The Great Charity Hunt Launch
Author: Aleita Taviah
Published: November 2 2020 Tar Valon Times Blog
On the 1st of November 2020, The Great Charity Hunt was launched. It is the latest brain child of our Director of Community Outreach, Erin al'Denael. The first in its name, the Great Charity Hunt will see a new and exciting approach to philanthropy at TarValon.Net for the coming year.
Earlier this year the community of TarValon.Net was called upon to put forward their opinions and ideas about the Department of Community Outreach. As part of that survey Erin included a call for suggestions about where our members would like to focus our philanthropic efforts this year. Thanks to the fact that “…our community is as broad and diverse in their philanthropic choices as we are in life”, Erin devised a way that the wonderfully diverse membership we have could all get involved.
The Great Charity Hunt (or GCH as it is affectionately known) is a year-long philanthropic challenge, and friendly competition between the membership groups at TarValon.Net. Each membership group will have the opportunity to select a focus which is important to them. While there may be groups who are all happy to put their efforts towards the same cause, all efforts (of whatever form) made by members during the challenge can be credited to their group (even if it’s not that group’s designated cause). In short, every philanthropic effort made by our members during the GCH will count for their group.
A provision has been made for the smaller, or less active membership groups (to help even the playing field). This provision enables two (membership) groups to join forces for the GCH. This will also enable two groups who may have a similar preferred cause/focus to work together to the benefit of their cause. The Amyrlin Seat of TarValon.Net, Serinia Edoras (from all Ajahs and yet of none) will be uniting all of our Citizens and Junior Members of the Tower in one super group!
So, what do our Membership Groups need to be doing now? All groups will have until December 1, 2020 to send in their chosen focus, advise if they will be joining up with another group, and request any help or assistance in finding a group to join up with. If your group is having any issues finding a focus please reach out and Erin will be able to advise. All questions, concerns, and ideas regarding the Great Charity Hunt can be directed to Erin al’Denael via email at outreach@tarvalon.net.
During the Great Charity Hunt the Servant of All Team, as part of the Department of Community Outreach, will be available to every group to research ways that their members can contribute to their chosen cause. This is a service which is open to all Membership Groups as required, however some groups may need no assistance at all.
Erin has asked that all Membership Groups (or teams of Membership Groups) set up their own thread in the Servant of All forum. This will enable each group to share what their focus is, what they’re doing in terms of assistance for the cause and provide some well deserved exposure for the causes which are important to them. Being supportive, asking questions and sharing ideas is the best way for us all to help our individual causes.
How do you make sure your efforts are recorded? With the handy Great Charity Hunt Tracking Form. This form will be the primary method for tracking the contributions made by members throughout the year. If you would like your contribution to your cause (whether that be time, money or goods) then you need to fill out the form. While the tracking will be an honour system, if you have anything to include, even if that’s a photo of your donations, a certificate of thanks, or you donating your time, all qualifying documents are welcomed.
Every year TarValon.Net has chosen a select charity to raise funds for during our Feast of Lights celebration at the end of the calendar year. This year instead of focusing on a singular charity we will be celebrating and providing exposure for the cause of each and every membership group as part of the GCH. Here at the Tar Valon Times we will be doing everything we can to support and provide a platform for all our groups and their causes, so keep an eye out for that!
Thanks to other feedback from the Department of Community Outreach survey there will also be a T-Shirt Fundraiser as part of the GCH. More information will be coming our way in 2021, but here is what we know so far. All t-shirts will have the exquisite GCH logo (Horn Design by Venric Methalion, Logo Design by Siera al'Cere) featured prominently on the shirts, with all membership group colours being available. T-shirts will be sold at a set rate, including shipping (which is great news for those members who are overseas). As an added bonus, “any funds raised above and beyond the cost to produce and ship the shirts will be donated to the winning group’s cause at the end of the competition”.
What about the winning group? The winning group of the Great Charity Hunt will be determined by the Hall of the Tower. The Hall will be provided with all of the data collected over the course of the GCH regarding the contributions by each group. During the official launch Erin stated that, “They (the Hall) will be provided with a list of criteria to consider in their assessment of efforts, such as overall funds/hours/donations, percentage of group participants, and the scale and scope of efforts. The list of how efforts will be judged is still under development, simply because I don’t know what everyone will do yet.”.
As always we have some digital gems to share with you. Two signatures and two badges have been carefully curated for you to show off your participation or to raise awareness for the Great Charity Hunt!
We look forward to sharing and learning about all the different causes our membership will be helping over the next 12 months. If you or your group would like to share anything in the Tar Valon Times over that period please do not hesitate to contact me at editor@tarvalon.net. Best of luck, and a big thank you to all our members taking part in the Great Charity Hunt!
For more information about the Great Charity Hunt of any other Department of Community Outreach business, please contact Erin al’Denael at outreach@tarvalon.net.
