The Rescue

OK, I've known about The Invisible Children for a while, simply because I have a weird attraction for all things African. I've never been there (well, not yet at least!) but I've been wanting to go for as long as I can remember. Tried desperately to convince my Mom to let me join the Peace Corps so I could go, but she was just so worried about my safety that I went to grad school instead. I will get there. Some day.

The Rescue that David has mentioned a few times is a very cool, very interactive grassroots effort to bring attention to the atrocity happening in Uganda. Children are being abducted and forced to become child soldiers for the LRA - you know this right? Do you watch Lost? Remember Mr. Ecko? Yeah, that's what is happening *right now* and has been for so many years that the first children are already grown men. It's surreal, isn't it, to sit there in your cozy house/apartment and realize that somewhere, a boy is being forced to shoot someone in the head. Sorry to get graphic - David won't, so I will.

Today and tonight, in 10 countries, 100 cities and with over 74,000 people, The Rescue begins. I can't go to mine - but I've sent emails to my state reps and made phone calls to let them know about it. The event is radically unique and from what I can tell, both Senators, our Governor, and two State Senators are showing up. Woot! I live in a cool state.

So, it goes like this: participants meet at 3PM at a designated 'abduction site' and drop off a family photo (symbolically leaving them behind) and then march to the "LRA camp" where they will set up "camp" and and wait to be "rescued." A "successful" rescue requires two things: #1) media coverage and #2) the attendance of at least one pre-determined cultural or political leader. This person is referred to as the “mogul” or “rescuer.”

There's an event happening in Edinburgh today/tonight, which is only an hour away from Glasgow. How *cool* would it be for David to do this? Show up, march, camp out for a few hours, meet Ewan McGregor, before he has to leave to do his show? I'm sure that he would love to - he's an activist at heart. That's why I love him so much.

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Christmas in April from David Archuleta

I've decided to start putting the words David Archuleta in my blog titles because then I think they come up on people's google alerts. Let me know if I'm right. So I bought one of these. For my friend Deb. She will love it. Me not so much simply because the 'young David' isn't the David for me. He just doesn't seem like the same person. I know he is, but whatever. The cool thing about this DVD is that it is unique and all the proceeds are going to Rising Star Outreach. The seller is lancemcgavin. Does that last name sound familiar? Click the pic to get to ebay.

Do you think that's Jeff handwriting or David's?
I love the mix of capital letters and lowercase. Love the T especially.
And where is the word "the"? From Archuletas? Too funny!

Here is the product information, taken from e-bay:

This is a one of a kind COPY of a Disc given as a Christmas gift by the Archuleta family. As you can see in the second photo, this disc was compiled on 12/15/03. There are seven different menu selections. There are 3 high quality original video performances from Star Search. There is also a clip from Good Things Utah where David is singing "Imagine" as a 13 year old. David also sang "Joyful, Joyful" for the Days of '47 pops concert at symphony hall on 7-10-04. Two other songs: "O Holy Night" and "Nature Boy" are on this DVD also.

**This DVD was hand compiled by the Archuletas and no changes have been made to the Disc. They also wrote on the disc in sharpy "Merry Christmas From Archuletas" The copy that you can own will have a label on it that will look exactly like the original disc.

***David has recently endorsed Rising Star Outreach as a charity he is supporting. All proceeds from the purchase of this disc will be donated directly to Rising Star Outreach. You can also go to www.risingstaroutreach.org to donate money if you'd like. This is really a great organization and it is changing the world as we speak.

You will NOT be able to purchase this disc anywhere else as it was a personal gift from the Archuleta family.

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A nifty thing to add to your David Archuleta collection

Look at this coolio button that ArchieFanDoc created! I love them. The wings remind of that movie Chicken Run; I feel like a chicken is flying right at me. haha, I've got chickens on the brain.




These little beauties are being sold for $2.80 each, for a 2 inch square. All proceeds will go to Rising Star Outreach. Check it out by clicking the picture above.
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Auction!!! The Infamous Chicken Family CD!!

I'm pretty sure it's a chicken family - what else could it be?

I'm finally auctioning off this CD. I just feel like a loser keeping it. I don't have leprosy, nor do any of my family members. I live in a town with a sewer system and great schools for my kids. I've looked at it enough and have a picture of it, so I'm ready to part with it. I hope this brings in a *ton* of money for RSO.

This CD was signed on November 11th at the Virgin Megastore CD signing party. Crush was playing overhead and David was singing along. The mean lady there wouldn't let David doodle on it for me so the next day, I gave it to Jeff to give to David. He doodled the chicken family while waiting backstage at Regis and Kelly. What was going through his head when he settled on a chicken family? who knows, but it sure is cute!

