THE CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN HAS LAUNCHED! 

Please head over to our Indiegogo Crowdfunding Page and explore the many rewards for supporting the North American Thebaid Project and helping us reach our initial fundraising goal.

Sign up for email updates (at right) and watch for Project news. This initial crowdfunding effort will enable travel and photography to begin in September-October 2016 (God willing!), and is essential to the successful launch of the Thebaid Project.

We offer rewards (“perks”) starting at $10 and $25 on up for all levels of backers. Starting at the $50 level, Thebaid supporters will receive copies of the First Edition of the finished book, scheduled to be published in 2018, after the travel and photography has concluded. Detailed info on all the perks is below the “Continue Reading” jump…

PERKS: Our thanks and your rewards for supporting the Thebaid Project

Like the Thebaid Project itself, our crowdfunding model seems to be unique in the Orthodox world.  By providing even $10 level donors with rewards in appreciation for support, the crowdfunding campaign is about much more than raising money for the Project.

We believe very strongly in the missionary aspect of this project, in making sure every supporter feels included and appreciated, with the hope that people and parishes will truly become energized and involved through this. We are seeking not just donors, but fellow “Thebaid Pilgrims” who will support my journey in making these photographs and the resulting book, and who themselves will expand their visits to and support of Orthodox monasticism in North America.

Because we have already received questions about and commitments for multiple copies of both the standard Hardcover First Edition, and the Special Founding Subscribers’ Limited Edition in Bonded Leather, we have created special reward levels for multiple copies, which present significant savings over the single copy reward levels. Pool your resources! Get some friends together to support the Project, and save between 10% and 25% over the single unit reward levels.

• $10 — Back the North American Thebaid Project at the $10 level, and receive 3 high-resolution digital files of photographs of Mount Athos by Ralph H. Sidway. Suitable for prints up to 8×10, also for computer desktop/wallpaper images (delivery, September 2016, digital format). Plus our thanks and public recognition here at thebaid.org.

• $25 — Back the Thebaid Project at the $25 level and receive ‘Pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain’, a Photographic eBook of Mount Athos (PDF format for iBooks, Kindle and other apps), featuring dozens of photographs of Mount Athos by Ralph H. Sidway (estimated delivery, October 2016; PDF digital format). PLUS receive the Perk for the $10 level, AND our thanks and public recognition here at thebaid.org.

• $50 — To thank you for backing the Thebaid Project at $50, we will send you a First Edition copy of The North American Thebaid Book— Hardbound, cloth-cover, with deluxe, French-fold dust jacket; heavyweight matte, acid-free/lig-free fine-art paper, 157gsm/120# (target ship date Oct. 2018). PLUS you will receive the digital perks for both the $10 and $25 levels, AND our thanks and public recognition here at thebaid.org.

• $100 — To thank you for backing the Thebaid Project at the $100 level, we will send you a SIGNED, First Edition Book (see above for book specs), PLUS a SIGNED Fine Art Print from the Thebaid Project (8×10 archival, museum-quality paper, in an 11×14 museum mat, signed; ship dates for prints begin mid-2017; book target ship date Oct. 2018). PLUS you will receive the digital perks for the $10 and $25 levels, AND our thanks and public recognition here at thebaid.org.

• $200 — To thank you for backing the Thebaid Project at the $200 level, we will send you THREE (3) SIGNED, First Edition Books, PLUS THREE (3) SIGNED Fine Art Prints from the Thebaid Project (see above for specs on books and prints; ship dates for prints begin mid-2017; book target ship date Oct. 2018). PLUS you will receive the digital perks for the $10 and $25 levels, and our thanks and public recognition here at thebaid.org.

• $275 — As our special thanks for backing the Thebaid Project at the $275 level, we will send you the Founding Subscribers’ Limited Edition of the North American Thebaid Book, PLUS a SIGNED Fine Art Print from the Thebaid Project — The Limited Edition features Bonded Leather cover, with gold-foil stamped title, in handsome, cloth-bound slipcase, with ribbon marker, heavyweight matte, acid-free/lig-free fine-art paper, 157gsm/120# (SIGNED & NUMBERED; total quantity limited to 500; only 200 available for the $275 Reward Level; target ship date Oct. 2018; ship dates for prints begin mid-2017; Founding Subscribers’ names will be included in a special acknowledgment page in the book;  the fine art print will be on 8×10 archival, museum-quality paper, in an 11×14 museum mat, signed). Plus, you will receive the digital perks for the $10 and $25 levels, and our thanks and public recognition here at thebaid.org.

• $500 — As our special thanks for supporting the Thebaid Project at the $500 level, we will send you TWO (2) Copies of the Founding Subscribers’ Limited Edition,  PLUS TWO (2) SIGNED Fine Art Prints from the Thebaid Project (Ltd. Edition Books SIGNED & NUMBERED; total quantity limited to 500; only 100 available —50 Pairs— for the $500 Reward Level; target ship date Oct. 2018; ship dates for prints begin mid-2017; see above for details on book & print specs). Plus, you will receive the digital perks for the $10 and $25 levels, and our thanks and public recognition here at thebaid.org.

• $1000 —With great appreciation for supporting the Thebaid Project at the $1000 level, we will send you FIVE (5) Copies of the Founding Subscribers’ Limited Edition, PLUS FIVE (5) SIGNED Fine Art Prints from the Thebaid Project (Ltd. Edition Books SIGNED & NUMBERED; total quantity limited to 500; only 50 available —10 Sets— for the $1000 Reward Level; target ship date Oct. 2018; ship dates for prints begin mid-2017; see above for details on book & print specs). Plus, you will receive the digital perks for the $10 and $25 levels, and our thanks and public recognition here and on the Project website at thebaid.org.

Although you can donate directly via the PayPal button in the right-hand column, we do ask you to support our Crowdfunding Campaign on Indiegogo through September 2, 2016. When you donate via the Crowdfunding portal, it raises the visibility of the Campaign itself and helps us reach our goal, plus you receive unique and valuable rewards (Indiegogo calls them “perks”) in return.

I hope you’ll join me in becoming a Thebaid Pilgrim, and help support this worthy project with your donations and prayers!  ~ Thank you!

NOTE: Thebaid.org is a content-rich website on Orthodox Christian Monasticism, which has been live since October 2015. We invite you to explore the Project page, Blog and other sections of the website to learn more. Be sure to Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter too.