HoundsGood: Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer

Little girls at the dawn of the 20th century played with paper dolls. Throughout the century, celebrity faces and cartoon characters were transferred to the two-dimensional play thing. For one, they can keep a child quiet on a car trip when markers inevitably end up marking up the seats, an MP3 player prevents conversations with their family. It’s not all about fashion – paper dolls help a child develop fine motor skills as well as lend to a sense of “make believe.” ** They make a good donations for family shelters because of that. They are easy to pack up and take with them. **

Paper dolls, except the few directed at adults, don’t exist in the numbers they once did. Now there are a variety of flash-based games that create a similar experience with a mouse click on the internet.  While the online dolls skip some motor skills, young kids flex their decision making muscles and adults have fun creating some pretty oddball combos.  I know I did.

There’s even a Selena Gomez dress up game. You can dress Selena or Selena and Justin Bieber.  I got a kick out of the part where you choose an Oscars or shopping scenario with Justin, but then the third option is “I don’t like Justin!” and a solo Selena appears. A bit celebrity driven, but then again the young Queen Elizabeth, the original Charlie’s Angels and Martha Washington have all have had lives held at the fate of the fashion sense of small hands over the years.

It is hard to say if online paper dolls are more “green.” After all, energy is used to play them on the computer, and I do know that every paper doll my friends had were far from treated as disposable until they were beheaded by a sibling or disintegrated into nothing. Then again, there is less junk around the house if someone plays online paper dolls and loses interest versus stacks of paper and cut out books.

Social media has revolutionized the way non-profit organizations, from large charities to small, grass roots raise funds and spread their messages, and how new supporters discover them. First, there was Myspace, and then Facebook has grown by leaps and bounds in popularly. Other sites such as Razoo and Twitter provide an online presence. You can syndicate some of your feeds to type once, and appear on multiple platforms. However, since not everyone is using just one site anymore, one-time stalwarts and core groups get splintered because they may not always be receiving the message. Sure, some folks receive Facebook updates and e-mails on their phones, but not instantly, or they may forget to check in during a busy time in their lives.

The way to cut to the chase is to rely on the old concept of personally addressing each subscriber or supporter with modern technology. Instead of sending out a Tweet or a mass e-mail, you can use an SMS Gateway to send a short text message to their phones, whether they have a “smart phone” or a “dumb phone.” It goes straight to the intended recipient without the middle man.

The possibilities include automatic messages as appointment reminders, alerts to attend a charity fundraiser on a specific date, or an alert to letting them know that the latest donation campaign has kicked off. The recipient may text back an RSVP or forward it on to friends. The cell phone company has used the feature for sales pitches, why not put the technology to good use? Of course, you will only want to send messages to subscribers who have opted in to contact or have expressed interested in receiving them. The exception might be a personal appointment to meet with the chairs of the organization, which would more likely be considered personal contact.

The possibilities for the technology are extensive. I would love to receive reminders from the vet clinic about an appointment. It is great to get the call, but not so great when I’m driving. Maybe principals should text parents when their child doesn’t show. Better yet, maybe text the actual kid and warn them that you’ll text mom and dad next if they don’t put one foot in front of the other. For the non-profit sector, maybe separate messages could go out as an exciting countdown to the Christmas Ball with trivia questions. Supporters could text back their answers or suggestions and be rewarded with special mention or a drawing to bring other companions at no cost.

On the Cdyne website, it looks like you can get going for .09 per text, and the cost reduces based on volume, down to .03 per text. A $9.99 monthly fee is also assessed.

Have you tried out this idea for your organization, or have you received such messages? If so, tell me what you think.

