[freegeek-e-newsletter] Party Time this Saturday/Leo Update

[e-newsletter at lists.freegeek.org]

You're reading the ultimate (as in, final! well, and the coolest ever) Free Geek 
Holiday Party 2007 delicious elicitation email.  You've received this email 
because you've done great things with Free Geek in the past and, well, we like you.

It's your time to:
Be reminded! that your presence is requested at the Free Geek Holiday Party this
    Saturday, December 8.
Learn more! about the food and fun.
Read a little bit! about Free Geek friend Leo Westwind.

Please save the night of Saturday, December 8th for an awesome, fun, free, 
private party to thank you for what you've brought to Free Geek in the past 
year, and generally celebrate how cool we all are.

Joining in the celebration will be:
* Drinks and G(r)eek food
* A live auction from 9-10pm to benefit Leo
* BeBop jazz from the Smiling Dog Jazz Band
* Stencil art - bring clothing to slap washable, permanent stencil art onto!
* Comedy from the SuperEgo Comedy Troupe!
* A cute girl who raps about geeks and food by the name of Oven Mitts
* DJ Conform, a.k.a. Seamus Campbell: Free Geek Director, disc spinner, and
   smarty-pants
* Gargantuan fun

Details:

Free Geek Holiday Party and Leo Westwind Benefit!! W00t!
Saturday, Dec. 8th
8pm-1am
@ Free Geek
1731 SE 10th Ave.
Portland, OR 97214

Please feel free to invite a friend or two to the show.  Tell 'em about how 
great the Geek is and have 'em bring some underwear to stencil a design onto.

This year, we'll also be holding a live pie and art auction to benefit the child 
of Free Geek collective member Michael Westwind.  Leo Westwind has been in and 
out of hospitals regularly in the past year to treat the decreased liver and 
heart function caused by Alagille Syndrome.  The cost of these trips to his 
family has been upwards of $10,000, and promises to be much more in the future. 
  We're asking attendees to consider bringing or buying a pie or piece of art at 
the party to help the family.

Please read the email with the subject "Leo Westwind Update" (directly following 
this email) for more details about donating stuff for the auction and other ways 
you can help.  In the meantime, if you'd like to donate cash, please visit 
http://freegeek.org/leofund for the Paypal link.

If you'd like to help set up for the party or have any questions, feel free to 
send an email to events at freegeek.org.  Specifically, we'd love help setting up 
on Saturday and cleaning up on Sunday.

Thanks for supporting your friendly neighborhood technology non-profit, and 
we'll see you on Saturday!

Shawn Furst
Outreach Coordinator
Free Geek

-------------------------------------------
Hi there, geek lovers.  I wanted to take a moment to update you on the status of 
12-year-old geek child Leo Westwind.  As you may remember, Leo, who's the child 
of Free Geek Tech Support Coordinator Michael Westwind, has been suffering from 
some pretty serious health issues lately due to a genetic disease called 
Alagille Syndrome.

Leo's health continues to decrease, and he's now in the pediatric ICU at Seattle 
Children's Hospital.  He's on a ventilator (as a result of a collapsed lung) as 
well as a dialysis machine, and he's heavily sedated.  Sadly, doctors have 
removed his name from the list of transplant recipients because he might not be 
able to sustain through the surgery.  If his health improves, though, he'll be 
listed again.

While the ICU won't allow balloons, flowers, or outside food, cards and letters 
are quite welcome.  If you'd like to write a "Get Well" greeting to Leo, send 
your note to:

Leo Westwind
Ronald McDonald House
5130  40th Avenue NE  #287
Seattle, WA  98105.

Leo's now on Kaiser health insurance in addition to the Oregon Health Plan, so 
his hospital stay and his possible transplant will be covered.  The Leo Fund has 
brought in a couple thousand dollars so far, bringing Michael, Kyr, and Leo a 
bit of peace of mind.

Thanks to all who have given help however they could.   It helps Leo and his 
family to pay off the remaining travelling and incidental costs that they've 
incurred.  If you'd still like to help this family out, there are many ways to 
do so.  You can:

* Donate art or a pie for the live auction at Free Geek on December 8.  Please
   contact richard at freegeek.org to do so.
* Donate money by:
  - Going to http://freegeek.org/leofund and using the Paypal "Donate" link.
  - Send or bring a check, written to "Leo Westwind Medical Fund", to Free Geek
    (address below).
  - Go on the February's Midnight Mystery (bike) Ride and donate money in
    exchange for the chance to win cool prizes!  Go to
    http://yeabikes.net/midnight for more info.
* Bid on a shiny, newly refurbished laptop on Ebay.  Free Geek donated the
   hardware, and all proceeds will go to the fund.  The link to the online
   auction http://tinyurl.com/2chtg9
* Bid on an item at the live auction at Free Geek on December 8 around 9pm.
* Forward this email to your friends/family and organizations that you're
   involved with.
* Contact shawn at freegeek.org for the materials necessary to place a donation jar
   at your business or organization.

For updates on Leo and links to information about his disease, please visit 
http://freegeek.org/leofund.

Thanks for your time and support,

Shawn and the Staff Collective
Free Geek
1731 SE 10th Ave.
Portland, OR 97214