Parachute

[lostcarpark]

Today I took my sister-in-law to do her charity parachute jump, about an hour and a half away from where we live. It was a good day out, even if there was a lot of waiting around for gaps in the cloud cover, Sandra thought the jump was fantastic. She was doing a tandem jump, and her instructor promised her "air orgasms", so that could be something to do with it.

I would love to do a few parachute jumps, and ultimately learn to skydive. I don't think I could bring myself to do it as a charity event. It's one thing asking people to sponsor me for something that will be hard work when all of the money will go to the cause, but I can't help feeling there's something a little bit dodgy about asking people to give me money so I can spend half of it on a fun event for me.

Just my opinion.

Comments

[abigail-42.livejournal.com]

A girl from work got a chest infection after the bloke landed on her after doing a tandem jump.
Just so's you know!

[davesangel.livejournal.com]

I've always wanted to try skydiving, and I'm aware of a few people who couldn't raise the money to go themselves so they actually did it for charity. OK, they raised a good amount of money, but it meant a free day out skydiving as opposed to spending something like £200 on a proper lesson...

I think that's the problem with these things - most of the events that you can take part in nowadays, to raise money for charity, are things that people have always wanted to do and can now do, for free. In reality, however, if you're raising money for charity then you shouldn't be getting something out of it yourself. Loads of people go on these charity holidays and it's basically the general public paying for you to have a good time abroad, for free. The only exceptions I can think of are the holidays where you actually go and work hard for several weeks (building schools, etc).

[lostcarpark.livejournal.com]

I suppose many charities hire "professional" collectors, so it's no worse than donating to one of those, and a little less annoying than having one of the really pushy ones ambush you in the street.

I would love to go on one of the "holidays where you work really hard". Most people I know of who've gone on them have actually paid their own way, though.

[nolley.livejournal.com]

but I can't help feeling there's something a little bit dodgy about asking people to give me money so I can spend half of it on a fun event for me.

If you go SPLAT on the ground that won't be much fun.

[lostcarpark.livejournal.com]

Except for your friends who get to point and laugh and say, "Ha! See where charity got you!"