So I've already rapped at ya about DonorsChoose.org, and we did a nice writeup in the magazine too which my coworkers and mother enjoyed very much. And I still think they're the (second-) best darn site on the Internet, so when they told me that I was awesome for writing about them and asked me to participate in this year's Blogger Challenge, I listened. I asked for elaboration on the first part. I took copious notes. And, more importantly, I said yes, absolutely yes.

If you do not know how DonorsChoose.org works, I will refer you to this super-helpful page they have called DonorsChoose.org: How It Works. But then come right back here, or better yet read it later, because I will tell you how the Blogger Challenge works and how you can win some cool stuff for participating.

See, the Blogger Challenge lets blogs and sites and whatnot pick a bunch of DonorsChoose.org projects to sponsor, and then their readers donate to those projects, and the totals are tallied on this here leaderboard for bragging rights and fuzzy feelings and that sweet sense of self-satisfaction that unites us together as users of the Macintosh. (Except I bet some of those other blogs' readers use PCs, the poor dears. So you see we are way ahead already.)

Anyway, I went ahead and picked a few projects that requested money for iPods and Apple software, and a few classrooms that needed good ol'-fashioned reading material too. If anyone has any suggestions for more projects we should tackle together, please leave a comment here, or send me an email.

But now let's get to donating—our challenge page is here. Donate through that page if you want the amount to be credited to our team on the leaderboard. We're in this together, my friends.

And the PRIZES? I am husting together all the prizes I can to reward you, dear readers, for your generosity. I pledge to do my best to make those rewards handsome. To be eligible to win, you just have to donate $1 or more to one of the projects listed on our challenge page, and then forward the receipt to me at susie at maclife.com. Then I'll toss your name in a hat, and at the end of the challenge period on Oct. 31, we'll draw names and hand out fresh gear. (Complete contest rules to be posted here after I run this by the lawyers...)

Questions? Speak up; I'm more than happy to help. Just like you are happy to help children. Now go forth and give. (Please.)

Challenge page is here.

Prize page is here.