desperate times call for desperate measures

i'm desperate.

and in a way, my desperation is self-inflicted. i thought i'd do something crazy to raise money for a charity, and from the looks of it, no one seems impressed by my efforts. maybe it's because they know i'm always doing crazy things, so what's one more? hmph.

you see, back in february, city yoga sent out this challenge:

SAVE THE DATE FOR YOGATHON! June 27-28, 2009
ROLL OUT YOUR YOGA MAT AND OPEN YOUR HEART!

It's 6:00 am on June 28th and the sun is breaking through the arched windows of the upstairs studio. You salute the sunrise, your body buzzing with the effects of 22 hours of yoga. You are part of a community that has just raised enough money to build a house; with Yoga!

Celebrate 10 Years of City Yoga!

Give thanks for the City Yoga roof over your head and help raise a roof for a deserving family. On Saturday June 27 at 8:00 am 60 yogis will gather for 24 hours of:
~ Asana
~ Restorative
~ Meditation
~ Thai Yoga Massage
~ Chanting
~ Live Music
~ FOOD

All the rejuvenating aspects of a yoga retreat right here in town.

We are raising money for Habitat for Humanity. Any money made will go toward building a house but if we reach our goal of $100,000 then the house will be called "The House that City Yoga Built"! You know there are people in your life that would support you taking on this challenge. It's just crazy enough to work and we've proven it. The last 2 Yogathons raised $80,000.

and yes, i was one of the 60 participants at that last yogathon back in 2007. not only did i survive the 24-hour physical challenge, but i was also able to raise a decent enough amount of money for habitat for humanity -- decent enough at least to meet the minimum each of us was expected to raise at that time: $500. a few months later, i was actually able to work on that house that the yogathon helped finance. it required even more physical effort on my part, including my having to overcome my fear of heights to hammer roof studs for a good many hours, but at least i knew that my aching muscles helped build a beautiful home that a happy family now lives in.

so when i heard about this year's yogathon challenge, i jumped at the chance to build yet another home for another needy family. yes, i would push the limits of physical endurance one more time, hoping that my temporary bout of insanity would inspire people to pitch in once again.

when i signed up in april, i was told that the fundraising minimum had been raised to $750. with no job and no co-workers to rely on for support, i knew it wasn't going to be easy for me. i considered dropping out, but i knew -- and hoped -- that there were good-hearted people out there who would see the need and contribute. i also hoped that with all the fundraisers i had helped publicize and had even given money to, maybe some of the people involved would reciprocate and share the love. well, maybe...

i sent out emails to my family and close friends. some money trickled in.

i posted requests for sponsors on my facebook page. some more money trickled in.

i promised blog coverage to the yoga studios and teachers that i knew. a little more money trickled in.

and then the trickling came to a complete standstill. when i checked to see what had come in so far, a deep depression set in. after two months of begging and pleading, all i was able to raise was a measly $333. not even close to the $500 i had raised two years earlier.

so with only two days left before i place down my yoga mat at city yoga to spend 24 hours doing a variety of forms of yoga (including savasana!), it now looks like i have to make one more last-ditch attempt...

thanks to the generosity of derik mills of yogaglo (who, by the way, will be hosting THE block party of the summer in santa monica this friday, june 26th), i'm now able to offer a fabulous prize to one lucky donor:

a FREE one-year membership to yogaglo worth $216!

with this membership, you will be able to access an unlimited number of yoga classes and lectures taught by some of the best teachers in LA. you can either stream them from the yogaglo website in the comfort of your home, or if you live in the LA area, you can attend any of their in-studio classes at any time. and yes, all of this will be FREE to you for one entire year!

here's the deal:

for every $10 that you donate, you will get one entry into the drawing. only donations received on or before sunday, june 28th (the end of the yogathon) are eligible to win. the easiest way to donate is through the use of a credit card at my firstgiving page at www.firstgiving.com/ayogist. if you'd rather pay by check or cash, you can drop it off at city yoga's front desk in an envelope with "joni" written on the front.

the winner will be drawn on monday, or whenever i'm lucid enough to do the drawing :)

considering the tepid response i've received so far, your chances of winning are excellent! so please donate now... and i'm keeping my fingers crossed that you win!