Walking 1000 miles for charity

July 30, 2007 6:34 AM

Iain Purdie will walk across Europe for charity. Specifically, he'll be walking from Monaco, France to Newcastle, UK via Italy, Switzerland and France. All to help raise money for a Vietnamese children's orphanage. And as a foolhardy romantic gesture to someone he loves. So sponsor him. Please.
posted by electriccynic (23 comments total)

I'm getting a strange feeling you know this guy.
posted by miss lynnster at 6:38 AM on July 30, 2007

Especially since you favorited your own post. (?)
posted by miss lynnster at 6:38 AM on July 30, 2007

When did France invade Monaco? Did they secretly do this while, as a diversion, being indignant about us invading somewhere?
posted by Pollomacho at 6:42 AM on July 30, 2007

perhaps one might prefer to just donate directly to the charity instead of also financing this boy's walking tour of europe?
posted by bluenausea at 6:46 AM on July 30, 2007

Charity fund raisers are great but there is no way to verify a small private venture and the walk, while long, is nothing spectacular, 1000 mile walks are common. How much of the money goes to charity and how much goes to pay for someones walk (per bluenausea). Anyway, doesn't seem appropriate for MeFi.
posted by stbalbach at 6:49 AM on July 30, 2007

I'll do the same as I would anyone else asking me for money. I have no cash, but I'll bum you a smoke or two if you want.
posted by carsonb at 6:58 AM on July 30, 2007

Maybe the guy should take the hint? she doesn't want to be with him. 100 mile hike or not... still Vietnamese kids maybe made happy who am I to crit.
posted by keno at 7:04 AM on July 30, 2007

1000 mile hike... I'm underrating the overblown
posted by keno at 7:05 AM on July 30, 2007 [1 favorite]

Message to Iain Purdie: Get a job, hippie.
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:07 AM on July 30, 2007

My girlfriend gave me $5 to walk to the corner and get her a pack of smokes (about $2.50).

Sweeet.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:08 AM on July 30, 2007

I do know him, yes. But that doesn't hinder the charity effort. And I always favourite my own posts, just because it's easier to track that way :)
posted by electriccynic at 7:11 AM on July 30, 2007

I just finished reading the fascinating and eminently more interesting saga of a man who walked (and sailed) around the world alone, logging a total of 250,000 miles traveled -- all while being completely blind. The book is A Sense of the World and "The Blind Traveler" is James Holman.
posted by mothershock at 7:11 AM on July 30, 2007

Proclaimers on his ipod ?
posted by Webbster at 7:14 AM on July 30, 2007

Donation posts don't go so well here.

I'm not sure why I should trust Purdie. Who he?

For instance, I already know of two long standing bona fide projects (to which I've contributed money, patronage of their restaurants and helped 2 street kids in Hanoi to get jobs with them) in Vietnam where any money donated will absolutely definitely be going to assist street kids to train in the restaurant business.
Koto
Hoa Sua
posted by peacay at 7:16 AM on July 30, 2007

Why didn't he just get a job for charity?

Why are you doing this?

A couple of reasons. One is as an overblown romantic gesture. One is to raise some money for a very worthwhile cause. One is to make my travelling around for 18 months actually worthwhile rather than an enjoyable whim. Overall, though - because I can.

I can't blame him for wanting to have a lark, see Europe, meet people, etc., but if he were serious about raising money, he probably could stay home and do odd jobs every day for much more charity money.
posted by pracowity at 7:18 AM on July 30, 2007

So wait, you know him and you're using MeFi to try to help him raise money?

Flagged.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:19 AM on July 30, 2007

If Purdie really loved her he'd do something spectacular, you know like riding a bike from Sweden to Nepal.
posted by Pollomacho at 7:21 AM on July 30, 2007

I do know him, yes. But that doesn't hinder the charity effort. And I always favourite my own posts, just because it's easier to track that way :)
I already flagged your post, but if I could hit you with a stout stick or electrified prod, I would.
posted by Wolfdog at 7:23 AM on July 30, 2007

Ouch. Ok. Sorry.

How do I remove the post?
posted by electriccynic at 7:33 AM on July 30, 2007

You know that if you go to your profile page your posts are easily viewed though, right? You have 272 favorites and only five posts. With this technique of yours, you're kinda just favoriting yourself, not making your posts any easier to find.

But hey, not like i've never favorited myself. I do it all the time.
posted by miss lynnster at 7:37 AM on July 30, 2007 [2 favorites]

Mothershock, that's a great, amazing story... You should find a few more links and post it to the front page - especially since this post will be deleted, and few will see your comment here.
posted by taz at 7:40 AM on July 30, 2007

You know - you could probably post this to projects. Somehow.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 7:46 AM on July 30, 2007

I'm willing to give someone this last post for a price, which I will donate to charity.
posted by KokuRyu at 7:53 AM on July 30, 2007