Some good Ozzy causes you can help out with

I've received word of two worthy Oz-related causes that need your help. So if you can contribute to either, or both, you will be doing the world of Oz a lot of good. They are:

• The Baum and Neal House. This is the house in Syracuse, New York, where L. Frank Baum met Maud Gage and fell in love with her on sight (or so the story goes). The Lyman Frank Baum Foundation is seeking to purchase and preserve the house, now called the Baum and Neal house, and they're almost there. This is one of the few homes associated with Baum still standing in upstate New York. You can help out by sending a contribution to The Lyman Frank Baum Foundation, Inc., 415 North Salina Street, Syracuse, New York 13203 (and yes, it's tax deductible). You can find out more at the foundation's Facebook page, or by e-mailing the Executive Director, Kathleen Di Scenna, at discenna@dreamscape.com.
• Books of Wonder. They are New York City's largest bookstore for kids, and a great friend to Oz, thanks to their near-facsimile first edition reprints of the entire Baum series, reprinting other books, and publishing new books as well. (Yes, the books they've published include the one I co-wrote, but that's just a drop in the bucket.) Their focus has not been limited to Oz, as they've done much to encourage reading and enjoying both new and classic books, for all ages. But the loss of a subtenant has tuck them with a very large rent payment they need to make soon, so they're offering all kinds of goodies in a big fundraising campaign. You can read the whole story, and see what they have to offer, right here

Even if you can't contribute to either cause, you can help by spreading the word. Feel free to repost this, or write your own version, on your own blog, on Facebook and other social media sites, on message boards, and anywhere else you think this would be appropriate. Both have lofty goals to reach, but they're doable!