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spyed β A Valentine Birthday Wish from +Spyed
Published: 2012-02-14 06:48:32 +0000 UTC; Views: 82034; Favourites: 661; Downloads: 0
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All of my birthdays have always been about stuff. Stuff I don't want, stuff I definitely don't need. This year for my birthday on Valentines Day I want to focus the love I have from my friends and family to build a WELL in a developing country. They cost $5000. And for the next 20 years this well will provide fresh drinking water to a village.
In Angelo's words...
All of my birthdays have always been about stuff. Stuff I don't want, stuff I definitely don't need.
I'm surrounded by very giving people, and I'm always honored by how gracious my friends are, but when a guy gets to a
certain age, you kinda just buy the video games and books and music right when you want them, you know?
This year, I decided to do something a little different for my birthday. I was introduced recently to a charity
called charity: water, and I love this organization. The people behind it (like Scott Harrison and Michael and Xochi Birch)
are people I've come to really admire for what they're doing. They're very effective in all that they do, and their sights
are now aligned with solving the worldwide water crisis. I've looked closely at the organization, and Scott is very approachable
and open about the books. They're entirely transparent about how things are going, how the money is allocated, etc. and I've
developed a genuine trust in them and how they're doing this.
That's why this year on Valentine's Day (which happens to be my birthday!), I want to focus the love I have from my
friends and family to build a WELL in a developing country. They cost $5,000. And for the next 20 years, this well will provide
fresh drinking water to a village.
I'm going to spend my birthday itself marketing and promoting this cause to raise the $5k, and if I get there then charity: water
will build a well in my name. If I get to $10,000 I'm going to build a well in deviantART's name for another village! If you'd like to
see the effort in action you can follow it here: mycharitywater.org/angelo31
100% of the money donated goes to the well. We'll be able to see the well on Google Maps, or go visit it one day if we want. I'm really
excited to share this organization with you and to bring you all along on my journey to fulfill this birthday wish!
Every day we lose 30,000 people to dirty water. We need a lot of wells and we're going to make a difference here with 1 more.
I'm posting this here on deviantART mostly to tell you about this amazing cause, and if you like it perhaps on your birthday you'll follow my lead and donate your birthday too!
Just visit www.charitywater.org and pledge your birthday. I can't describe what a great feeling it is knowing that the people
I love and care about are banding together for this great cause. If your friends are at a loss as to what to get you for your next birthday, what greater way for them to make a
difference in the world than to help out the 1 billion people who really need clean drinking water?
If you feel like contributing to my cause you can do so on my charity: water page here: mycharitywater.org/angelo31 --
Either way, let me know when you pledge your birthday by sending a note and I'll either contribute or help you spread the word about your charity water birthday!
Donate for my 31st Birthday Β»
Angelo Sotira
Co-founder & CEO of deviantART
spyed
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Comments: 1179
I wish more people were as kind and constierate as you.
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For my birthday today, I started a donation page.
[link]
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Fucking let all those niggers die, who cares. Africa is cave people land .
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You are very lucky you DO get enough stuff not to want some lol XD! It is my pleasure to aid you in your noble cause! Happy Belated Birthday! I donated some today. 
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Soooo... how much are you personally going to donate to the well project?
Although I think it's a bit egotistical to put your name on something that was an act of charity, if you REALLY want the members of DeviantART to be recognized for their donations, it seems like "DeviantART" should be the name of the well, instead of "Angelo", especially if you're not donating anything to the project yourself.
Seems to me, if you were TRULY PASSIONATE about this cause, you would use your own funds to build the well. Then, you can say, "Hey, DA! I donated $5k to this amazing charity to build a well, and they put my name on it as recognition! Let's all come together as an artistic community to collect the funds for a second well, and DeviantART will have its name recognized, too!"
If that were the scenario, I'd jump on board in a heartbeat. But that's not the scenario. You just want a well for your birthday so you can feel better about yourself. I'm not buying it.
On the other hand, thanks for introducing this charity to the community! My international language college has been looking for a good program to really get behind, and this may just be perfect! (Although, I doubt that any of us will end up putting our names on the wells.)
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I have no words, this wish... It is a really beautiful thought and so few people thinks of this thing. Hope you'll achieve your goal
I was a bit sad because I couldn't donate, but made something dedicated to this action of yours...
Just wanted to show it:
[link]
Best wishes for this beautiful gift for them...
And a belated happy birthday.
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It's very important to fix our water disposal methods. From the local car wash to large factories. This is where most of the contaminated water mix with the clean water sources down under or surface. Very simple but the process is expensive and neglected. And of course the air pollution Leeds to unhealthy rain water. Keep up your mission wisely my friend.
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hi, I was sleeping, woke up at 8 am and people screw about something - i have new stuff on yt ;]
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Happy late birthday. 
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i downloaded this tap pop-up called tabforacause which when you open a new tap links you to a page with a charity of your choice and the money that the company get from the adverts on the page go to that charity. it's a really great idea and you can feel like your helping without doing anything, really, just by browsing the internet. just search it on google and download it, they have water as one of their charities. its awesome!
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Wow. lolly was actually exactly right.
I'm not even of legal age in most countries and I've raised thousands of dollars for various charities and actually helped build houses for the homeless instead of clicking some buttons online to ask other people to name something after me.
I'm starting to think all the hate for the 1% is more than well-deserved.
