Always A Bridesmaid...

Ambulance Driver posts the results of the Kilted to Kick Cancer Fundraiser.

And it looks like I'm gonna have to wear a "minute-of-berm" T-shirt. Barely. Just over $300 separated AD and I, with our combined total north of $5K. The overall take was over $8,000. That is simply amazing. You folks out-and-out rock! Coming in second is one thing; coming in second while raising this kind of money is another thing entirely. I'm thrilled to have been a part of this; even more so that my involvement helped to spur things to this level.

I'd like to thank some specific folks for their kindness and generosity. Brigid, Art, Robb, Unc, Borepatch, and North were all kind enough to give me linky love - without the additional exposure (heh) I'm certain I would never have gotten this close. Friend, commenter, occasional provider of blogfodder SCI-FI, for his intrepid camera work; ditto Weerdbeard and Mrs. G. Props to my brother-in-law for letting me borrow his kilt; I know it's a deeply personal item, and the loan means a lot (and I'll have it dry-cleaned before returning, kthanx).

To everyone that so generously opened their wallets and donated their hard-earned lucre: Thank you. I'd like to list everyone that donated, but in many cases folks donated under their real names, or anonymously, etc. that I'm not 100% sure who I should or shouldn't mention. Every contribution - from the $5 from Sweet Daughter R. to the whopping nearly $500 donation that came in at the 11th hour - is greatly appreciated and will go directly to the charity of choice. I am humbled and amazed - but not surprised - at the sheer generosity of the folks who donated. We raised over $2,500 here, and I am very proud of that.

Not too bad for a shaved head biker gun nut and the folks who read him, eh?

There's some follow-up work to be done - I owe a few people some pictures, and I need to get a "minute-of-berm" shirt done up (heh). I have some prizes to collect, from what I hear - I have no idea how I'm going to collect that ammunition, though, living in Massachusetts... I've got to look into the Pistol Training course and see if they venture deep in the heart of the beast, or if I will need to make travel arrangements to take advantage of this prize. There's a Talon holster awaiting my input courtesy of Dennis and Dragon Leatherworks, and a hefty discount on a quality kilt for next year (side note: what kind of kilt should an Italian shaved head biker gun nut get???).

And if AD wants to do it again next year, I will be eagerly awaiting the challenge. I need - no, demand - a rematch. This year caught me flat-foot: No kilt, no idea what i was going to do, no plan; everything thrown together at the last minute. Things didn't really pick up until the last week - if I had hit the ground running from Day One I'd have crushed Ambulance Driver like a bug been able to raise much more money and avoided the humiliation of the "minute-of-berm" shirt made a larger donation to each group.

And very lastly: Someone let me know when the Bradys and Million Moms and all raise over eight thousand dollars for cancer research, would you?

That is all.