I confess. On Day 1 of my Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to research and write Merlyn Carter’s life story, I was feeling sheepish. Backers were not exactly lining up, and I felt as if I was sitting on a street corner holding up a cardboard sign. If I was more Internet savvy I likely would have figured a way to pull out and cover my tracks. But over the next few days it has been amazing. It started with some kind words from Bob O’Hara, but soon after, friends, clients from wilderness trips, and colleagues from schools were not only being generous with their support, but shared unbridled enthusiasm for my project. And then word spread to Carter Country, the NWT.
One of the most interesting northern e-mails was from Vince McKay. Vince spotted his Mooshum (Cree for Grandfather), Eugene McKay, in the photo of Merlyn in front of the tent. This led to an exchange of a few notes about what an extraordinary man Eugene was. I can still vividly remember visiting Eugene at HH Williams Hospital in Hay River when he was terminally ill. Eugene was far more comfortable in a tent or beneath the stars than in a hospital room, and I had brought some wildlife posters to thumbtack to the walls to make him feel more at home. He was weak by this time and could barely speak. He motioned me to his bedside, and it a wheezy whisper asked me if it was okay with the hospital to put tacks in the wall. Eugene was a gentle giant. I would have driven a railway spike into that wall if I thought it would have made him feel any better. Vince’s e-mail brought me right back to Hay River and the spirit of the North. Stu Poirier could not have been more encouraging on Facebook. I cannot wait to visit Enterprise, reconnect with him and document some Merlyn stories. So, as they say, in poker I am “all in” on this project and I will do my best to make it worthy of all the backers that join me in the effort.
Some people have called and e-mailed me that they have had trouble logging into Kickstarter to become a backer. My daughter, Zoe, found a tutorial link that can walk prospective backers through the process. And please don’t worry about the amount just back the project.
Tutorial video:
http://vimeo.com/67736083
This video leaves out one part, if you are a first-time Kickstarter backer, after you select the amount you wish to donate and your reward and click “continue to the next step” you will be taken to a log-in screen. It gives you the option to log in through Facebook or create a Kickstarter account. If you already have a Facebook account, I recommend using that as it is a little quicker. Otherwise, a Kickstarter account is easy to create and takes only minutes, all you need is an email address.
Kickstarter Merlyn Biography Project Page:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/41581646/merlyn-carter-the-biography-of-an-uncommon-bushpil
And if you don’t have an e-mail or a credit card you can send me a check. Make it out to Uncommon Seminars The Merlyn Project and mail it to 15849 Gardenview Drive, Apple Valley, MN 55124 USA. If you don’t have checks, you can send cash. If you don’t have cash, don’t worry about it. I have been there. I still would appreciate your encouragement and any stories you may have about Merlyn, mail or e-mail me. You can back this project with your heart.