We Must Protect Them at All Costs

There's a current meme online which consists of the sentence 'we must protect _____ at all costs' used to express admiration or gratitude. In these uncertain days, we are called upon to protect each other. In this vein, I am engaging in one of my rare 'blegs'. A fundraiser has been set up to provide money for the staff of the beautiful Bell House, currently shuttered due to the COVID-19 Quarantine. This hub of social activity has been adversely affected by the need for social distancing.

I know that times are tough, so I wouldn't ask anybody to spend money they could not afford. If you have a couple of bucks, though, consider adding them to this benefit fund... if you are a fan of my Secret Science Club recaps, consider throwing a fiver in the till. The Bell House is also the home turf of the entertaining Ask Me Another puzzle/trivia gameshow. Years ago, when I worked in a large office for a Fortune 500 company, I would ride in a multiple sclerosis bike-a-thon every October (I can't do that with my current work schedule), and my fundraising approach would be to ask everybody for two dollars, pretty much the cost of a cup of coffee and a roll at the time. My opinion is that getting two dollars from one hundred people is better than getting one hundred dollars from two people (most people ended up giving ten). It also gave me the opportunity to go around the office like this:





A couple of bucks would go a long way to help out my good friends at the Bell House, the bartenders, bouncers, sound and lighting techs. I've known these folks for many years, and have come to love them well, and I wouldn't be asking if I didn't.