oakenguy ([personal profile] oakenguy) wrote2005-07-13 11:13 am
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The Announcement

(Feel free to spread this around)

I have a small dog. This small dog has diabetes and Cushing's Disease. As a result of this, I have vet bills. HUGE vet bills. $2600 for the three days he just spent in critical care, added to the "normal" cost of his treatments.

Now, it goes against all my rural New England instincts to ask for money. And I'm not certified to sell my chocolates commercially.

However, I think I've found something that works:


The First (and Hopefully Last) Toby T. Chien "Insulin Costs WHAT Now?" Pledge Drive



Do you like small fuzzy animals? Do you like high-quality gourmet chocolates? By helping one, you can enjoy the other!

As a thank you for your donation to the Toby T. Chien "Sixteen Dollars for a Bandage??" Pledge Drive (we're still working on the name), a gift box of gourmet truffles of your choice will be delivered to your door! (Directly, if you're in the Greater Boston area; by mail, otherwise*). A donation of $15 gets you a 6-piece assortment; a $25 donation earns a 12-piece box; $35 garners a 20-piece box, and any donation larger than that...well, we'll negotiate something special! ALL money raised will go directly to Toby's medical bills.





I've been making truffles since '97 using a simple principle: "If the flavor rush makes my pupils dilate, it's good". I use the best Ghirardelli dark chocolate, make each piece by hand, and take pride in the fact that I've never served a piece that was more than 48 hours old.

Our Current Selection (edit: please note that, by request, we can substitute milk or white chocolate for the dark chocolate):

(Tis a Gift to be) Simple: A dark chocolate truffle rolled in cocoa powder. Our basic building block.

Chambourdy: The Simple truffle with Chambourd added for a little kick and the taste of raspberry.

Bzzz: A truffle made with coffee liqueur, coated in a mixture of cocoa powder and espresso powder. Efficacious!

The Foresthouse Crunch: A truffle with cashews and pecans, coated in powdered sugar.

Mint Zowie: Mint liqueur and chunks of peppermint make this the 'shamrock shake' of truffles. Only (arguably) better for you. And slightly alcoholic.

Hey Now: An orange vodka truffle! Startling!


Thank you for your support! With your donation, please let me know the type and quantity of truffle flavors you'd like in your thank you gift.







*If sent by mail, we'll need to work out the postal fee.

[identity profile] oakenguy.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 12:49 am (UTC)(link)
*Checks the calendar* I feel like I should remember roughly where your mom lives...anyhow, as long as she's in the continental U.S., this should be no problem. :)

And yes! You're the first person with Naming Rights. And notice how I avoided saying things like "it's sweet, and totally nutty" in the truffle description? Willpower! Iron willpower!

[identity profile] oakenguy.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 12:51 am (UTC)(link)
Woo!

Here to Chicago? Umm...throw in an extra $5 and we're good. And thank you very much. :)

[identity profile] modpixie.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 01:14 am (UTC)(link)
can i bypass the paypal stuff and give you a double sawbuck whence next our paths cross?

[identity profile] foresthouse.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 01:32 am (UTC)(link)
Mommy lives in NJ, whereas I live in VA. What will shipping be if I get a box of 6 for each?

Also, do I email you our mailing addresses?

"it's sweet, and totally nutty"
That made me laugh out loud. Hee!

Toby has a wonderful friend

[identity profile] ravena-kade.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 01:58 am (UTC)(link)
Hello,

I just want to say that you are a wonderful friend to Toby. I volunteer at an animal shelter and I know the costs of medicines. We are a no kill shelter so we get many pets turned over to us or abandoned from people who just can't afford to give their furry friends the medical attention and treatments that they need. We do right by the animals and always find a good home for them, but we realize the heart brake involved when someone is forced to make that type of decision.

I am sending $40 via paypal. I have no preference on the truffles, your choice, as they all sound wonderful.

Will you be at RHF at all? I am going on Saturday. I'll say hello if I see you.

Good luck to you and Toby.

[identity profile] oakenguy.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 01:59 am (UTC)(link)
I'm wildly guessing with the shipping--$4 each? Roughly?

For addresses (and flavor preferences, too), once you click the 'Donation' button there'll be a place to add text.

Thank you. :)

[identity profile] cathkitten.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 02:05 am (UTC)(link)
You don't know me, but I found you through foresthouse's journal. I just sent in $15 (wish it could be more), but forgot to specify a type of truffle. Make it the foresthouse crunch, please?

Best to you and Toby. I went through the same thing with my cat, which is why I felt compelled to help.

