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Vote from Any Country for ME/FM Charity to Win $20,000!

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by Sasha


Image by www.facebook.com/MEAwarenessPics


The first thing to say about this: you don’t need Facebook!

The second thing: you don’t have to be in Canada to vote!

The third thing... well, time to give you the details...

Nature’s Bounty, a long-established manufacturer of vitamins and food supplements, is running an online voting contest for Canadian charities. The National ME/FM Action Network has entered.

The Action Network is probably best-known internationally for spearheading the development of the Canadian Consensus Criteria.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of rigorous diagnostic criteria in this disease: we all owe the Action Network a debt for this contribution to diagnosis and research. The Network also hosted the 2011 IACFS/ME Conference in Ottawa. But as well as these international achievements, for the past twenty years the Action Network has supported patients through advocacy, education, information, and promoting research. It’s the main charity for the 750,000 people in Canada with ME or FM.

So it’s well worth supporting the Action Network in the contest. The top three winners will get $20,000, $10,000 and $5,000 respectively. Of the remaining charities, three will be chosen at random to each win $5,000. US dollars and Canadian dollars are worth the same: $20,000 is about £13,000 or 15,000 Euros. That would be a considerable boost to any national ME/FM charity.

Voting opens on Tuesday, 26 February, and continues with one vote allowed per day until Friday, 29 March.

At the time of writing, voting instructions have not appeared but if you go to the Nature's Bounty contest webpage, all should become clear on the day.

There’s a big push behind the Action Network for this contest: a team of supporters has already been posting widely on the net to drum up support. Let’s help them win.

Got any questions? We’ve got a thread for that! The competition looks straightforward but the first post in this thread will be updated with instructions and help if any problems emerge.

Have you heard about other contests? Many, many small prize contests are announced in local papers, on the radio, and so on. If you notice any, please message helen41 so that she and the fundraising team can look into them. Every dollar helps!
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I just received a complaint from Reach for the Rainbow. Their Facebook page is being overrun with posters and comments about ME etc. and some of them appear to be very aggressive. So if any body is posting on the Facebook page could you please stop as this page is for support of children with special needs -- it's not about ME and trying to get them to share votes. We don't want to lose this partnership at this critical point so it would be best that we don't upset them any further.

Thanks.

Kina.
 
  • REACH FOR THE RAINBOW ONTARIO 40443
  • Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society 38908
  • MOUNTAINAIRE AVIAN RESCUE SOCIETY 19080
  • NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK 18599
  • SENIOR ANIMALS IN NEED TODAY SOCIETY 10280
GG

Still about 400 votes behind, closer to 500, trying to be optimistic! Still time left, perhaps the "Alberta Animal..." has teamed up with "Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society"?

  • REACH FOR THE RAINBOW ONTARIO 42919
  • Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society 42147
  • MOUNTAINAIRE AVIAN RESCUE SOCIETY 20406
  • NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK 19754
  • SENIOR ANIMALS IN NEED TODAY SOCIETY 10643
GG

Almost 700 votes behind at this point.
 
I hope so.

I just got wind of yet another cheater on the Mountainaire Facebook page. I must remember to take a screenshot of the votes on the last day and then compare them to the official results. Just to see how many votes were taken off. :eek:

I've seen these, how does one do that? Special software or something?

GG
 
Just voted for both charities - seven days of voting left...

  • REACH FOR THE RAINBOW ONTARIO42943
  • Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society42193
  • MOUNTAINAIRE AVIAN RESCUE SOCIETY20438
  • NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK19882
  • SENIOR ANIMALS IN NEED TODAY SOCIETY10663
 
  • REACH FOR THE RAINBOW ONTARIO 42919
  • Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society 42147
  • MOUNTAINAIRE AVIAN RESCUE SOCIETY 20406
  • NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK 19754
  • SENIOR ANIMALS IN NEED TODAY SOCIETY 10643
GG


Almost 700 votes behind at this point.

  • REACH FOR THE RAINBOW ONTARIO 47021
  • Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society 44518
  • MOUNTAINAIRE AVIAN RESCUE SOCIETY 21741
  • NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK 20810
  • SENIOR ANIMALS IN NEED TODAY SOCIETY 10933
GG
Now over 800 votes behind, I wonder what is happening?!
 
Ouch! Still, persistence pays. Just voted.

  • REACH FOR THE RAINBOW ONTARIO47048
  • Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society44623
  • MOUNTAINAIRE AVIAN RESCUE SOCIETY21791
  • NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK20880
  • SENIOR ANIMALS IN NEED TODAY SOCIETY10954
 
I just received a complaint from Reach for the Rainbow. Their Facebook page is being overrun with posters and comments about ME etc. and some of them appear to be very aggressive. So if any body is posting on the Facebook page could you please stop as this page is for support of children with special needs -- it's not about ME and trying to get them to share votes. We don't want to lose this partnership at this critical point so it would be best that we don't upset them any further.

Thanks.

Kina.

