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] niecystrips.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 06:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Are all truffles made with dark chocolate? I wanna help. And I want truffles, but i don't liek dark chocolate... What do we do???

And I am reposting!

[identity profile] oakenguy.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 06:42 pm (UTC)(link)
*hug!* You let me know what you'd rather have! Any truffle listed can also be made with milk or white chocolate.

Good Luck

(Anonymous) 2005-07-13 07:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Good Luck in your fund drive. Slow Top certainly gave us some similar issues in the past, back in Boston.

I would gladly order some, but due to the rather intense biosecurity issues of getting un-processed food into NZ, it is probably not a goer!

We are now in the weird situation vet-wise of having critters we like, for which we have to make vet decisions based on economic factors more than personal. It is hard to look at an alpaca in distress, and yet be forced to do a cost-benifit analysis in your head if the vet bill would be worth saving the animal! In some ways pets are easier, as the choice is more clearly personal.

Hope all goes well for all of you!

Stephe in NZ

[identity profile] queenofstripes.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 07:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Hi! I found your request for donations on Heavenscalyx's journal. Any flavors are fine, but I'd prefer two each of Bzzz, Mint Zowie, and Hey Now -- one dark and one milk in each pair. And I'm localish, up in Somerville near Inman. :) There should be $15 en route to your Paypal account. Thanks, good luck, and best wishes to Toby! Mind if I circulate the "pledge drive" to the folks in my journal?

[identity profile] oakenguy.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 07:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I'd love it if you circulated this further. Thank you very much!!

[identity profile] godswraith.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 07:42 pm (UTC)(link)
I just ordered/donated and totally forgot to say :Forsthouse Crunch!

[identity profile] callunav.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 07:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Have I mentioned lately that you rock, Bri?

You rock.

[identity profile] beetiger.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 08:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Oops, forgot my selection. One of each, all dark chocolate.
tpau: (Default)

[personal profile] tpau 2005-07-13 08:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Heh. this is such a lovely idea...

i donated some. i will do so again, onc ethe next paycheck happens.

[identity profile] pullthestars.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 08:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Money sent -- hope it helps! and i'd like one of each, in milk chocolate, please. Mmmm.

(here via [livejournal.com profile] undefined_ali)

and skritch the doggie for me, too :)

[identity profile] ice-cream-eyes.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 09:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Hey there,

I will make a donation to the Toby fund. My paypal is messedup though - so maybe I can have Dave write you a check tonight at rehearsal.

[identity profile] mousit.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 09:31 pm (UTC)(link)
For those of us suffering summer in the searing mid-west desert (not to mention my unshaded metal mailbox is an oven), is it possible to receive them via a more rapid courier such as FedEx? Perhaps with a dry-ice pack or some other such cooling method in the box? Extra cost for such amenities is not a problem. :>

[identity profile] aberdeen.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 09:41 pm (UTC)(link)
A diabetic friend wants to know if you make sugar-free diabetic-friendly varieties.

[identity profile] simply-juniper.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 10:08 pm (UTC)(link)
A chocolate fundraiser! What a good idea!

[identity profile] bootsvalentine.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 10:21 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm hoping $40 will buy me a 20 piece box and the chance to meet Toby when he's feeling better. I'm serious. I think the only time I've petted a dog in the past year was when there was one tied outside of Starbucks when I had my students there. Poor thing, 25 14-year olds were too much for him. Although he did fall completely in love with one of my students, which almost made me cry because you could just tell that this was a boy who needed a dog.
Anyway, that was my tangential story. I hope you and Toby and the whole household are feeling better.

[identity profile] oakenguy.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 10:39 pm (UTC)(link)
I know! Now I just need to get around to voting!

[identity profile] simply-juniper.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 10:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Voting?

[identity profile] simply-juniper.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 10:47 pm (UTC)(link)
I just sent $40 for Matt and I, including our chocolate preferences. If you don't mind I'm going to spam NE Rennies with this. We're a community, you're part of it that many people know, I've posted charity requests before for someone else and damnit it all if they don't like it.

[identity profile] oakenguy.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 10:56 pm (UTC)(link)
It's *very* possible. I'm using Nirvana Chocolates as my model here: they ship in an insulated container with a frozen gel pack, and recommend the 2nd day shipping option. If I follow their model, you should (I say, crossing my fingers) get them with no problem.

[identity profile] oakenguy.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Well...truthfully, I haven't worked with sugar-free chocolate before. But for this cause, and your friend, I'm totally willing.

(Heck, I'd work with baba ganoush if the price was right ;) )

[identity profile] oakenguy.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 11:10 pm (UTC)(link)
*hug!* If they don't like it, they can come talk to Toby! (Dressed in a mailman outfit.)

[identity profile] simply-juniper.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 11:11 pm (UTC)(link)
You're too mean sometimes. :P

[identity profile] snowwand.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 11:32 pm (UTC)(link)
I'll be sending you some money in a bit...I need to mull over my options :) hehe

*hugs*

I take it you won't be at RHF? I'm going on Friday...let me know if you want to do something next week on either Thursday or Friday, ok?I have both days off

[identity profile] foresthouse.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 11:35 pm (UTC)(link)
So I totally have to buy, not only because I've been whining forever that I want to try your truffles, but also because...one of them is named after me! Because I am so, so cool. I remember way back when that happened :)

Anyway, question is, my mom's bday is on the 21st - can I order one for her at her address and one for me at mine, and have hers mailed so it gets there on or right before the 21st? (mine can just be mailed as soon as it's ready).

Let me know and then I'll order! :)

[identity profile] ex-twilosta.livejournal.com 2005-07-14 12:39 am (UTC)(link)
if you are really willing to mail them to me I'm up for a 12 piece box. Brilliant idea by the way 1. I'm really exicted for your chocolates and 2. I fully understand stupidly expensive vet bills. Let me know the amount to send including shipping and I'll send it.

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