Go buy yourself a fucking well.
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wonderful idea.
I would love to be as generous as you later if i've got the money to build something delightful like you did/do.
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You might be interested in this - [link]
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Wait... YOU want MY money to build a well with YOUR name? 
I think lolly is actually and completely right about this one.
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Angelo has the means to raise money for a good cause. What asshat would begrudge something so minor as whose name goes on a well?
That was a completely rhetorical question. We all know the answer.
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This fundraiser is utter bullshit....and it doesn't need to exist...
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My sis got banned for being 1 year younger then 13, 12 What the hell is the difference! Shes depressed now drawing is her life and she wanted to share it, now she cant all because of a 1 year age difference, that my friend, is utter bullshit..
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Angelo has the means to pay for his own well.
Look, if I wanted to pay for a hipocrisy, I'll raise money for my own good causes and put my name on everything I see fit.
In any case, what do you care about my opinion? Why to ask such a stupid rhetorical question in the first place? I'm entitled to my own opinion and sarcasm. Who do you think you are to even question it?
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Yes, he does have the means. He's a millionaire.
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I'm telling everyone I know about this! I know some people who have abandoned DA accounts. They might be able to donate. I'm sorry I can't donate to help.
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You are so close!! Only $644 to go!! God speed my friend, I don't have any way to pay you, but I'm in a Peace program at our school that supports both the energy and water crisis, and I will hopefully get us to open our own fundraiser at our school
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I can't donate myself, but I'll definately throw the link at everyone I know. xD
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and there all morons....
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Says the person who used "there" incorrectly...
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Gonna rage over it?
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[link]
Pretty much sums up everything in this article.
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Same
and moronic fucks are still donating too >>
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'you kinda just buy the video games and books and music right when you want them, you know?'
No, believe it or not, people actually have to wait to buy things, at any age.
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If we are the ones giving our hard earned money for this cause, don't you think that the entire deviantART community, if anyone, should get named on the well rather than only you? If you want one with your just your name on it, you should pay for it yourself.
"but when a guy gets to a certain age, you kinda just buy the video games and books and music right when you want them, you know?"
After reading these words that you stated a while ago, I became even more upset about this. You have way more than enough money to pay for this yourself. I'm sorry, but I don't want to donate just so your ego can be inflated more.
I apoligize if I hurt your feelings, but it's simply what I think. I hope you have a nice day.
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Sounds like a very worthy cause, but the fact you tell us that you can afford to buy things like games, music etc as and when you want, and the fact they are building the well with your name and then one with Deviant Art's name on it is a little disconcerting. You are a very rich man, which I am sure has come about from your own hard work, but when a very rich person is asking for donations so that a well can be buil with YOUR name on it, it just sounds a little ego stroking. To me, it seems like you are not doing it for the right reasons. If you wanted to be truely selfless in this situation you would simply pay the 10K yourself instead of asking the people who allready pay for memberships etc on yoursite. The only names that should be on the well should be those of the villagers, because it's those people that the well will mean the most to. As good of a cause as this sounds, I simply think that this thing is a little double edged and dosen't feel like its being done for the right reasons. If the well is built in the names of the people who need it most and not yourself or deviant art then I will donate.
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but... there are way too many people... what if the reason some people don't have access to water is because water doesn't WANT them to survive?
If it had to come down between you or them, and the water wants YOU to survive, why force water on them and lengthen their suffering?
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Do you have a long term plan to maintain that pump you plan to build? [link]
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While I love to hear that people want to make an effort to help others, it saddens me when I know that even if, for example, one of these wells gets put in, it doesn't even scratch the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the problems these people face. Coming back to the people who say the U.S. needs money too, that's true.
The point I'm trying to make is that no matter where you donate money, it won't be used properly, and there will always be someone else or another country that could use it too. There will always be debates about who could use the money more than someone else no matter where you go in the world.
People don't seem to realize that no matter how great of an attempt humans make at "Taking steps towards greater good," it simply can't be done on their own to fix the planet. I'm surprised by how many people don't know that God will soon correct everything because humans, and the people who are in government, do not have the means to correct the earth. As Jeremiah said, "I well know, O Jehovah, that to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step." - Jeremiah 10:23. Humans don't have the means to solve some of their own personal problems, let alone worldwide ones.
I'm not saying you shouldn't be a good person and try to help people, but everything will eventually be fixed by someone who knows what they're doing, and these people who act unjustly (such as corporations) will have justice handed to them. "Return evil for evil to no one. Provide fine things in the sight of all men. If possible, as far as it depends upon you, be peaceable with all men. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says Jehovah."" Romans 12:17-19.
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thaths great
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i donΒ΄t work and donΒ΄t have money right now but i wish you succes. it must feels great to help mankind,i guess it is the same feeling that a hero have...
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Awesome, absolutely awesome, in a world that has become more and more about taking than giving, you give me renewed belief in humanity. I built wells just like those in Mozambique, most notably in Bella Vista and other small communities. Just know that the Lord sees the good we do when nobody is watching and I believe of all things, He smiles when He sees the 'least' of our friends being cared for. Well done +Spyed this is awesome.
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Ditch the plaque. TACKY as hell.
I encourage others to instead support more sustainable efforts!!!!
Design for the Other 90% provides funding for innovative projects that improve housing, access to clean water, safer cooking, and female financial empowerment.
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