Vote for Zach Hunter on CNN Heroes
Back in February we introduce you to the work of a real-life rebelutionary: Zach Hunter. In July we had the chance to spend a weekend with Zach at the Denver conference during the Rebelution Tour. We were able to share our visions for our generation and pray together. It was so exciting to see how God is using him.
This week Zach is being featured on CNN Heroes - Special Report in the Young Wonder category with four other teens. Viewers are asked to vote on which teen they want to appear on a prime time special with Anderson Cooper.
Here’s a letter we received from Zach’s mother this afternoon:
Hey Friends,
I just found out that they opened voting today on CNN Heroes for Zach. In the category of young people making a difference, people are asked to vote and the leading vote getter will advance with the opportunity to appear on a prime time special with Anderson Cooper. This would allow Zach to speak to millions of people about modern day slavery and how he feels God is using his generation to bring freedom.
We have asked CNN to change the short sentence describing his work. $20k is what Zach has contributed personally. He has raised much more money than that through the many schools and churches doing the work. Also, the real power in what he’s done for the cause of abolition is in raising awareness and mobilizing a new generation of activists. We’ve asked them to change it to “Raising awareness and mobilizing students to end slavery.”
Anyway, can you help get the word out and ask your friends, network, constituents to vote? Since Zach doesn’t have a large organization behind him like the American Cancer Institute, or other such entity, there isn’t a large database voting. But, perhaps we can encourage a grass roots effort to get out the vote through MySpace, Facebook, your network of connections, etc.
There is a cash prize involved which Zach would like to use toward the aftercare and education of rescued child slaves if he were to be selected.
People can vote here: www.cnn.com/heroes. Your vote won’t post immediately. You can vote as many times as you like until next Monday.
Thanks,
Penny Hunter
We double-checked and re-checked to confirm that you are allowed to vote as many times as you like. Automated voting is, as always, expressly prohibited.
This is our chance to give a fellow rebelutionary a platform to talk about the hard things he is doing — and about what God is doing in our generation. Let’s put our efforts behind him. He currently trails the front-runner by just over 500 votes.
Remember: Voting is open until next Monday (November 12) at noon. You can vote as many times as you like during that time period. Spread the word!
November 5th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Good luck, Zach
November 5th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Whoo hoo! *Scrambles to the poll.*
November 5th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Thanks everybody! Just consider this a trial run for the ‘08 election … but there you only get to vote once … here you get the enjoyment of voting again and again. I appreciate you! Zach
November 5th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
sweet! im voting in like…5 seconds! I pray you win Zach! God bless
~kell~
November 5th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
That’s awesome! Good luck, Zach
*Goes to vote again.*
November 5th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
That is so wonderful that God is using you to do all of this ministry work for Him! It is such a blessing to know that God is making a such huge global impact through your ministry efforts!
In His Service,
Kirsten A. Gruber and Elisabeth J. Gruber
November 5th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Wow, awesome! I’m voting multiple times and ASAP!!
November 5th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Way to Go Zach! Thanks for setting an example for all of us! We will be praying for you- and you have our votes
1Ti 4:12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
November 5th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
voted… and voted again.
It makes me feel patriotic… considering I can’t vote in any “real” elections tomorrow.
November 5th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
I do believe these comments are moderated… and if they’re not, please forgive this remark that was not meant to be public, but in the first sentence, did you possibly mean to write “introduced” instead of “introduce”? I’m not the grammar queen, so you could have meant to use a different writing technique… but maybe these are your fingers trying to make you aware that they are wanting a typing break.
~Rebekah
November 5th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
Rebekah, you’re right! Thanks for catching that. Unfortunately, those kinds of typos happen more frequently than we would like.
November 6th, 2007 at 5:34 am
on my way to the voting “polls”
November 6th, 2007 at 5:35 am
I’m definitely voting, not to mention praying!
November 6th, 2007 at 6:09 am
Just voted. Good luck Zach!
November 6th, 2007 at 6:51 am
Good luck zach! I just voted several times.
November 6th, 2007 at 7:03 am
I’ve voted and will continue to do so. I looks like Zach is coming to the front quickly!
November 6th, 2007 at 8:19 am
I echo what everybody else said. Keep up the great work Zach!
Blessings,
Lydia
November 6th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Voting now and will continue to vote!
November 6th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Come on people! Zach was up by a hundred votes last night, now he’s behind by about two hundred!
November 6th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
EEEEK!!!!!!!!!! *Scrambles back to the polls!*
November 6th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
You all are great! Alex and Brett have more friends than anyone I know!
November 6th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
I voted once. I’m just not sure why you’re allowed to vote more than once. Does anyone know?
November 6th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
Don’t worry, friend. We’ll get you through.
November 6th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
We’ve checked with CNN and they have said you can vote as often as you’d like. I don’t know their philosophy unless it’s one of rewarding perseverance
Thanks y’all. Check out Proverbs 31:8-9.
November 7th, 2007 at 6:00 am
Hey, we have to get Zach back into the lead. He’s in second place right now!!
November 7th, 2007 at 8:45 am
Thanks for answering my question, Zach. My family and I have voted and we are praying for you!! May the Lord bless you in this ministry and draw you closer to Him.