My dad works for a non profit organization, and often they are lucky to have very knowledgeable volunteers who have retired. They now have time for some honest to goodness brainpicking. However, sometimes, in order to pick a brain, he needs to describe what is occurring. He is really at a loss at how to describe something to those giving him tech support. That is when my phone rings. It usually would involve me saying, “No, your computer didn’t develop a mind of its own like Hal 9000. I can probably help, but I would really need to sit in front of the computer and see what you mean.”

remote computer access software, where I could literally take a look at his work computer from my home, through the internet. I could not just access, but control his PC in order to set things right. In that sense, it is much more complex than merely sharing a file. On a larger scale, IT departments of companies sometimes have capability to do this. Of course, Proxynetworks.com has software that is set up for one computer to act as the master with many host computers. Of course you could also purchase software for a peer to peer situation, a master with many host computer, or more than one master computer.

I could sign up for a free trial, and later on, purchase the software. It may seem steep to someone to think about purchasing this sort of software it for personal use. However, I have considered the amount of money through the year normally spent on doodads for my dad, and have also weighed the number of hours of work he loses from describing a “thingamabob.” It is probably the best investment I can make. After all, there was also a “crunching noise” that is equally as nebulous. Since, I have come to find out that the “crunching noise” was just the computer loading and is nothing to fear. No rodents have taken residence.

If you are a die hard frugalista like me, you try to save every penny you can, especially if you are purchasing items to donate to your favorite charity or a friend who is wrangling people a rag-tag grassroots cause together. Not that I am cheap in giving. It just means if I save a load of money I can give MORE. It’s all about value.

This is THE time of year to upgrade your computer if you already have carefully researched what you want. I’m a Mac girl, but I have been researching options for a few friends. It just makes more sense to buy a computer at a discount than for a non-profit to use a donated used computer that might have the last owner’s files on it or has quirks that motivated someone to discard it in the first place. They may be fine for someone who doesn’t use the internet much, but not for sensitive information and a unit that may be accessed by more than one person.

There are someHP coupons over at Savings.com right now. For example, you can save $25 on an order of $125 or more, $10 off and free shipping off of a $50 purchase and $400 off an HP Pavillion Laptop at a $1249 or higher price point. Most of these cannot be used in the store. They are either codes to punch in or coupons to activate online. Either way, before you buy, don’t be lured by something that you don’t want, but pounce on something that you have been eye-ing with the special discount.

In the past two years, the ChipIn widget seems to have proliferated on the Internet. For legitimate non profit groups, it seemed to solve a few problems. It gave immediate access to donors to see exactly how close to a goal the group was in real or almost real time. However, since there are no real “checks” that the site does, it also allows for a lot of fraud.

This familiar widget can be created on the ChipIn site very easily, and the code can be tailored to a variety of formats that a wide variety of platforms can understand. Just be aware, that if using on Wordpress, you can only use it if you host your blog on your own domain as it is against Wordpress TOS. Also, the shockwave script only appears in “publish” or “preview” mode.Please do not attempt to actually donate to this one, because it won’t go anywhere. It is for illustrative purposes only. It is not connected to a Paypal address.

For a legitimate group, not only does it motivate donors, but the constant updates cut out the “middle man” and save time for volunteers seeking updates as well. Funds are processed through Paypal, which is very familiar to those donating on the internet already. A widget is best used if a small, reasonable goal is targeted as people like to be part of the “winning team” and feel that they are making a difference versus a small drop in a bucket that may never be filled.

However, the widget went from being used by legitimate causes to just about anyone. Because the address that is receiving the donations is hidden, it can easily create a situation where someone is falsely collecting funds. However, it was more frequent for individuals to not pretend that they were collecting for something they were not, but counting on you seeing so many widgets that you will get them confused. Another scenario is that because you do see a widget, you think they have been “checked out.” One young lady was asking for over $20,000 to build a “No-Kill Sanctuary for Dogs.” Behind the scenes, there was never going to be a shelter. She had made graphics to look convincing, but in reality, she was trying to gain trust with shelters in order to attempt to take unaltered dogs to start breeding and fighting them. She was “found out.”

The more innocent misuses are people using them to fund their savings goal, or dream of buying a boat. In of itself, if everyone is aware that they are gifting money to the person and it is not a donation, to each his own. Perhaps ChipIn should create a widget that clearly carries a disclaimer.