[identity profile] oakenguy.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 02:07 am (UTC)(link)
Chelsea?! We've felt so guilty for not being able to help you with your film! I'd love to have the pleasure of your company, but please, invest that double sawbuck in your movie.

[identity profile] oakenguy.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
Ohhhh! It totally does! We need to take you on one of his walks, so you can meet his boyfriend and watch their courtship dance. Oh, there's such love! It's Romeo and Juliet on four legs. (Eight legs?) Well, they're both male...it's like Romeo and Mercutio, with all the subtext taken out.

Yeah, I'm writing this right before bedtime. How did you know?

What flavors would you like?

[identity profile] oakenguy.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 02:12 am (UTC)(link)
You're doing this for the...let's see if I have this right...friend of a friend of a friend of a friend???

You rock so much. :)

[identity profile] oakenguy.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 02:13 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much! And thank you for the plug, too. :)

BTW, did I miss the part where you mentioned what flavors you wanted?

[identity profile] tk7602.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 02:13 am (UTC)(link)
as the parent of a diabetic cat, i totally sympathize. i'll be making my donation on friday when i get paid.

tpau: (Default)

[personal profile] tpau 2005-07-14 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
no iam jsut dumb and forgot. plain please. :)

RHF this weekend?

[identity profile] ascelinne.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
I would love to have some of the chambord truffles in milk chocolate :) Its too good a deal to pass up- helping a poor little puppy, a person I know *and* getting chocolate? Im there! lol

Anyway if youre willing to maybe bring some chocolate this weekend, I can give you money at the faire :) Email me if its possible.

Paige
Camelot Creations

[identity profile] mistypen.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
I will be donating next friday....icky for getting paid every other week, I hope things get better, well...I know diabetics, my fiancee is one.

[identity profile] foresthouse.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 02:55 am (UTC)(link)
OK, I paid them separately for least address confusion, and put our addresses and chocolate choices (and the date for my mom's box) in the text box. Yay? Yay.

P.S. Will my mom's be wrapped up pretty? I will love you forever if you wrap it pretty for me!

[identity profile] hysterikal.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
You should give [livejournal.com profile] twilostars an extra-large hug for spreading this to her journal, because I'm donating $35 to your cause in the name of my husband, who loves dogs even more than he loves chocolate.

Could I get an assortment of everything but the Foresthouse Crunch, 10 dark chocolate, 10 milk chocolate?

Schmanks! Depending on whether or not I eat this set all myself, I might order another batch for David. Hahah.

[identity profile] ex-twilosta.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 03:17 am (UTC)(link)
having issues with paypal, they say I have to verify my account, takes 2 days bla bla, I will get it to you as soon as Paypal is behaving.

[identity profile] sorcha-gaia.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 03:36 am (UTC)(link)
Clicked over from NE Rennies - also posted it in my own journal. Will donate tomorrow, which is payday! :)

Hugs to Toby from five cats in Rhode Island! :)

[identity profile] bootsvalentine.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 03:37 am (UTC)(link)
Ooh doggie boyfriends!
Let's see. I am too tired to do math, so how about lots of simple dark and bzzzz with a few foresthouse and hey nows for good measure? You do the long division! :)

[identity profile] xcentrikka.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 04:07 am (UTC)(link)
Oooh, the poor thing! What a cutie! I want to help, but I don't need chocolates (although they do sound delicious, I am sure you have enough to make by now!) Can I send you money by mail though? Paypal scares me. If you could e mail an address to Xcentrikka@aol.com that would be rad. I promise not to stalk you. Hehe...

I'll put a link to this on my journal, although it probably won't help. But you never know!

[identity profile] pullthestars.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 04:23 am (UTC)(link)
I am a Big Softie when it comes to doggies in need. And I love chocolate. So not a hard decision :)

But I completely forgot to throw some in for postage. I can send a seperate transaction if'n you let me know how much it'll be.

[identity profile] dmckins.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 05:51 am (UTC)(link)
No chocolates here even though I totally crave it. I'm borderline here myself so I can totally relate. Enjoy the "small" donation I made and hope it makes a bit of a difference.

[identity profile] aberdeen.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 06:48 am (UTC)(link)
Yay!!!!!!

I gave my friend the relevant info and he should contact you shortly.

I did the paypal thing for myself, too. As long as you can get them to me before the end of July, that address will be good (and won't take 10,000 years to be delivered).

[identity profile] sykoreact.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 11:22 am (UTC)(link)
Hey I found you from ne_rennies and i just donated but i dont want the truffles. I hope your doggie feels better. Also you seem pretty interesting and I am always lookingfor new journals to read. Mind if i add you?

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