November 7th, 2007 at 8:48 am
Zach, My family all voted for you there’s only five of us but I know we’ve all voted more then once! I’ll keep voting and praying!
November 7th, 2007 at 11:50 am
Just voted! (A lot)
November 7th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
I’ve tried the voting more than once on that CNN thing, but when I go back to vote again, it does not show a change in the number of votes. Is that supposed to happen?
November 7th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Elisabeth, the website only updates the number of votes every five or so minutes rather than immediately. That is why it doesn’t show up right after you vote.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
I have voted for him like 30 times…so is my brother. We have to get him back on top!
Carly D.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
I’ve voted for about 15 minutes hitting the refresh button over and over!
I really hope Zach wins!!!
November 7th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
I’ve voted nearly 20 times, and about to try to tell all of my friends. I’ve started spreading the word about this website, and the wonderful things that Zach is doing. Me, and my mini army of friends, are going to vote MANY MANY times. We pray and hope that Zach is able to spread his message on such a large scale
You are in our prayers Zach! You’re an inspiration to us all.
November 7th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Voting…voting…voting!
November 7th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
Thanks everyone! I especially appreciate your prayers. Like Alex and Brett I have a book manuscript due. Mine is extended until the end of the month. Plus I have Grade 10 work to keep up on. So, please pray for strength, rest, creativity and that my heart and mind would stay focused on Jesus. Brett and Alex, thanks for letting me hijack this part of your site.
November 8th, 2007 at 7:30 am
Come on let’s help Zach! He’s in second place right now. We got to keep votes coming in. Let’s all tell our friends to vote also.
November 8th, 2007 at 7:39 am
He’s climbing! Yesterday it was 32% to 37%, and now it’s 35% to 37%. Keep voting!
November 8th, 2007 at 9:19 am
I’m voting, and praying!
November 8th, 2007 at 10:50 am
heading back to vote!! praying for you Zach…you have a huge workload right now! Keep up the good work!
November 8th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
I’m going to vote another 20 times again!
I’ll be praying for Brett and Alex AND for Zach!
November 8th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Way to go! I’ll send a link to my friends!
November 8th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Okay, everyone. If we want Zach to win, we’ve got to persevere and keep on voting — but we also have to be smart. First, we need to get more recruits. It would be great if Alex and Brett could post about this again, but we need to be getting people to vote using our blogs and message boards we know of. Second, if you’re really willing to be hard-core, we need to also be voting late at night when other people aren’t voting. That’s our best chance to catch up. Keep spreading the word!
November 8th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Kaisha, great point! Everyone, if you have a Facebook or MySpace or an email address, use those to get your friends to vote, too!
November 8th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Still voting for you Zach…keep up the good work!
Carly D.
November 8th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Maybe we can set a day where everyone who feels like it can vote ten times at the top of every hour, or something like that. That would amount to a lot of votes! Just a suggestion!
November 8th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Hey Zach!
I’m hijacking the site a bit more for you here. I’ve voted probably a few hundred times at least. You know, get two browsers flipping back and forth…I’m rooting, voting, and praying! I almost feel stupid for taking a break to write you!
It’s cool to hear you’re writing another book. I really liked “Be the Change,” so I’m looking forward to the next one. I was trying to find a way to contact you, but all I had was the Lc2lc myspace. Anyway, great to see you here, and I’m back to the polls!
Blessings,
Adrienne
P.S. Oh yes, everyone else, make sure you get your e-mail blasts out to everyone to send this voting opportunity to all your friends. Thanks!
November 8th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
Go Zach! Adrienne and I have been voting almost non-stop for the past hour (at least). It’s a good thing this compy is fast!
Of course, we all hope Zach wins. Let’s all remember, though, that no matter whether or not he wins, God can still bless him in any way He chooses. And we will have gotten in some good practice on grassroots campaigning, right?
Get back to the polls!
Courtney A. Gilbert
–Phil.1:27
November 9th, 2007 at 3:26 am
Hey everyone, I tried the voting at night thing because I was up anyway, and voted several times (vote, page changes to results, hit refresh, repeat), but when the results finally updated, it only showed one more vote for Zach than it had previously. (Presumably it only counted my first vote.) Does anyone know what I’m doing wrong? Is my hitting the refresh button the problem?
November 9th, 2007 at 9:34 am
I like your idea Emma! I think that is what we should do. Let’s say Sat.? And why not make it twenty times.
November 9th, 2007 at 9:40 am
Oops! I forgot to mention, Laura maybe if wait a little before you hit the refresh button. Your problem might be that your hitting the refresh button to soon after you vote.
November 9th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Actually, tomorrow won’t work for me, but I’ll try to vote a lot today to make up for it. But you guys and gals go ahead! Thanks!
November 9th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
I’ve been working on the computer, and have voted at intervals pretty much all day! I think Courtney’s right, though, God will bless Zach and his cause in any way he chooses!
Also, Zach, I think you could really reel in a lot more votes if you posted about it on your myspace. Judging by the number of “friends” you have, and the fact that they all have myspaces that they could post about this on, it certainly could generate results!
Praying for all of you!
November 9th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
That’s okay Emma. You do today I’ll do tomorrow.
November 9th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
This is awesome! I will be praying for you, Zach! I think that I have voted around 75 times now… back to it… but above all, no matter how much I want you to get first, I wish God’s blessings on you!