My 27th birthday isn’t about me at all

Dear Friends, Family & Human Beings in all walks of life,

Today I turned 27 years old. But that’s the last thing on my mind.

Thanks to a good friend, Danielle Durst, I decided to make my birth day actually mean something this year. It’s not about me turning a day older than I was yesterday. That’s irrelevant. And a “Happy Birthday Dave” on my Facebook wall does nothing to better the world.

Danielle inspired me to ask for donations for my birthday, instead of tangible items for myself. When I saw her campaign to raise money for clean water, I decided to see how much I could raise. What happened next was truly inspiring.

In only 48 hours, 52 people have donated on my behalf, raising $1,032 to help bring clean water to those in need. My original goal was $200, and I was only asking for $2 from each one of my friends. Almost all of them gave more than that, many of whom gave $27, one for each year I’ve been alive.

Beyond obviously thanking all those who donated, it’s important to recognize (and thank) the other things that made this all possible.

Mom & Dad

I think it goes without saying, without mom & dad, none of us would even be here. What is worth mentioning, however, is the amazing job they’ve done for 26 years — and continue to do every day. (Special shoutout to Mom for the extra 9 months… I don’t know how you guys do it.)

Thanks for the card, by the way. You guys are, and have always been, the most influential people in my life.

mycharity: water

They created a platform with one simple goal. And they’ve made it super-easy to donate, as well as share people’s efforts. Thanks to private donors, all transaction fees are covered so 100% of all donations goes directly to the cause.

Facebook

Love it or hate, we have only scratched the surface of the power of social media. I ran this entire campaign using nothing but Facebook. Without their platform, sharing tools, tagging abilities, etc., I would have been lucky to raise 50 bucks.

A Simple Thank You, Facebook Style

I took a minute to thank each & every person individually, but I did so in a way that all their friends could see what they contributed. Fact: People love to give. Fact: People love to be recognized for their gifts.