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Local Heroes (cont'd.)

 When P.F.C. needed Toronto and National Honorary Chairs for SuperWalk in
1976, I picked up the ‘phone and called Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Lewis MacKenzie and
The Hon. David Crombie, the hero of Sarajevo and the former mayor of Toronto
respectively and asked them.  Their replies: enthusiastic "Yes, I'd love to
help!"

 When you ask eminent persons to help, you must be careful not to ask them
to do too much.  Their lustre and reputation is often the only currency they
have and you must be sure not to debase it.

 Another way is to develop an exceptional non-celebrity into your spokesman.
With  bit of media training they can be more effective than a star.

 It is very easy to think of a celebrity as a panacea, the one thing that
will solve all your problems.  I don't know the U.S political scene very
well, but I can imagine that Janet Reno could very well have conflicts of
interest were she to use her position as A-G to advocate for PD.  A local
hero often comes unencumbered with excess baggage