BLOGGERS BRACKET + AID FOR JAPAN

Every year come March, I put out the call to those of you as obsessed with college hoops as I am to join in my little bloggers pool. Usually a few of you do, and it's all good fun (until I lose).

Well, this year, I'm doing things differently. This year, I'm inviting you to join the pool for fun, but also to benefit relief efforts in Japan. I'm sure many of you have felt as overwhelmed as I have by the images of the endless amounts of tragedy and disaster after the earthquake and tsunami, and have felt as helpless as I have. Usually, in these moments, I try to make a quiet little donation somewhere and hope that it makes a difference. But this time, I want to try for something a little bigger.

This year I'm inviting you and everyone you know to join in on the March Madness and enter the Blogger's Ball pool. The entry fee is $15, half of which will go to a reputable disaster relief organization*, and half of which will go to the owner of the winning bracket. (It's up to them whether or not they'd like to share their winnings by donating more!)

I've created an event page on Facebook with all the details on how to join the bracket (and as a way for you to share the event with your friends as well). For those of you who don't need any further convincing, you can join by clicking here and entering the password gozags to participate in the pool. (You may have to set up an account to login) Don't forget to read the group rules for payment instructions! I hope you all will consider lending a little support while joining in on the fun of the tourney!

*Currently, news sources are recommending waiting for damages to be fully assessed and for disaster relief organizations to be in place before selecting an organization to donate to directly. As soon as I pick one, I will let the group know where the funds will be sent, and how much will be donated. I'm currently looking at The Red Cross, ShelterBox, and Global Giving. If you have further suggestions, I will gladly take them.

**image via domino mag via {frolic!}