An update as to my thinking here. The outpouring is truly impressive. Somebody told me privately that we're up to around forty people right now, far more than I expected. But before you get your calculators out and start writing five-dollar checks, I can tell you (because I work in public television, remember?) that the larger your pool of pledgers, the more likely it is that you don't get a 100% fulfillment rate. What I think I'm going to do is ask everybody for a little more (seven or eight dollars is where I am right now) in case some people don't follow through. Any overages after the dust settles can be given to charity.
Still, we're not there yet, so don't send money! The auction closes tomorrow night. Keep those fingers crossed!