I would like to take a minute to share some of my feelings with you. I am not the originator of the idea behind the Boobie-Thon, but I am a strong believer in what it stands for. If you would like to take a short break to read the story behind the first Boobie-Thon, I'll wait. I remember reading about it as it happened. I personally thought the decision to direct the excess funds raised by the first year's festivities toward breast cancer awareness was pure genius. The next year enough bloggers begged Robyn to do it all over again that she relented and figured out a way to ensure that all of the money could go to worthy causes rather than what she could have done, which was to throw a gigantic party and donate what was left to charity. I was so impressed I immediately ponied up a couple of pictures of my breasts - the very first time they'd ever made an online appearance. It was for a good cause! It was for breast cancer awareness! The next year even more people wanted to be a part of the fun. The rest is history.

The majority of the people who were involved in the beginning were already friends, and some of them still send us pictures each year. Even though the Boobie-Thon has grown the way it has, it's still about helping people when all is said and done. I got involved because I thought Robyn might need help, and because everyone was having so much fun I wanted to be a part of it. I enjoyed helping out with the Boobie-Thon so much that I volunteered again the next year. That year, due to a variety of reasons, I needed more help with the accepting and processing of photo submissions, but it was still fun. Since that time, we have had to make so many things about accepting and posting photos standardized that it's almost lost its "bloggers about helping bloggers" family feeling. Quite a few of the people who send in pictures don't even have a blog or a website.

The people who send in a photo to the Boobie-Thon would, for the most part, not be the ones you'd expect to show their bodies to strangers. Most also send touching letters, thanking the team for putting in the time we do to keep this going year after year. We receive stories of aunts, sisters, mothers, grandmothers, fathers, brothers, grandfathers, and uncles who have died or battled breast cancer. We receive pictures from survivors brave enough to send them. We read stories that make us alternately cry and cheer; we see pictures that make us laugh, some that make us cry, and some from good-natured guys who support raising awareness about breast health. Mostly, we put in hours on end at the computer and get very little sleep, food, sunshine, or exercise during almost 3 weeks out of a year in the name of raising money for breast cancer research.

Almost all of the articles I've seen pooh-poohing the Boobie-Thon protest the fact that we ask people to donate to Komen. Most skip right over the fact that each year we've chosen a separate blogger-related charity to donate to if you choose not to send your funds to Komen. Last year the Boobie-Thon raised $1355.40 for the Red Cross Katrina fund. If the current selection selection of recipients doesn't please you, may I suggest that you choose one of your own, or create one for a cause that matters to you? We are an equal opportunity fundraiser and we encourage you to give of your time and money to the charity of your choice. If you have already done so, thank you. If have not, and you choose instead to write an article pointing fingers and doing the journalistic equivalent of poking fun at anyone who has, then I would say your demeanor resembles that of a schoolyard bully. You have a right to support any charity you'd like, whether it be for AIDS research, saving the rain forest, or testicular or prostate cancer - and please do! My senior class president had testicular cancer while still in high school, and someone I know and respect recently went through a battle with prostate cancer. I appreciate the time, expertise and money spent on research to learn enough to help each of them come away from their battle with a clean bill of health. No matter who you choose as your beneficiary, please support them and create awareness without using your audience to denigrate a fundraising effort that works just as hard to raise awareness and funds for their chosen recipient.

To those of you who have returned year after year supporting the Boobie-Thon either through volunteering, donating money or pictures, or linking the site and helping raise interest and awareness, thank you very much. Without all of you, this would not be anywhere near as successful or fun as it has come to be.

There you have it. My two cents. A long-winded equivalent of, "Can't we all just get along and be happy?" Now, back to saving the boobies.