For the fifth year, I am one of the “behind the scenes” people to assist making WordCamp US 2023 a wonderful event for all WordPressers. However, this year is a wee bit different. After much deliberation with my WP Partner in Shenanigans Michelle, she has talked me into doing a GiveWP Campaign to assist with the expenses of WordCamp US 2023. After running the budget, it is going to cost over $4,000 USD to attend. This is including hotel, airfare, and ride sharing.
The good and not so good of why I am reaching out for help with making it to WCUS 2023
This year has had a lot of ups, downs, and unplanned expenditures. For starters we have had to replace both left door windows in the minion’s car THREE times because of vandals while she was living in the dorms at the University of New Mexico. Thankfully, we got her into an apartment right as school was ending that has a gated parking area on a relatively safe street. Hopefully that will be the end of car vandalism.
As in years past, I have had to pay my own way to WordCamp US, along with any other WordCamps I have attended over time. While my full-time employer does give me some great perks to work there, assisting with conferences is not one of them.
All airfare, room, food, etc. is paid by me. WordCamp US has historically been one of the greatest expenses for my contributing to WordPress but every year it is so worth it.
Note, as an organizer, I do get my WordCamp US 2023 ticket for free.
What will I spend the money on?
It will go to all things WordCamp US. The bulk of it will go to cover the hotel fees of around $250.00 USD a night. Also, airfare out of our St Louis airport for some reason is also one of the most expensive airports to fly out of in the lower 48 states.
If there are any funds left over after hotel, airfare and transportation costs, the rest will go for food and any extra incidentals that may arise. With my whey allergy, I often times have to end up purchasing food items to accommodate my allergy, when the conference provided food is smothered and covered with allergy triggers. In the rare chance that I am blessed with an over-abundance, whatever is left over will be donated to a charity.
Small disclaimer: Due to a few health things 2022-2023 has given me, we are hoping to have my husband to go with me to WCUS in the event I end up having any major flare ups. Between having some really fun GI issues, crazy migraines with vertigo, and osteoarthritis flareups, my health is a bucket of fun these days!
I am not including this in my goal to get to WCUS. The extra for him is only the airfare and the ticket to attend WCUS. While I know most people would not care about him going or not going, I want to be fully transparent with my campaign. We are not asking you to cover any of his expenses.
Speaking of WCUS tickets, anyone does have an extra WCUS ticket… hit me up and consider it SOLD! I have not gotten one for the big guy yet.
What will I do for you if you help me?
After WordCamp US I will be doing a huge writeup on this blog thanking everyone who has helped me. It will be shared on social media. I will also be doing an individual thank you on social media for everyone who donates/sponsors me.
If you sponsor me and you are a business or have a product/service, we will get together and I will write an individual post spotlighting your business, product or service over on Can’t Speak Geek. This will also be sent out over social media and shared around the world.
If you have made it this far…
Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for reading through this. Thank you even more if you are able to donate. Thank you a third (or second) time if you share this to get the opportunity for others to help. No matter what, your help to get me to WordCamp US is deeply appreciated and I would not be where I am today if it was not for the love, support, and shenanigans of the WordPress Community. Y’all really are the BEST.
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