Ordinary people are finding some extraordinary ways to raise funds for Australian firefighters in the midst of the bushfire crisis.
A group of young adult and children’s authors has launched an online auction to help raise much needed funds for the Country Fire Authority (CFA).
The auction will see authors and creators offering items, opportunities or writing services on Twitter under the hashtag, #AuthorsForFireys. Buyers will then be able to bid for items by replying to the tweet with bidding closing on Saturday January 11th. Buyers can win the item by providing proof of their donation to the CFA.
Australian authors including Benjamin Law, Peter FitzSimons and Yassmin Abdel-Magied have already offered prizes including signed back catalogues, coffee catch-ups and yum-cha lunches.
Other creators have also offered artworks, mentoring sessions and essay edits for other writers.
One of the leading organisers of the auction, Emily Gale, took to Twitter yesterday to explain that the idea came about when fellow author Nova Weetman said, “Let’s do something” to stand behind the firefighters helping save lives and property. Gale went on, “The CFA are aware of it and gave it the thumbs-up.”
The authors and creators selling items as part of the campaign are not the only ones finding unique ways to do their bit for Australian firefighters. Last week, US based model and sex worker Kaylen Ward began auctioning nude photos and videos to followers who donated to bushfire fundraising appeals. She tweeted a list of fundraisers for the Australian bushfires and promised to send nudes to any followers who donated $10 or more.
Ward was inundated with direct messages and tweeted that she had raised approximately $300,000. While Ward’s offer was posted on Twitter, she tweeted on Sunday that Instagram had shut down her account for violating their guidelines by posting “sexually suggestive content.”
It appears they’re not the only ones who might disapprove of Ward’s methods of fundraising. Ward tweeted over the weekend, “My IG got deactivated, my family disowned me, and the guy I like won’t talk to me all because of that tweet. But f##k it, save the koalas.”
Despite the backlash she says she’s received, Ward hopes to now begin an organisation to help other women sell their nudes to raise funds for a good cause.
