And the winner is...(Philanthropassion Contest)

Thanks to everyone who responded to the Philanthropassion Contest! If you missed all of the entries, read them here ... and do not hesitate from adding your own! The contest is over, but the conversation is not.

Before I announce the winner, a few of the lines that really grabbed me:

• Ryan K: I get to live in and be accepted by two remarkably different worlds who share a fundamental humanity and a common path towards wholeness.
• Jeff Brooks: I love fundraising because every time I motivate someone to give, that person is transformed.
• Phil Cubeta: Accessing that moment of vision, that inspired self, that moment of grace in which the most surprised person in the room may be the client, as he or she hears himself say, perhaps for the first time what he or she most cares about, that is what I enjoy most.
• Bob Johnson: What (I) find most interesting is how truly people interested in philanthropy willingly share their knowledge and expertise with so many others.
• Jennifer Mills: My philanthropassion revolves around my own experiences and desire to change it for other people.
• Jason Dick: • (I) desire to help the world understand that no matter what their wealth they can make a difference and change the world.
• Beth Kanter: My passion for philanthropy is personal ... to give back to the beautiful country that gave our family our beautiful children.
• Dani Brzozowski: I (learned) through experience the domino effect compassionate acts of humanity have -- first on the initial recipient and then on those around him.
• Katya Andresen: What makes for the most powerful motivation is not how bad something is now but rather how much better it could be.
• Peter Deitz: I'm so passionate about philanthropy I don't even have time to write up why!
• Charles Kiser:My passion for humanity stems from my passion for a God who is the chief philanthropist. I serve humanity because it's the primary way I serve God.

Thanks to everyone for posting -- and now, for the winner... James Holcomb, CFRE, whose clarity of mission and sense of purpose inspire me on my own quest!

I have always felt that God endowed me with so much that I have a responsibility to give back. That is why I became involved with my first nonprofit organization 51 years ago, The Southern Baptist Radio-TV Commission. It has been a great run, and I have helped five nonprofit organizations raise the funds they needed to fulfill their mission and change the world. But there was something missing. I found that I could expand, enhance and multiply exponentially my mission if I mentored other fundraisers to become the best they can be. So now, I am having a greater impact on changing the world by helping other professional fundraisers realize their potential. This is my philanthropic passion.

I'll be posting an update soon to follow up to what I offered at the beginning of this contest.

Thanks again to everyone who submitted a response. You can review them all here:
http://theraiser.blogspot.com/2008/06/philanthropassion-contest.html