[NPC] Cindy Donovinh
Thanks for tuning in, Gaians! It's time for another Community Update: the segment voted in by Gaians just like you! I'm your proud host, Cindy Donovinh, coming at you live from here at Gaia 9 Action News. Its a thrilling do, so let's dive right in!
The victors for this week's Avatar Arena are absolutely stunning! Please welcome Magnatus, the first place winner of this week's Cosplay Arena, for the heart-wrenching entry My Back! And another huge round of applause for the gifted Castle Towns, for the entry entitled My Neck, which swept the competition in the Original Arena!
You can check out all the winners past and present by visiting the Original Avatar Arena Winners Page or the Cosplay Avatar Arena Winners Page! Please support all of our amazing avatar artisans!
And now, in an abrupt change of events, I have a special guest here to share with us the secret of passion and success in the Gaian Community! Please welcome Serenith! Some of you may recognize this stylish celeb as the mastermind behind G.I.F.T.! It's an extremely long running thread where users some together to gift and be gifted to, and has spawned hundreds of generous acts of selflessness since its inception.
Great to have you here, Serenith. If I may ask: Where did the inspiration for G.I.F.T. come from? Did you expect G.I.F.T. to get so popular? It's nearly 7 years old and still doing fabulously, which is a truly impressive accomplishment!
When I first started Gaia, gifting threads were where I spent most of my time. And while I really appreciated help I received, helping others made me the most happy. Seeing them spazz out and be super excited just made my day! I knew I had to make my own charity so I could help as many people as I could.
G.I.F.T. took several days to plan. Honestly the name took the most time to think up! I wanted it to be simple, but still clearly state what my charity was about. Abbreviating Gifting In Full Throttle ended up being perfect! Like any other active charity, I expected it to be a little popular. But never to the extent it became. And I definitely never expected it to become this old! I've seen many charities and gifting threads come and go. In the end, the biggest reason my charity has survived and thrived this long is due to the awesome regulars and donators I have. By keeping the thread active, spreading the word, and helping me raise funds, they are why G.I.F.T. became the wonderful place it is. They will forever have my thanks in supporting me and my charity!
That's fantastic! Do you have a favorite success story to share?
Really anytime I'm able to help someone is a success for me. But my favorite memories are the times I'm able to help a person finish their quest. I know the happiest moment in questing is when you finally are able to get the item. It's the most awesome feeling, and I love being able to give that to people. It's very much about making friends along the way and having a good time!
Wonderful! Finally, do you have any advice out there for prospective Gaians who are interested in starting their own gifting thread or joining the Charity community?
My advice for opening up a charity or gifting thread would be to plan well, raise a good amount of funds beforehand, and be ready to put time and effort into it. Also, to realize that it's success isn't measured by how much "fame" or pages the thread has. It's by how many people you're able to help and make happy.
Some wise words from an outstanding Gaians! Dedicated, passionate, friendly, and generous: the community of G.I.F.T. are completely unparalleled! If you're in need of some kindness or think it's about time for a random act of selflessness, be sure to stop by and join in on all the fun!
That it for this week's update. Whew, looks like me made it through without Liam barging in to steal the spotlight. It's mysteriously quiet, I'd say...Perhaps too quiet. Well, it's that time again Gaians: Go ahead and vote for your--- oh dear. Yes. It appears he's back. I, er, have some errands to attend to. I'll see you next week, perhaps. Have fun, Gaians. Truly, I hope you have a great time. This is Cindy Donovinh, fleeing from the scene.