Local charity making a run for social networking money

Want to use your social networks to help out a good cause?

Go to www.cfgaston.org and check out the Community Foundation of Gaston County's Run for the Money 8 project. Using their own Web site, social networks and just old fashioned shoe leather, they've somehow put themselves in the thick of one of the biggest stories out there right now when it comes to social media and charitable causes.

They're in the hunt for $250,000 in grant money through the "Pepsi Refresh Project," a giant social media campaign in which the soft drink maker is giving away millions each week to charities that gain the most votes for their good causes.

When I went to the Pepsi site this morning, the Gaston foundation's project, which gives matching grants to participating charities, was ranked No. 10 in the race for the current $250,000 pot of grant money. The top two vote-getters, to be announced March 1, will each get $250,000. "This could REALLY be big for 123 non-profits in Gaston County," project director LeeAnn Harris told me in an e-mail.

But they've got to make up ground fast, and they've got bigger groups like the American Legion, Teach for America, and even a charity headed by "Law & Order" TV star Mariska Hargitay blocking their way. Let's get behind our local folks! Go to the Pepsi site and vote, then spread the word in your Twitter feed and Facebook network.

And a quick correction: In my last blog post, I referred to Topics Education, a local strategic communications firm, as Topix Education. Serious brain cramp there. Apologies to the letter S, to my elementary school teachers, and to Winn Maddrey and the crew over at Topics.