Happy 8/26 Day!

As most of you know from reading this blog, I am a volunteer tutor at 826 Valencia in San Francisco. It is a wonderful tutoring and writing program in the Mission district in the city, and it is also the only independent pirate supply store in the city! ;) I have to say that this is one of the most fun things I do all week. I go into the center and partner with with one, two, and even three kids to work on their homework together. It is all the fun parts of teaching that I miss and none of the stuff that I did not like about the teaching field. It is just pure fun. While the center has all sorts of great volunteers, it still needs money to operate. Now I am not usually one to go out and solicit people for money, but this is really a great place to put your extra cash if you have some. 826 National has chapters all over the United States that help out students with homework as well as in schools programs that help teachers do all those fun and enriching projects they would love to do but need extra hands for. We also do bookmaking field trips to get kids into the love of reading and writing. So, in celebration of 8/26 Day, you could help out the national organization by donating $10, $8.26 of which goes to us by texting "WRITE" to 20222, or give on line at http://www.826on826.org. It really is that simple. Spread the word if you are so inclined to help us out. If you choose the texting option, a one-time donation of $10.00 (an $8.26 donation and a $1.74 service fee) will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. Messaging rates and additional fees may apply. All charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. Service is available on most carriers. Donations are collected for the benefit of 826 by the Mobile Giving Foundation and subject to the terms found at www.hmgf.org/t. You can unsubscribe at any time by texting STOP to 20222; reply HELP to 20222 for help.

Also today, we are holding a Write-A-Thon at 826 Valencia from noon until 8:26 pm. I will be there writing for a while after tutoring before I head over to the Fat Chance studio. Some of you are wondering what this Write-a-Thon may be. Well, the fine people at 826 Valencia wrote the following about it:

"What is a "Write-a-thon," exactly? It's just like a marathon. Well, maybe not just like a marathon. Our ambitious, inspired, industrious writers will recruit friends, family members, housemates, and hairdressers to pledge to support them in their writing goal, be it two poems or 200 pages, at a suggested donation rate of $10 per page. Donors can choose to support writers in whole or in part—if your friend is going to write those 200 pages, you can pledge to support twenty of them, or ten, or two. It's entirely up to you!

We're going to write and write and write some more, for a grand total of eight hours and twenty-six minutes of writing frenzy. Pledge to support your favorite writer, or come join the whirlwind of writerly activity! This event is open to students, 826 Valencia volunteers, and the public. For details, please visit our website. Hope to see you later today!"

Well I am off for some quick sorting around the crafting studio before heading in to tutor, write, and go to class. Thanks for listening to my little speech about 826. It really means a lot to me. Check in tomorrow for some more dehydrating and canning fun.