VALIANTfans.com Message Board 3.0

For those of you who are new to the board, or just need a reminder, I have a very personal reason as to why I perform the Special Gift Toy Drive every year for the Shriners Burns Institute Hospitals.

Previously, we have done AMAZING things for the children. The astonishing acts that we perform here as a group have an impact that reaches far beyond a simple gift. Just remember what we've done in the past:
2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005.

I'd like to announce the official beginning of the 2011 Special Gift Toy Drive, our chance to lighten the holidays for those less fortunate than we.

There will be a list of the "standard items" up on the boards later today. Also, it's great to receive donations of comics (particularly all ages material - Tiny Titans, Sonic, any of the all ages material) to give them a taste of the passion we all share.

If you wish to contribute to a general fund to purchase items, let me know, and I'll send you details. In general, though, if it's not a book or video game, it needs to be NEW due to sterilization issues.

We will be collecting from NOW through Tuesday, December 20th to allow time for delivery to Shriners.

THANK YOU ALL in advance for the great work I know we will do this year! This drive would be far, far smaller without the generous support I have found here!

I am in. Would they be interested in Watchmen figs? LCS has about a dozen more still available, if so.

Our department does a general toy drive for Toys for Tots - but I'll submit here, too. Just let me know.

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If I win an argument, it doesn't mean I'm right. It means I'm a better arguer.

In addition, I'm right.

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Everybody Is Right Until Someone Else Disagrees.

I am in, please let me know how (or heck post it if you can) to sending money.

If we donate games, is there an ESRB rating to avoid such as Mature ? Plenty of first person shooters are in the Mature realm but I think it goes without saying that we should not send a game that deserves its Mature rating for sexual, disturbing or drug usage reasons and dare I say, NO GAMES in which persons are being injured by fire or using fire as a weapon. I mean, I could be wrong here but knowing the mission of the Shriners Burns Institute Hospital, it passes my logic test.

Note to my fellow Valiant Fans:
I especially take great pride in supporting this particular fund raiser. Reason ? Byrneout runs a fund raiser EVERY YEAR through his various connections and professional interfaces that directly support the Team Alyssa Fighting Cystic Fibrosis fund raiser that started on this board over 7 years ago. Through Ric and fellow board members, we have been able to donate over $100,000 to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in order to find a cure... and for that I am forever grateful.

That being said, I would like to ask everyone that is willing and able to please support this years 2011 Special Gift Toy Drive for the Shriners Burns Institute Hospital. It is an awesome group of people helping those who are in need of extremely important care from the first day they enter the hospital to even after they are able to leave. If you can imagine a child in a hospital, on Christmas... hurting. What would you do to help that child possibly forget their pain and smile for even 5 minutes ? I can't think of what I 'wouldn't' do... and I hope many of you will help out this year, because I think its important and I care about kids, especially kids in pain.

Please donate where you can... this is truly a great cause, a cause that has instant results, i.e smiles !!!

Thank you for your time, men.

Most certainly, as there tend to be a range of children there at any given time. Thanks!

Just tell me how, when and where.

Thanks!

_________________
Hey, look! I have a podcast!
And a Website!
http://www.valiantnewuniverse.com


If I win an argument, it doesn't mean I'm right. It means I'm a better arguer.

In addition, I'm right.

We can do that as well - we combine any money collected into a shopping run to get things that appear on their request list but haven't been purchased yet. Drop me a PM for details!

That's not a bad idea. I'll work up a donation page this weekend.



In the early days of the drive, I had to turn away a ton of "Burnt Spawn" toys for that very reason.

That said, we tend not to donate games with a rating higher than Teen, with a preference for all ages and local multiplayer games. Through the efforts of YOU GUYS on the Valiant fan forums, they have a Wii, XBox 360 and a PS3, so we can purchase games for all of the major systems.

Thank you very much for supporting this - it means the world, not just to me, but to the children whose lives we brighten!

Not sure if I am just not reading it right or my brain is not functioning in the morning. "Can we donate used video games ?" I have quite a few that I am fininshed with or know that I will not get back to. I have nice looking discs, the manual, and the box for all my games, many in fairly pristine condition.

As far as a website, that is a great idea but I was thinking something with less effort as in posting all the rules of engagement for donating to the 2011 Special Gift Toy Drive. A website is a GREAT, GREAT idea... I know how busy you are though.

My bad! I didn't actually answer the question. Yes, video games and books can be in good but used condition.



I'll mull it over today and get to it, either way it goes, this weekend.

No buddy... you answer just fine, it is me who needs clarification. Maybe I tend to over analyze, dumb Army training.

I'm in...let me know the details!

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I was going to try and actually set up a donation page, but that didn't work out as quickly as I hoped. I'm considering starting work on 2012's donation page *now* in order to get it done in time.

In the meantime, I can accept Paypal at ric@ricbyrne.com. Please label your donation as being for the Special Gift Toy Drive 2011 - this will help me track donations (I'm not taking any other money through this account, but it never hurts to be specific, you know?).

For anyone who needs to send something along to a physical address, drop me a line directly and I'll send you the details. If you've already asked for details, you should have received a response by now - if not, hit me over the head.

Again, thank you *all* for your efforts - it's very clear to me that this drive would not be the same if it weren't for Valiant fans!

I thank you for what you are doing!

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The charity event of the year is here again!


On behalf of the kids, thanks Ric!

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The donations are already pouring in - just in time for us to take advantage of some of the sales going on at the larger retailers!

This year is going to be *incredible*, and it is all thanks to every one of you!

Any chance you could take a picture of all of the stuff when it gets in? That would be cool - and something to shoot for each year.

_________________
Hey, look! I have a podcast!
And a Website!
http://www.valiantnewuniverse.com


If I win an argument, it doesn't mean I'm right. It means I'm a better arguer.

In addition, I'm right.

Kevin, that's actually part of every year's ritual. We set up all the toys, snap a "posed shot" - then take various pictures as we deliver them as well.

I'll be posting this year's shots the week of/week after delivery.

PLEASE READ HERE :

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=35216

Will you please help ?

Check it out, we are kicking @zz over here----> viewtopic.php?f=10&t=35216

Chris...if we have new toys to donate who do we send them to?...

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http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f377/ ... alcon1.jpg