Kauer Guitars – a boutique electric guitar brand based in California – has raised over $40,000 for the Flyaway: Emergency Rescue Mission fund, which seeks to help evacuate those who have “no chance at survival” in Taliban-occupied Afghanistan.
The company took to social media earlier this week to offer those who donated $2,000 to the cause a freshly-built Korona model from its lineup. “Show us a $2,000 dollar receipt to [the] GoFundMe and I’ll build you a Korona (that you’ll get by end of 2021)," Kauer wrote on Instagram.
It continued: “That's 30 percent off and we are entirely out of pocket but it's worth it.” Korona models normally list on Kauer Guitars' website from $3,150.
Shortly after the initial post, the company extended the number of donation slots available due to demand, but quickly filled up its order book, warning donors that it “may be into early 2022” before they get their delivery.
Of course, a $2,000 donation is a lot for many people, so the brand's head honcho Doug Kauer has opened a raffle to win his own personal Shoreliner six-string, with entries only costing $20. You can enter by donating $20 to the Flyaway: Emergency Rescue Mission fund, and sending a copy of your receipt to doug@kauerguitars.com.
The Flyaway: Emergency Rescue Mission fund was set up by Tommy Marcus – who has started similar fundraisers before – and seeks to help get those at risk of persecution by the Taliban to safety.
They include “Afghan men and women who have worked as human rights lawyers, champions of women's and LGBTQ rights, journalists, government liaisons, artists, and interpreters." These are the people who, as the GoFundMe page says, “are at imminent risk of being executed by the Taliban, along with their families."
At the time of writing, the page has raised over $6,250,000. To donate to the cause, head to the official Flyaway: Emergency Rescue Mission GoFundMe page.
