YABSERS ALERT! Help Is Needed!

[Gail Simone]

I stole this (with her permission) from Lea's site.

I know a lot of you are struggling financially a little bit. I totally understand.

But if you HAVE twenty dollars to send this family, PLEASE DO. For god's sake, this is just a sad, sad story and we can make it better!


FROM LEA HERNANDEZ:

HELP: For the Family of Tom Artis

Via the mighty mighty Tom Spurgeon:

The family of the late cartoonist Tom Artis needs your help.

Many people wrote me after the fire last year and said, "I can't imagine." I can't imagine what the last eight months would have been like without the many small donations made to my family. Most were under $20. But, like the kid who went to college on pennies, small can become huge.

I can't imagine being the family of Tom Artis. Artis died from complications of diabetes on May 1st. The family home was destroyed by a tornado. They were robbed of Tom's art and their possessions shortly after Tom went into the hospital.
Tom's family can't even afford to give him a funeral, which is criminal.
It's a pointed reminder to freelancers to not give the entirety of their careers to work for hire, and to invest, and to insure, but that's our lesson, a gift from Tom.

I would like for you, even if only because I asked, to show the Artis family some of the love you showed me. I know money's tight, but throw a couple ones or a fiver or even a Jackson in the mail.
I'm sending a crisp $20. from my earnings at CAPE!

Here's my challenge to you, Friends of the Diva: I have 387 people who list me as a friend. I'd like at LEAST 300 of you to send AT LEAST $5.00 each.
That'll raise $1,500. just from us.
Don't think someone else might be doing it. If you can't send $5.00, send a buck. Send quarters from the couch.
It ALL helps!

The Tom TC Artis and Family Memorial Fund

You can send the check to:

Marine Bank
Attn: Gale Krueger
1401 North Dirksen Parkway
Springfield, IL 62702

The Artis family thanks you, and I thank you. We can't imagine, but we can do.

[Flamebird]

Yikes!

I CAN imagine what they are going through.

Guess I'll be scrounging up some pennies.

Here's hoping that they will be okay and things will improve for them.

[TCJohnson]

Payday is monday, I will send something then.

[KevinTBrown]

This definitely needs to be a sticky.


I remember Tom Artis. One hell of a NICE guy.

[Larry Dixon]

I am a struggling diabetic. I was a stormspotter & a tornado struck my home once. I have been stolen from, lost family members, been hospitalized more times than I can count. That'd be enough to make this personal for me.

However times may be tough for me I am ever mindful that things can be worse for others and I want things to be better.

I'm on this.

Thanks for the heads up.

PS: Is there a Paypal account for the family yet?

[Sarah Beach]

I just sent out some money to help another friend, but I'll see if I can squeeze something from the budget for this.

It's not exactly clear -- do we make the check out to the fund named there? Or to the bank (with a note as to what it's for)?

Just checking there (I'm tired enough today, that I want to be extra, extra sure on such details).

[TomStillwell]

I meant to post this yesterday but the forum was all dodgy.

Please donate if you can.

Tailgunner Jo is one of my favorite comics of all time.

[Cam63]

'Will do.
........

[the4thpip]

Oh no, I had no idea Tom Artis died.

:(

[Reverend Smooth]

PS: Is there a Paypal account for the family yet?

I'm curious about this too, since I could probably send something in about a month. Which will undoubtedly be late, but I'm sure they'd be able to use it then, too.

[Matt Doc Martin]

I will send in what I can.

[Ell Aich]

D'OH!

I left out a REALLY IMPORTANT line in my post (since corrected), and that like is "MAKE CHECKS OUT TO."

As in:

MAKE CHECKS OUT TO:

"The Tom TC Artis and Family Memorial Fund"

Send your gift to:

Marine Bank
Attn: Gale Krueger
1401 North Dirksen Parkway
Springfield, IL 62702

As for PayPal, there is none so far that I know of. The tricky thing about PayPal is that they are super-vigilant (as they should be) about fraudulent charity collection. My PayPal account was frozen for a day, and I had to prove I wasn't collecting for someone who'd never get it. (PayPal sent a nice note after.)

I hope the family or Gale Krueger set up an account soon, to take advantage of the ease of PayPal (and the fact that many people with PayPal have a few bucks just sittin' in their accounts). Until then, I'd say well-concealed cash, money orders and checks. (Money orders are dirt-cheap at the Post Office.)

Thanks so much, YABsers. As Dan Vado said, "We are all Tom Artis."

[Matt Doc Martin]

D'OH!

I left out a REALLY IMPORTANT line in my post (since corrected), and that like is "MAKE CHECKS OUT TO."

As in:

MAKE CHECKS OUT TO:

"The Tom TC Artis and Family Memorial Fund"

Send your gift to:

Marine Bank
Attn: Gale Krueger
1401 North Dirksen Parkway
Springfield, IL 62702

As for PayPal, there is none so far that I know of. The tricky thing about PayPal is that they are super-vigilant (as they should be) about fraudulent charity collection. My PayPal account was frozen for a day, and I had to prove I wasn't collecting for someone who'd never get it. (PayPal sent a nice note after.)

I hope the family or Gale Krueger set up an account soon, to take advantage of the ease of PayPal (and the fact that many people with PayPal have a few bucks just sittin' in their accounts). Until then, I'd say well-concealed cash, money orders and checks. (Money orders are dirt-cheap at the Post Office.)

Thanks so much, YABsers. As Dan Vado said, "We are all Tom Artis."

Thanks.

I just posted on my LJ and at MySpace.

[AaronJ]

I assume a money order is ok? If so, I'll be on it Monday.

This is a terrible situation, and my thoughts are with the family.

[bert]

Cash is fine too, I hope?

$20 goes in the mail on Monday.