As I wrote on Friday, when it comes to winning the $25,000 challenge grant for Streetsblog Chicago from The Chicago Community Trust, failure is not an option. We must raise $50,000 by Wednesday at midnight and win that grant, because we need that funding to keep publishing into 2017 and beyond.
Streetsblog sponsors, advertisers, and, especially, readers like you have come out of the woodwork to help -- we've raised $41,020 so far. It's going to be a major challenge to raise the last nearly $8,980 within the next 38 hours, but I'm confident we will do this one way or another -- a few sponsorship and advertising leads are still in the mix, and we're exploring other possibilities. Still we're going to need more help from readers over the next day and a half.
Here's a great reason to donate at the $100 level or beyond. We just booked our reader appreciation party next month at Revolution Brewing's Kedzie Avenue taproom (not to be confused with their Milwaukee Avenue brewpub). All Streetsblog readers are cordially invited to this shindig, but those who have given a Benjamin or more will receive a ticket for a free drink, courtesy of our friends at RevBrew. Here's the skinny:
Streetsblog Reader Appreciation Party
Wednesday, June 22, 6-9 p.m.
Revolution Brewing Kedzie Taproom
3340 N. Kedzie Avenue
$100+ donors also get a free copy of my book “Bars Across America.” Give $200 or more and we’ll also throw in a copy of the anthology “On Bicycles.” We'll have copies of both at the party.
Remember that anyone who donates to our challenge grant effort will be entered in a drawing to win these great prizes:
- A stylish, comfortable Kali helmet from Ancien Cycles
- A $100 gift card for classy-yet-practical bike bags from Po Campo
- A package of essential bike accessories from Ravenswood’s Green Machine Cycles, including an Axium mini pump, two Velocity water bottle cages, a sheet of Nathan reflective safety stickers, a patch kit and tire levers, and a Soma Fabrications Stash Bottle handy for storing tools and other gear in one of the bottle cages.
Thanks for reading and thanks for supporting Streetsblog Chicago. See you in a few weeks at RevBrew!
-- John
