Dear List Members,
I offer a description of one Pennies for Parkinson's fundraising idea:
The Street Fair.
Princeton University, the Princeton Arts Council and the downtown
merchants have an annual event to publicly present a united and
cooperative neighborhood image. It is a street fair, vehicular traffic
is expelled from a cordoned off area and the sidewalk spaces are
assigned to non-profits, for profits, individuals, merchants, anyone
who plunks down $30. The Arts Council is the beneficiary of the event.
The town is a mess; traffic is backed for a 10-mile radius as people
try to get on with their Saturday schedules. But, the weather was
wonderful, families with kids and dogs were promenading around,
tasting food, chatting with each other and even learning about
Parkinson's disease. Notwithstanding the roving gangs of teen-agers
who were rampantly spraying each other (and anybody within spraying
range) with a glittering colorful substance, popping noise
maker-fire-cracker like things and just being young, annoying and
wonderful at the same time. Of course I say this now, far-way from
them.
With the help friends (I don't belong to a support group), including
Terrie Whitling, a table was set up in an assigned spot, we put out
our literature, a presentation board with pictures, copies of
Resolutions and 3 big collection jars ready for action. We had a
beautiful new banner and a secret ingredient we did not know we had:
one of our new volunteers is a barber and she suggested that we give
haircuts for a donation. This was a brilliant idea and we had people
lining up. We had clipboards with sign up sheets for our up-coming
events: a dog walk-a-ton, a bike-a-thon, and a golf tournament.
We collected $187.11 cash and a $250.00 check from a merchant.
This was a pretty easy way to make some money, and meet people. I am
always surprised that almost everyone knows someone with PD. Three
PWPs found us and we exchanged symptoms and information.
Terrie downloaded a very large list of street/community fairs in NJ
and we will give the support groups info about fairs that are in their
area and have them make arrangements to spend a few hours being
neighborly. I am sure that each state has information available either
on the net or in the state tourism information office. If you need
help finding the source, please let me know and I'll try to locate
your state's list for you.
Margaret Tuchman
Princeton, NJ
H (609) 921-1696
Fx(609) 921-1613
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The Parkinson Alliance
We take responsibility for OUR future!
Margaret Tuchman
Princeton, NJ
B1941/Dx1980
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