Technologically, the widget will not appear in Wordpress based blogs in draft mode and is sometimes only viewable when published. This is an improvement. The widget is compatible with blogger.

In my opinion:

From a technology perspective, ChipIn is a valuable widget and gets high marks. A s a consumer, you should do the same research of the person behind the widget as if they were handing you an envelope or asking for a donation in person.

In Wordpress, there’s an area that shows some of your back links. It’s really helpful to see where other bloggers mentioned your site. However, it is not a complete list, nor does it display static websites who decided to throw you a link.

If you want more complete information, grab some code from Blog Copy (blogcopy.com). When you log in, they’ll show you not only who actually linked to you, but who quoted you or popped your photos in their post, too, without doing too much detective work (might bust folks who are plagiarizing your content, too. You can write them and ask for credit).  Have you tried it? Let me know what you think.

My dad works for a non profit organization, and often they are lucky to have very knowledgeable volunteers who have retired. They now have time for some honest to goodness brainpicking. However, sometimes, in order to pick a brain, he needs to describe what is occurring. He is really at a loss at how to describe something to those giving him tech support. That is when my phone rings. It usually would involve me saying, “No, your computer didn’t develop a mind of its own like Hal 9000. I can probably help, but I would really need to sit in front of the computer and see what you mean.”

Remote PC Access Software, where I could literally take a look at his work computer from my home, through the internet. I could not just access, but control his PC in order to set things right. In that sense, it is much more complex than merely sharing a file. On a larger scale, IT departments of companies sometimes have capability to do this. Of course, Proxynetworks.com has software that is set up for one computer to act as the master with many host computers. Of course you could also purchase software for a peer to peer situation, a master with many host computer, or more than one master computer.

I could sign up for a free trial, and later on, purchase the software. It may seem steep to someone to think about purchasing this sort of software it for personal use. However, I have considered the amount of money through the year normally spent on doodads for my dad, and have also weighed the number of hours of work he loses from describing a “thingamabob.” It is probably the best investment I can make. After all, there was also a “crunching noise” that is equally as nebulous. Since, I have come to find out that the “crunching noise” was just the computer loading and is nothing to fear. No rodents have taken residence.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

A few folks I know who do extensive volunteering have some sort of smart phone. Just a few years ago, a lot of shelter volunteers juggled a cell phone and a camera, and then had to find a Kinko’s or office center to write from the road. If they could get photos and descriptions of dogs and cats out into the world after having met them and pet them, there was a chance that one of them would play on someone’s heart strings and they would get a home or a rescue would take them in before it was too late.

The new fangled phones, like the iPhone, are more costly to operate on a monthly plan, but it saves time. You can snap a photo, immediately send it to rescues, your Facebook account and more, then write up a somewhat meaningful post or email. Still, there is an art to typing on those little keys but it is far better than using the cell phone digits.  You will never have to leave your location.

Now, there is a way to somewhat subsidize your phone use for those who are running around everywhere to save lives. WeReward.com is a new concept that allows you to earn points, which converts into money, for visiting businesses and completing tasks, such as snapping a photo or “checking in” at a location.

If you have an iPhone, Download the App in the iTunes store. It is a complimentary download. In addition to an iPhone and plan, you are required to have a Twitter, Foursquare or Facebook account, which is free to set up if you don’t already have one. In the future, users of similar devices, such as Droid phones, may be able to participate.

Now, at this point, no one is going to be rich or quit their day job by completing Tasks, but if you are savvy about it and pay attention to where you might be going before you are on your way, you can complete a task or two. It may help recoup some of the costs of your monthly phone plan, while encouraging you to look up from the steering wheel and discover some new places to take out of town guests.  As an added bonus, you might just have some fun!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Nexx Inc. All opinions are 100% mine.

