How You Can Help the Secular Student Alliance

Last month, Jen McCreight raised $2859 for the Secular Student Alliance during her blogathon.

How *dare* she out-fundraise me? Last year, I raised only $2592.

~~I must destroy her.~~ I must help out the SSA even more.

I came up with a brilliant way to do this… I will offer prizes! Good ones, too.

For years, every time I’ve gone to an atheist conference or to an author’s book signing, I’ve carried a special copy of I Sold My Soul on eBay with me and asked atheist leaders and celebrities within our movement to sign it.

The result is this:

The signers include:

Margaret Downey (former president of Atheist Alliance International)
Nica Lalli (author of Nothing: Something to Believe in)
Ellen Johnson (former president of American Atheists)
Brian Sapient (Rational Response Squad)

Kelly O’Conner (Rational Response Squad)
Greydon Square (atheist rapper)
Sam Harris (author of The End of Faith)
Richard Dawkins (author of The God Delusion)
Daniel Dennett (author of Breaking the Spell)
Rob Boston (Americans United for Separation of Church and State)
Pastor Deacon Fred (head pastor at Landover Baptist Church)
Mynga Futrell (co-founder of The Brights)

Paul Geisert (co-founder of The Brights)
Mike Estes (African-American freethinkers educator)
Julia Sweeney (former Saturday Night Live actress and creator of Letting Go of God)
Matthew Chapman (Charles Darwin’s great-great grandson and author of 40 Days and 40 Nights)
Christopher Hitchens (author of God is Not Great)
Eugenie Scott (executive director of the National Center for Science Education)
Jamie Raskin (Maryland State Senator and same-sex marriage advocate)
Ellery Schempp (activist who helped end mandatory Bible readings in public schools)
Matthew LaClair (student activist)
Lou Appignani (Humanist philanthropist)
Wendy Kaminer (lawyer and writer)
Phillip Pullman (author of His Dark Materials Trilogy)
Simon Singh (author of Big Bang and Fermat’s Enigma)
Paul Kurtz (founder of the Center for Inquiry)
Phil Plait (author of Death from the Skies!)
DJ Grothe (president of the James Randi Educational Foundation)
Adam Savage (co-host of Mythbusters)
Michael Shermer (founder of Skeptic magazine)
Paul Provenza (author of ¡Satiristas!)
James Watson (Nobel Prize winner and co-discoverer of the structure of DNA)

How do you get your hands on that baby?

You’ll be in a random drawing for it if you donate at least $100 to the Secular Student Alliance. (This item only can be sent anywhere in the world!)

Did I mention that James freaking Watson signed it?!

But, ok, maybe that’s a bit out of your range right now.

That’s fine!

If you donate at least $20 to the Secular Student Alliance, you’ll be in a drawing for one of the following pieces of secular swag! (Modeled by the SSA’s Senior Campus Organizer, Lyz Liddell)

We have a green shirt (in size XL):

And a yellow shirt (in size XL):

And a grey shirt (in size 2XL)!

And this cup!

And this miniature version of Rodin‘s “The Thinker”

Totally looks like President Obama deciding what the politically correct thing to say is about the (close to) Ground Zero mosque…

Again, you’re in the running for one of those items if you donate at least $20 to the Secular Student Alliance:

And if you donate at least $5 to the SSA, you’ll be in the running for one of these items, donated by the good folks at EvolveFISH:

An EvolveFISH keychain (there are 4 of these available):

A vinyl atheist emblem (there are 8 of these available, in the color of your choice!):

Those could be yours for a donation of $5 or more.

…

Whatever you can give would be extremely appreciated by the Secular Student Alliance, especially as we begin a new school year. We have over 200 affiliates and the count always seems to be going up.

Whether or not you donate, please spread the word about this! Blog about it, Tweet about it, tell your Facebook friends, etc.

The SSA is a group that meant a lot to me when I was in college. I was thrilled to be elected to their board several years ago, and I’m proud to work with them now.

If the ChipIn widget (and PayPal) isn’t your thing, you can also give via credit card by going here.

Thanks for all your help in advance.

Now, let’s beat Jen 🙂

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Fiona

Hehe.

