Yes, it does cost more to send farther. alice_in_wonderland, I don’t mind sending out of my zone. I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be any more to ship across the border than, say, to the mid-west or the east.
I can ship anywhere in the US or even Canada.
I want to play too! Just sent you an e-mail alice. I know I have all sorts of bizar…I mean… unique items that could use a new home. And who knows, maybe I need stuff that I’m not aware of. I can send anywhere…
GT
I just wanted to say that I actually have used some of the crap sent to me by the lovely and talented Tanookie. The craft books. they have saved me mula when i needed portable directions on whatever it was I wanted to do.
Disclaimer: This does not mean that the White Elephant you receive will have any social or intrinsic value whatsoever. The probability of opening up your box and saying, “WTF IsThisCrap?” remains on Orange Alert Status.
Hi folks - I’ve got a few more e-mails to add to the list, which I will do tomorrow.
In the mean time, I was wondering a couple of things:
-
Does anyone know if there are dopers affected (and I’m sure there are) by Katrina? I mean dopers in New Orleans or Biloxy or where ever, that could use a care package?
-
If so, would any care packages sent actually have a hope in hell of arriving to these people?
-
If the answer is yes, does anyone have a mailing address for any of these people, or a way to contact them if they’re not online to let them know that a package is coming, and
-
If the answer to the above questions is yes, would anyone care to send out TWO packages? One to your elephantee, and one to a doper in need? Obviously, those people would not be required to send anything out, but I thought it might be nice, if were packaging things up anyway, to perhaps offer an extra box of goodies to those in need.
If anyone is interested in this idea, and feels that there’s anyway this could be taken on, please post here and e-mail me. No one is compelled to participate in this portion, and the White Elephant Exhange 2005 will procede as usual.
Please advise me if anyone is interested, and if anyone has ideas on how to get care packages down there.
Also, I’m not sure what a care package would include - toiletries? little gifts? I’m assuming food items are out, as the packages may not be picked up in a timely fashion. All suggestions are welcome.
Alice.
PS: Garden Traveler and Ultraviolet - yer in, Rocking Chair - I got your address! Thanks!
I think if UPS is able to deliver to someone, they probably aren’t in that dire of a situation.
Yah - that’s what I was wondering. However, is it possible that some people have evacuated and may be able to receive a small package where they are? I really don’t know how these things work. 
Nobody knows how this thing works.
Anybody know Noah?
Absolutely I would send to someone in the south as well as my crap-dumpee. I’ve been thinking about that over the last couple of days, what I have that would be welcomed by someone down there. So far I have a new (as in not put together yet, but I will do that soon) fleece blanket, a bunch of books I could pass along, bath stuff I’ve never used, and other ticky-tacky, not really sensible, but nice-to-have-available stuff. (I’m real big on material niceties.) I’m certain I could get other items from people I work with if I told them I was putting together a care package for Katrina victims.
Side note: If any of you know anyone who could use that stuff now, send me an email and I’ll do something about it. brattiatti at gmail dot com 
Yeah, a part of me has been waffling:
Is it morally right to spend the $10 or so to box up my crap and ship it to someone who doesn’t really need it when there are thousands out there with nothing?
So I made an equivalent donation to Noah’s Wish for animals. And when time comes, an equivalent to Red Cross. That way I can still send my crap and help out those in need.
A trifecta!
Life.Is. Good.
Ditto on Shirley Ujest, but also, don’t forget to give blood those of whom can.
Ok, so - White Elephant 2005 will continue pretty much as orriginally planned. Dopers whishing to make contributions to aid organizations of any stripe are encouraged to do so, but I won’t personally be involved in that.
However, sometime in the next three weeks, it’s possible that some people who have been displaced will actually be going home (not in NO, I’m sure, but in other parts of the southern US I imagine). If, upon arriving home, any of those people discover that their basic needs are being met by aid agencies, but they could really do with a new car magazine and a pez despenser, then I would like to offer to ship those items out. Or perhaps some pre-moistened facial clensing cloths and a snow globe. Or a new barbie for their daughter and some maple fudge. Sort of a little pick me up - not taking the place of any sort of aid - just a small gesture to let people know that they haven’t been forgotten.
I realize that other than money and prayers, there’s not much to offer to the people in NO, but there must be other parts of the area that still have some sort of mail delivery? No?
Anyhow - I still have a lovely box of cra…treasures that I’m going to send out to my Elephantee on the 17th, regardless of anything else.
Is it too late? Sorry, I started a new job in DC and have been busy, busy, busy! It is seriously cutting into my SDMB time, lemme tell ya!
Anyway, yeah, I’m am so in.
I’ll send an email momentarily.
Nay, baby! Yer in!
I just thought I’d give this a bump, to keep it on the radar.
Remember people -
September 17th is the deadline to sign up.
I didn’t get an e-mail, did anyone else? alice_in_wonderlandI’ll send another e-mail to you just in case.
I didn’t get an email confirmation either, but I was on the list of Elephanters.
Guys - September 17 is the deadline:
I can’t give people until the 17th and then not, right?
BTW - the rules are up there in about post number 6, not that anyone ever reads them…
What the hey! I’m in! E-mail sent!
I sent you an email, but my 11-month-old toddled over and hit the keyboard and sent it before I was done. It has all the basic information, but no ‘thanks for organizing this’, ‘best wishes’ or any sort of sign off. So, I add this here lest you think I am a rude [del]crap-unloader[/del] White Elephanter.