In honor of the peeps, and another significant individual, this auction will be open until Noon, PST, April 12th, Easter Sunday.

• Please use the comments below to make your bid
• Minimum bid is $10
• Please keep your bid to $5 over the previous bid
• When we're getting closer to the end of auction, please add your email address to your comment, so I can get in touch with you if you're the winner!

ignore that Read More link; there's nothing more to read. I can't seem to get rid of it.

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This is a very cool story

I have been a bit distracted lately, like we all have, by THE TOUR. But David's vlog brought me back to why I started this blog in the first place. If he can take the time to think about others during his very hectic schedule, I sure can. So I went over to AFAC to see what was happening and ran across this story, which needs to be told. Again. In a slightly different way because I'm bored.

Angel One donates two tickets to the sold out show in Boise ID to Angels for a Cause, to be sold at silent auction.

Angel Two, known as Sunshine, buys the tickets for $90.

She donates the $90 to RSO.

She emails Angels for a Cause and says she can't actually GO to the concert and would like to give the tickets to a young fan who can't otherwise go to the show.

Angel Three, known as ArchieFanDoc, suggests that AFAC find a child from the Make a Wish Foundation to give the tickets to.

Angels for a Cause contacted the Boise chapter of Make a Wish and got a reply within one hour. Haylee, a 15 year old wish child struggling with optic glioma, is thrilled to be going to the sold out show!

WOW. pretty cool, right?

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A Dream Fulfilled

On February 5th Michael Lyons, (pictured above with David) an avid David Archuleta fan, came home from the hospital only to find out that David's show had sold out the night before. Determined to see David's show, he posted a note in the New England Angel's Group on DA.com, asking if anyone had an extra ticket to the show. Within a few days, he had his ticket due to the compassion, kindness and perseverance of David's amazing fans. But would they stop at just a ticket? NO!

Read on for Michael's story.

Michael is a smart, sweet and funny man. He has his Master's degree and was pursuing his Doctorate when an unfortunate accident happened. Michael got stuck with a needle while observing a nurse working with a patient. A few years later, Michael was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, which is a disease caused by the Hep C virus and which affects the liver. Within one short year his liver had signs of advanced scarring (cirrhosis). But here's the kicker: normally, in takes 20 - 30 years for people infected with the Hep C virus to exhibit cirrhosis, and many don't develop it at all in their lifetime.

He started treatment to kill off the virus. This, as you can imagine, is ridiculously awful. For 48 weeks, Michael had to get injections of interferon and take ribavirin by mouth. In some cases, there are severe adverse affects to these drugs, and Michael was one of those cases. It was the interferon that did it. So Michael had to stop treatment and his liver got worse. He eventually developed liver cancer.

The next step for most patients is to get on the liver transplant list. After a transplant, patients need to take drugs so their body does not reject the new organ - one of those drugs is interferon. That same drug that gave Michael such severe side affects. So at this point, a transplant is out of the question and he is still infected with the Hep C virus. But Micheal is not giving up. He continues to have hope that science will find a way to help him.

And speaking of help. A few New England Angels read Michael's plea for a ticket and became friendly with him. One was Sheila (left) and another was Oy (right). Together, they worked relentlessly, emailing people who knew people, etc. Todd from AFS was involved; Richard from FOD was involved. I heard about Michael and the extent to which Sheila was going to get him to maybe meet David from my friend Deb. I thought it was a perfect story for my blog so I contacted Michael and asked him if I could interview him. I talked to Michael on the phone while I was waiting in line in Lancaster, listening to his story, tears streaming down my face.

Getting Michael a ticket, getting him into the venue at a reasonable hour so he didn't have to freeze (oh, did I mention Micheal is in a wheelchair?), getting him a good spot inside to watch the show, and finally, beautifully, heart-achingly getting him to meet David was a team effort. And I was blessed to witness it.

So after the concert, I finally got to meet Michael. I walked to the back of the venue where he had been sitting and we just gushed, of course. You may know this, but after each show, Jeff just sort of hangs around, the band eventually comes out to sign autographs and meet people. The venues let you hang around for a little while, maybe 30 minutes or so, and then security starts to move people out the door. During this time, Jeff spent quite a bit of time with Michael, listening to his story. I'm not sure he knew the whole thing earlier. I felt like an intruder, but I just couldn't leave; watching Jeff's expression change as he heard about Michael's unfortunate accident was very moving. At one point Michael started talking about how David just glows and that his music makes him forget his illness and relieves his pain. Tears, folks, tears all around. Jeff told Michael that David's music goes beyond the physical and that "you can take it with you" - ahhhhhhhh, I had to turn around at that point because I was seriously losing it.

