Kickstarter

More hugs are in order for the more than 100 of you who have donated money and/or your Facebook status — words cannot express how amazing it feels to have such a strong community of people behind what I'm doing.

UPDATE: I leave on Friday (under the assumption that I will meet my goal: more on that below), so I'm currently trying to get all my last-minute travel details and carry-on luggage in order. I've also been preparing by doing a lot of research on the villages we will visit and on water issues as they relate to farming in the West Bank. 

Today we had a meeting with everyone involved (the non-Northern Michiganders joined us via Google+ video chat: I highly recommend this tool over Skype!). Before the meeting, I joined some of the guys on a run just before dawn — actually, they were running, I was skiing. They ran 15 miles, starting at 7:00 am, and I just couldn't help thinking about the dedication that everyone has put into this: you all included, especially! 

Putting your hard-earned dollars toward someone else's project with minimal "rewards" can be counterintuitive during these tough economic times, but I think/hope that it can be really rewarding, as well.

IN CONCLUSION: I have 3 days left to reach my goal, or I don't get any of the money. This is where I ask EVEN MORE from you... you've already donated, but have you shared it with your friends/family? Please, think about forwarding this email and/or "like" the Kickstarter page and "share" it on Facebook, so that perhaps people in your network can feel just as philanthropic and awesome as you!

--Aubrey 

Photo montage by Chelsea Bay Dennis.