Blasting past our $50k goal! Donate to Passports with Purpose by 12/13

Exclamation points fully justified! Passports with Purpose 2010 has reached and exceeded our goal of raising $50,000 to build a village for 25 families in India.

But we're not finished yet. There's still time to see the numbers continue to rise, but you need to act now!

If you've been putting off your donation, don't hesitate if you want your chance to win a fabulous prize offered by our generous sponsors. The fundraiser ends on December 13 at 11:59 PM PST.

The money part is easy. The donation form is simple and straightforward.

1. Enter a number next to the prize(s) you covet. You can purchase multiple $10 entries for any prize.
2. The form totals your tax-deductible donation.
3. Proceed to PayPal to complete the transaction.

Now for the hard part, the high level analysis that may have caused you to put off making your decision to donate. With so many great prizes, you're forced to make difficult decisions. Would you prefer the Norwegian coastal cruise sponsored by Nancy D. Brown or something simpler and more long lasting, like the Flea ukelele offered by Pam Mandel?

Not the gambling type? Here's a list of the prizes offering the best odds as of December 7.

I must admit I've postponed my choice of entries. Aside from the two prizes already mentioned, here are my other top picks under consideration:

$150 Scottevest gift certificate

The brilliant Johnny Jet is offering enough gift bucks to purchase one or two Scottevests. Is there anyone who hasn't heard me exclaim about how much stuff I've lost in my travels or about how I cannot trust myself to travel with anything that is not attached to me? The Scottevest seems a perfect solution that I must test one of these trips.

$800 towards a HomeAway holiday rental

Lara Dunton and Terrence Carter of GranTourismo.com have procured an extremely flexible prize, $800 toward a HomeAway holiday rental anywhere in the world. Perhaps I could use this toward my next stay in Paris, where I hope to introduce my 18-year-old art student daughter to the wonders of the Louvre and all the other art treasures of the City of Light.

Travel blogging and writing seminars

Considering this is at least nominally a blog about travel writing, perhaps I should improve my craft with one of two education prizes aimed especially at travel bloggers. Maybe I'll donate and enter to win a MatadorU online travel writing course. Or perhaps I should shore up my commitment to travel blogging by meeting face to face with Peter Carey, Debbie Dubrow, and Pam Mandel at their two-day live Travel Blog School seminar. Or maybe I should take a chance at both of these opportunities, considering my recalcitrance toward good writing and blogging habits.

Tech tools and electronic toys

Now that I'm looking so carefully at the long list of prizes, I see more stuff I want. Oh crap. The raffle will end before I can finish this post.

How about an Apple iPad 16 GB Wi-Fi + 3G? Or an Amazon Kindle? Or a Microsoft xBox 360 with Kinect? 

A visit to the Authentic Seacoast of Nova Scotia

I can't end without giving a plug to the prize I'm offering through the generosity of The Authentic Seacoast Resorts on the lobster-filled Chedabucto Bay near Guysborough, Nova Scotia. Also known as the hometown of the late Stan Rogers and his very much alive and rocking brother Garnet Rogers (as well as the base of the yearly StanFest folk music extravaganza), Guysborough is where you'll find the world-class food, wine, and hospitality of the DesBarres Manor Inn.

Thanks to all our sponsors and contributors!

Special thanks to all the generous sponsors and donors who make Passports with Purpose such a successful venture, especially BootsnAll, LiveMocha, Round the World with Us, HomeAway, Traveller’s Point, Hostelling International, Quintess, Raveable, TravelPost, Uptake, and Cheapo Air.