolt; 4) Custom wrench to remove clutch pushrod seal cover plate.

Determine what level you would like to donate to this charity fundraiser. Than, select the photographs that you would like to receive via an e-mailed link, by using the PayPal “Purchase Button” below. Within the “Instructions To Merchant” box, on the PayPal form, enter the number and description of the images you would like to receive. Within 48 – 72hrs, you will receive your images and your free gift(s).

To repeat, 100% of all money raised will be divided equally between Alström Syndrome International and Loki Clan Wolf Refuge.

(I am a “one man band” here, so please try to be patient with me as I try to juggle AND spin several plates at once!)

Thank you,

Barry Buchanan

#1 – Bar Island, Bar Harbor, Maine

#2 – Cape Breton Highlands

#3 – Gaspé Peninsula

#4 – Lac Ha! Ha!

#5 – Meat Cove

#6 – Miscou Island Lighthouse

#7 – Moncton Mud Puddle

#8 – Moose

#9 – Mount Katahdin

#10 – Rainbow

#11 – Rivière Éternité

#12 – Val-Racine