I had met the band a few times over the last few days so brought Mike over to meet Michael. They had a really nice conversation about writing music and working with David. I found Alex too, but Eli and Kendra were elusive. Mike and Alex both signed Michael's CD liner notes and I think he enjoyed talking with them. So at this point Jeff and Ray are directing security to remove people from the venue - I think a few people knew that David was coming out because there was also another boy in a wheelchair who was waiting to meet David. Finally he walks out from a backstage door, followed by Ray and Jeff. I can tell that he's a little confused by the look on his face; not sure what he had been told. He glances around at all of us (probably thinking OK, why are these people here????) but then makes a bee-line for the boy. They speak for a few minutes (the boy had a speech impediment so his family had to translate) and then David comes over to Michael.

I am standing next to them, far back enough so I don't eavesdrop on their conversation but close enough to watch. David's eyes never leave Michael's, and he allows Michael to hold his hand during their entire conversation. I know the exact moment when Michael tells David that he is dying - David's expression changes immediately and tears fill his eyes. He frowns a little, his face becomes incredibly compassionate, and I swear I could feel and see the love just pouring out of David. I know that's corny, but man you had to be there.

David went back and forth between Michael and the boy, signing things, taking pictures, etc. At one point I found myself talking to Ray and Mike about Michael. They didn't know the whole story, so I told them about the unfortunate series of incidents that has lead Michael to this stage. Have you met Ray? He needs to be on top of every little thing at every moment of every day. But at this moment, he was just as sappy as I was; so was Mike for that matter.

A few minutes later, Jeff walked over to David and whispered something. David nodded. Jeff left the room and came back with a drawing that a fan had done of David - David signed it "To Michael - David Archuleta" and then he and Jeff gave it to Michael.

STOP IT RIGHT NOW, MY HEART CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE.

After this night, I am completely convinced that David is surrounded by the most loving, caring group of people he can be. And that's all we ask for, isn't it?
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Team Archie

The short story:

over $20,000 collected from fans
proceeds to benefit the Gifting Campaign, which gives David's music to people who otherwise can't get it
For more information on Team Archie's Gifting Campaign, go here ↓

For the longer story, read on.

To date, Team Archie's Gifting Campaign has brought David's music to over 1,500 listeners who otherwise could not get it. I personally know a few younger fans who took advantage of the generosity of the donors and they were thrilled with their gifts. I also personally know someone who works on the Gifting Campaign; I'd like to introduce you to Oy.

My friend Oy is a crackerjack. She is a little bitty thing – probably weighs 85 pounds soaking wet and makes David look like Hercules – but she has spunk with a capital S. Remember my Providence After-Party recap? Every wonder how I got backstage? It was all because of Oy. After an hour or so of waiting for the busses, she and my friend Jennifer headed over to the nearest hotel to use the facilities. And who do they run into? Jeff Archuleta. She immediately walked over to him, introduced herself, and started talking about David. She told Jeff that she was part of Team Archie and that she helps Grace with the Gifting Campaign. They talked for 20 minutes. At the end of it, Jeff told her that she's proven herself to be a dedicated fan and wanted to give her backstage passes. She got all of us in with her, so I owe her a debt of gratitude!

Oy's spunk goes with her wherever she goes. During the Providence show, Oy had great seats – center stage only a few rows back. During David's performance of Stand By Me, Oy got up on her chair (she's really really tiny) to cheer. At the end of it, she started jumping up and down and screaming. On her chair. David noticed her, pointed to her, and said "oh, wow, there's someone jumping on their chair." At which point Oy fell over backwards but luckily was caught by the nice man behind her.

She is very passionate about David and his success and that shows in everything she does. I was lucky enough to get into the private lunch that a RI radio station held for David back in October. I found Oy in a heated discussion with Jeff. She was telling Jeff that you couldn't "gift" the pre-order of David's CD. And we all know that you could only get Somebody Out There if you pre-ordered. So that means that many many fans would miss out on having that song. When Jeff heard about this, he said "I need to do something about that because David co-wrote that song" and off he walked, phone already at his ear.

I have been to three concerts with Oy and she makes them a lot of fun. I am looking forward to the next one in a couple of days. Oy, as Jeff would say, 'you are hardcore.' And we love you for it. Next up: Grace.

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