I gave to Jen’s blogathon, but I might have to give to you here too… might only be the $5 chip in though…
Jude

Is this one of those lame “open to USA residents only” contests?
Reginald Selkirk

The evidence is conclusive: most atheists have poor handwriting.

Thank FSM for my keyboard.
Luke

Awesome!

Also: NOOOO!!!! I put in the wrong shipping address XP. Should I win something don’t send it to NJ!
asonge

It’s like PBS, only better!
asonge

Oh my, it will say SECULARSTUD. Sounds like atheist porn. mmmmmmm. Must not have as many “oh my god”‘s in it.
Ski – DC

Wow! Great idea to throw in the swag as prizes. I’ve contributed before, but you’ve hooked me for a $105 contribution this time for a shot at the book.

Keep up the great work!
Enrys

Whoo! Adam Savage ftw!
Claudia

Tempting as the book is, I don’t know that I can afford the big donation. $20 is quite doable however…is that the actual size of the t-shirt? They’re quite nice and all, but it would take at least a few of me to fill that in. Do you have female models? Greta Christina’s comments are coming back to me…
Alankrita

Done!
shac

I can’t believe you are giving away that book! What am I going to say to my husband when he sees the bill as $105 to “secularstud”? There is no way he will believe this!
Alex

You might need to reconsider. Maybe you could get more than $100 bucks on Ebay. Oops maybe I should have kept that to myself.
Roy

>> Did I mention that James freaking Watson signed it?!

The racist, homophobic, James freaking Watson? Yes, you did mention that.
beckster

I must say it is very noble of you to auction off such a prized possession for a worthwhile cause. Hubby put in our $100 donation!

Will you be signing it also Hemant?

Hemant says: I can if you want me to!
adam

Wow you definitely found the way to my heart and my wallet

PRIZES!

$100 dollars on the way

Btw Hemant you must sign the book before you send it out(especially if I win), it won’t be complete without it.
DownHouse

I’m in for $20!
Matt

What a great idea. Now I know how lotto ticket holders feel before the big drawing.
Audrey

do we get to request what size t-shirt if we win?

(Hemant says: I’m not certain, but I’ll see what I can do 🙂 )
Veritas

Will these prizes ship north of the border?

(Hemant says: The book will. I can’t guarantee that about the other prizes, but I’ll see what we can do to accommodate!)
allison

I’m afraid that I have to agree with Audrey here, and that you may have more luck if you advertise that the winner of any t-shirt could stipulate size if you have a variety of sizes around. I say this because I’m fairly certain that the only time those shirts could come remotely close to fitting me is when I’m within a week of giving birth…..

(Hemant says: I’m going to find out what the answer is and post an update ASAP!)
Richard Wade

Hemant, it’s very generous of you to donate that book. I put in $105 for a chance at it, but if I win it, I’ll ask you to auction it here or on ebay to the highest bidder, the proceeds also going to the SSA.
cypressgreen

@Adam: Getting the famous, friendly Hemant “Foxy Atheist” Mehta to sign it will cost the winner and extra $20…he he he
cypressgreen

‘K, I’m in for the 100. Mr. Mehta, you and the other atheist leaders have cost me so much $$! LOL

I want to thank you for bringing all the best causes to our attention. I have wanted a good outlet for $$ to charity for a long time.

I never heard of the SSA before I read your blog. I now know about Foundation Beyond Belief.
You also got me on Kiva, where I belong to the Atheist team, but am more heavily involved with the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster team. I even started a Facebook page for the team, started “Lender Bender” days, and pass out FSM business cards advertizing the church and Kiva. My 10yr old son also has a Kiva account.

thanks for all you do
MrPendent

When will the drawings be held?

(Hemant says: Next week! I’ll contact winners via email)
EvolveFish.com

What a great looking book!!!! Good choice on our product as prizes, we are always looking for like minded and open people like you. Keep up the good work!!
Fiona

Think your widget it broked 🙁

Hemant says: It’s working for me! If it fails for you, though, just go to the Secular Student Alliance website and donate there — I’ll be sure to hear about it. Thanks!
Hitch

Can I suggest asking some prominent secular bloggers to feature it. I’m sure some could really help.
Rollingforest

So, you plan to out-fundraise Jen when she is focused on her photo shoot in New York. Sneaky sneaky 😉