Mississippi Million

I just tweeted about John Pritchard’s attempt to raise £1m for Right to Play, which he is doing by rowing the length of the Mississippi. This is the mail I just received from him that provoked the tweet.  I thought I would post it in case any of you is moved to help him reach his total. He has moved his fund-raising off his more complicated site onto the much simpler format of Just Giving.

I write to you from Greenville, Mississippi. I have now rowed over 1,500 miles and have less than two weeks until I reach New Orleans on the 25th October. I now need to address the fundraising aspect of this challenge in deadly seriousness and I need help from each and every one of you.

We have so far raised $409,000 for Right To Play. By the time we reach New Orleans, I need this total to be at or about $750,000 because when we get to that level, my ability to seek matching funds from friendly corporate supporters, together with Gift Aid, will mean we are pretty much guaranteed to make our target of $1,000,000. The achievement of this will be a truly momentous milestone for Right To Play and the one million children that we help each and every week.

You are my friends and the friends of my friends. You are some of my very closest family and connections and some of you may not have even heard of me until this madness occurred and someone made you aware of it. But just like the participant crew members, I very much need your help. In asking for this help, I know that many of you have already given most generously and if you have, I ask that you look further to others who may be moved by this challenge.

I need you all to understand the critical importance of reaching the fundraising target. I cannot stress sufficiently how important your contribution is to the total. While some have access to significant sums, others need to spread their net widely, but it is in the collective that our strength lies. This is your one opportunity, so please give it everything – I most certainly am.

Sometimes, large numbers like $1,000,000 can seem truly daunting and the concept of even the most modest donation may seem insignificant. But I want you to consider this, please, with all seriousness.  During these three months, I will have rowed well more than 500,000 strokes on the Mississippi. Could I ask you and all your contacts to consider donating £2/$2 for just ten of the strokes I will have rowed? If everyone contributes £20/$20, then we will easily begin to reach our target and all of you will, quite rightly, bask in the knowledge that for a relatively modest amount, collectively you have made all the difference.

I know this is a lot to ask, but I can promise you that all the miles of effort, sweat, strain and pain, all the sores and cuts and blisters, all the sleepless nights in hotels and motels will be as but nothing if we can reach our goal.

And remember one very important fact – every penny or cent raised goes directly to Right To Play. All expenses relating to this – the purchase of the boats, the transport, the accommodation, the food and drink, the equipment and every expense relating to the project – has been covered by sponsors, friends and by Julie and me.

To make a donation, please ask your friends, family and supporters to visit https://www.justgiving.com/MississippiMillion

Thank you for reading this and acting. Now let’s smash this ball out of the park.

JP

www.mississippimillion.com