This is ridiculous. I have no idea of what they're complaining about:
a) They're now consistently in first place
b) We're obviously helping them win a bunch of money for their charity
c) The comments are perfectly reasonable
d) It's not like they're going to run out of room on their page for other comments
e) The contest will be over in a few days

If the situation were reversed, I would be thrilled to see the support from the other charity. I think they're being extremely short-sighted and ungrateful.
 
This is ridiculous. I have no idea of what they're complaining about:
a) They're now consistently in first place
b) We're obviously helping them win a bunch of money for their charity
c) The comments are perfectly reasonable
d) It's not like they're going to run out of room on their page for other comments
e) The contest will be over in a few days

If the situation were reversed, I would be thrilled to see the support from the other charity. I think they're being extremely short-sighted and ungrateful.

It is not ridiculous at all. Their FB page is set up to give information about their organization which is providing support for clients (mostly children) with special needs. It's not about ME. It was a reasonable thing to ask in my opinion. It has nothing to do with the contest and them being in first place. They have cleaned up the page quite a bit and have left comments of support.

Calling a charity 'short-sighted' and 'ungrateful' is quite out of order especially since they have been giving votes to us, inlcuding us in their emails, and added us on their facebook page. They have a huge corporate membership and this membership now knows who we are and what we represent. I certainly think any negativity directed at Reach for the Rainbow is uncalled for. The person who requested that we not post on the FB is entirely supportive of us and she went above and beyond what I asked. Really, they probably will win and would have done so without our support. I think it's important to keep networking relationships positive.
 
  • REACH FOR THE RAINBOW ONTARIO 47021
  • Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society 44518
  • MOUNTAINAIRE AVIAN RESCUE SOCIETY 21741
  • NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK 20810
  • SENIOR ANIMALS IN NEED TODAY SOCIETY 10933
GG

Now over 800 votes behind, I wonder what is happening?!

  • REACH FOR THE RAINBOW ONTARIO 49714
  • Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society 46532
  • MOUNTAINAIRE AVIAN RESCUE SOCIETY 22963
  • NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK 21917
  • SENIOR ANIMALS IN NEED TODAY SOCIETY 11229
GG
Now nearly 1,000 votes behind 3rd, I will keep voting, but it appears our chances are slim, unless some votes get thrown out. Glad we could help out Reach for the Rainbow, seems like they are in good shape!
PS Wonder if they could send another email out? Perhaps some missed the vote for 2 orgs thing or have forgotten?
 
Glad we could help out Reach for the Rainbow, seems like they are in good shape!
PS Wonder if they could send another email out? Perhaps some missed the vote for 2 orgs thing or have forgotten?

I think Kina said they'd already sent two out - it's quite an undertaking for a short-staffed charity run by volunteers to send a big mailing out, and I'm grateful that they've done as much as they have.

I'm also glad that we've been able to help boost them - I'll be happy to see them win (since that first place is out of reach for us!). :)
 
I think Kina said they'd already sent two out - it's quite an undertaking for a short-staffed charity run by volunteers to send a big mailing out, and I'm grateful that they've done as much as they have.

I'm also glad that we've been able to help boost them - I'll be happy to see them win (since that first place is out of reach for us!). :)

I guess I missed when they sent out the 2nd one, this contest is almost over! So we need to get votes NOW, or it's over for us, so I would think it is worth another mention (if not already done), since we seem to have helped them, unless they got help from some where else?

GG
 
  • REACH FOR THE RAINBOW ONTARIO 49714
  • Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society 46532
  • MOUNTAINAIRE AVIAN RESCUE SOCIETY 22963
  • NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK 21917
  • SENIOR ANIMALS IN NEED TODAY SOCIETY 11229
GG

Now nearly 1,000 votes behind 3rd, I will keep voting, but it appears our chances are slim, unless some votes get thrown out. Glad we could help out Reach for the Rainbow, seems like they are in good shape!


PS Wonder if they could send another email out? Perhaps some missed the vote for 2 orgs thing or have forgotten?

  • REACH FOR THE RAINBOW ONTARIO 56705
  • Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society 53423
  • MOUNTAINAIRE AVIAN RESCUE SOCIETY 25624
  • NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK 24622
  • SENIOR ANIMALS IN NEED TODAY SOCIETY 12285
GG
 
  • REACH FOR THE RAINBOW ONTARIO 56705
  • Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society 53423
  • MOUNTAINAIRE AVIAN RESCUE SOCIETY 25624
  • NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK 24622
  • SENIOR ANIMALS IN NEED TODAY SOCIETY 12285
GG


  • REACH FOR THE RAINBOW ONTARIO 59693
  • Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society 56644
  • MOUNTAINAIRE AVIAN RESCUE SOCIETY 26813
  • NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK 25917
  • SALTHAVEN WILDLIFE REHABILITATION AND EDUCATION CENTRE INC. 13308
GG
There's a new 5th placer! We are now only about 900 votes behind, 2 more days for me, or only 1?
 
Now only 800 behind and yes, where did Salthaven come from?

  • REACH FOR THE RAINBOW ONTARIO59915
  • Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society56830
  • MOUNTAINAIRE AVIAN RESCUE SOCIETY27005
  • NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK26202
  • SALTHAVEN WILDLIFE REHABILITATION AND EDUCATION CENTRE INC.13332