Yesterday, I was investigating a dog rescue group and a local thrift store. A friend of mine wanted an opinion on the rescue group, as they offered to take a large number of dogs from a county pound and she had never heard of them before. The thrift store is in my local area and benefits a charity I have never heard of. Upon performing basic internet searches, I was really surprised that these organizations were running their websites on free space, or were found on a url as long as Yao Ming’s arm. Pop ups, and very clumsy navigation made the groups look like fly-by-nights.  A group that looks rag-tag and disorganized is not getting my donations.

I am abundantly aware that operating a website for a group often is at the mercy of a volunteer and costs money. However, with the Unlimited Web Hosting specials I found at Nexx, there really is no excuse not to have even a simple informational website, attached to your own domain and free of popups. One would think that everyone has gotten the message by now, especially folks handling such important tasks of creating or preserving the image of a small nonprofit organization or grassroots movement, but many groups are still stuck in a website from 1998. One excuse made is, “Our volunteers are mostly seniors.”  My 88 year old great-aunt sends dirty jokes to my aunts via email on a weekly basis and zings around with her Webtv.  I’ll have to hire her out to them.

For $10 per month, the hosting plan includes a free domain name to get you started. To drive traffic to your url, they are providing a $50.00 credit to both Google Adwords and Facebook. Not familiar with Facebook advertising? When you log into Facebook, look at the column at the right hand side of your page. Your group could be there, and your ad would appear to people who were specifically targeted by keywords, or on pages that mesh with what you are about. Conventional wisdom dictates that someone has to see a message or concept three times before they act. If they see a Facebook ad, see a Google Ad and see your website when they click on one of those….Bingo!  If you don’t see major results, it didn’t hurt to try it for free. Free is my second favorite price to cheap. Free would be my favorite price, but I don’t always trust Free…unless it is thrown in as a bonus with something cheap.

A one year package at Nexx normally adds up to $71.40 per year, so it is a rock bottom bargain.  Some groups are reluctant to spend any money, but the potential a website has to drive donations is priceless and the savings is fiscally responsible.  No tech savvy? No problem. Nexx offers one-click installation for Wordpress and other blog platforms if a journal-type website is more your speed to constantly update your contributors and the world.

There must be a catch at this price.  Actually, upon my through investigation, there are no add-on fees.  The service guarantee is very equitable as well. There is a 30 day money back guarantee.  Within 30 days of activation or upgrade, a full refund is issued if you are not satisfied. Even if you have a site already, it is worth giving a new concept and new site a whirl. The investment is small to play around with a new idea.

This information is so timely. I was so frustrated I could spit yesterday when one of my other websites was down with no warning for about three hours. While it wasn’t a site that I depend on all the time, or play with everyday, it was a big disappointment. The service I was using frequently shorts out the server that the site happens to be on. I wonder if its just a hard drive under some guy’s desk that gets kicked when he was playing World of Warcraft. Darn ogres.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of GoViral. All opinions are 100% mine.

Getting a pet for someone as a Christmas present is never the right move. Often, the giver does this to be a hero to the recipient as a huge gesture. Other times, an individual puts a pet on their wish list without thoroughly examining the suitability of the pet. After the holidays, or more so in the six months following the holidays, shelters are packed with Christmas presents. They arrive either immediately as the recipient is not allowed to have a pet where they live, or in the next few months when the pet is past the tiny and helpless stage and starts to roam around.

Here is a pet that you can really give someone without there being any consequences for the pet. MyFelix is an adorable java based feline that is ready to wiggle his way into your heart. This is a preview, where you can pet Felix. You can share him via email as well. When you download him, you will also be able to teach him tricks. He might even roam around your desktop. Occasionally, he may have a message for you. There may be contests you can enter in or special offers. You will not be asked to register MyFelix or provide your contact info when you download him, which is an added bonus.

To download MyFelix, you need Microsoft® Windows XP or higher. I can preview him on a Mac, but he is not Mac compatible right now. Hopefully a Mac OS version will be developed. MyFelix will have to just hang out on my PC. I’ll go over there and visit him once in awhile. Shh…don’t tell Mac.