The final count for my “Change, in a Bottle” Giving Tuesday 2017 charity contest is in: $39.94! Wow, even I didn’t think it would be that much!

As I said in the post from last week, I’ll be donating my collection of lunch change ($39.94) to my charity of choice, the Sierra Club. Since so few people participated in this contest, though, I don’t want anyone to feel left out. So…

EVERYBODY WINS!

That’s right: each of the following charities will receive a donation of the final tally, $39.94:

• Ten Lives Club, on behalf of Midori
• Sierra Club, on behalf of Abigail
• American Academy of Pediatrics Friend of Children Fund, on behalf of Carrie
• World Central Kitchen, on behalf of Kate

When I saw the small number of folks who took a chance on this contest, I was kind of sad, because I tried hard not to make this about blog hits or comments or subscriptions. I didn’t want to be one of those people who demands a subscription or a story comment to participate in something. But then I reminded myself that this isn’t about me, or my blog, or my writing. It’s about even just the little bit of good that I could give – or give back – to the environment and community around me. The world needs our help to keep growing for the better, whether that’s through charity, art, purpose, care, or communication. We’re one world, and it’s up to all of us to keep the world and all of its inhabitants healthy, strong, and protected.

Thank you to everyone who participated! Let’s keep the giving going!

Even if you missed this contest, why not share the name of your favorite charity in the comments? You never know who may be reading and looking for a good cause to support!

Change, in a Bottle: The Concept

They say change starts with you, and me. Since it’s Giving Tuesday (2017), I wanted to make an effort to give back to one of my favorite charities. As I sat eating my lunch, I saw the bottles of change I keep on the table, where I toss the dimes, nickles, and pennies that I bring back from my lunch purposes. A few years ago, I took the change I’d collected and given it to one of our office charity events. It felt great not only to start fresh with those bottles once more, but also to know that even my little change was going to a good cause. I’d like to do the same again, but I’d like to help you, too.

Change, in a Bottle: The Game

Take a look at the image to the left. Those bottles represent my change collection from the last year or so. While it’s not a lot of money, I know that every little bit helps, especially when it’s for a good cause. I’m going to donate that change to one of my favorite good causes, Sierra Club Foundation, which gets a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, in case you have your doubts. If you’d like to join the game, take a guess as to the total amount of money in coins in that picture. The person who guesses the closest to the total will win an equal donation to the charity of their choice, from me. Just post your name, your guess, and your charity in the comments below! Guess submissions will close one week from today – Tuesday, December 5, 2017 – when I’ll do a count of the change and post the results. So start guessing!

Change, in a Bottle: The Rules

While I’d like to keep this super-easy for everyone, every game has to have rules just to keep things orderly. Here they are:

1. Only one guess per person, please.
2. Post your guess, along with your name and the name of your charity, using the Comments box for this post. Social media replies or retweets don’t count; sorry.
3. Submit your guess before Tuesday, December 5, 2017, at 8am ET.

Thanks for playing, and let’s get giving!