KickStarter has been a great experience and I highly recommend it for anybody wanting to fund an artistic endeavor. I will note however that it was not KickStarter that raised the money: it was networking. Of all the funds that have come in, 90% was via my Facebook network. These are friend, family and former soldiers who I've kept in contact with on FB. KickStarter therefore is a great tool for centralizing the raising of funds but ultimately, its your own network of friends and colleagues who backs you. This seems to be true in all things in life.
As I continue to work on this project that network shrank this week. Cpl. Jeff Pennock of the Royal Westminster Regiment passed away on Dec 20, 2010. Jeff had been battling with cancer for the last couple years and yesterday he stood down. I have very fond memories of Jeff as the clerk in the Battalion Orderly Room at the regiment. A more dedicated soldier would be hard to name. In an infantry unit such as ours, there is a lot of emphasis put on strength, aggression and violence of action. Its a fighting regiment so this makes sense. Jeff was quiet, gentle and kind and our regiment would have ground to a halt without his effort. Jeff was guy who kept everybody's paperwork moving and had the thankless job of managing the admin for the regiment. Jeff was also a father and a husband. Our loss at the regiment is meager in comparison to grief felt by his family.
~CBH
