Charity…
which renders good for bad, blessings
for curses.
William Shakespeare, Richard
III (c. 1591), Act I, scene 2, line 68.
Want to do a world of good for someone you may
know? Want to have a bang up good
time in the process?
Get yourself to Lannie’s Clocktower on February10 for a night of music and fun…and a chance to contribute to the Denver ActorsFund at the same time. See and
hear your favorite local actors acting up and giving it up for the best new
charity in town.
ABOUT THE DENVER ACTORS FUND:
It’s a rare person who never needed a helping
hand at some time. Those working
in the Denver theater community do it more for the passion than the
paycheck. Most have day jobs with
little or no health insurance, and they are highly vulnerable to the
unpredictable illness or injury that can afflict any of us.
Over the years, actors, directors, producers,
and companies have passed the hat when someone needed immediate financial or
emotional assistance. However, the
hat passing was informal and impromptu.
Those days are over.
The
Denver Actors Fund (DAF)
was established in the summer of 2013, part of an effort of CultureWest to create a modest
source of immediate, situational relief when members of the local theater
community find themselves in great and sudden medical need. The inaugural event was a fundraiser
that attracted about 100 people.
In the best dramatic fashion, partygoers donated more than $1,200.00 to
the fund that night.
According to Chris Boeckx, President of the DAF Board of Directors, a lot of progress has been made since that initial
event. “We have incorporated and
filed as an IRS non-profit group.
We have established bylaws to control donations and distributions, and
we have established criteria for disbursements, along with an application
process for those needing assistance.”
While Chris expects financial assistance to be
the biggest need for DAF, he expects
to use volunteers to meet other needs.
DAF plans to offer services
such as:
· Meal
preparation/delivery
· Construction/remodeling
to improve accessibility
· Assistance
with errands
· Domestic
assistance (housekeeping, laundry, etc.)
· Company/companionship
DAF
assistance is not limited to actors; according to Boeckx, “actors, directors,
musicians, ticket takers, carpenters, seamstresses” and anyone else involved in
any way in a production in the last five years is eligible.
So…how is it
working? Ask Becky Toma, one of
the first beneficiaries of the Denver
Actors Fund.
Becky has been a props designer and P.R.
freelancer for clients including schools and local theatre companies including Littleton Town Hall Arts Center, Phamaly Theatre Company, the Mizel Center and Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret. Becky fell and fractured her knee on November
15, and she needed a wheelchair. She
has health insurance, but with a very high deductible. The DAF
wrote her a check for $294.06 to cover renting a wheelchair until she can get
back on her feet. Becky was very
grateful: “Any assistance I receive from the Denver Actors Fund is greatly
appreciated. When I’m back working again, I hope to contribute back to the Fund!”
Maggie Stillman, another early beneficiary of
DAF, had these words of thanks:
“Hello
to this wonderful community. . . . The grant I received from the DAF went
towards my deductible and paid for my hospital co-pay. My surgeon spoke with my
family while I was in recovery and stressed that the surgery could not have
waited . . . . Every dollar I received helped my quality of life to improve
exponentially (if not literally saving it). Life is the most beautiful gift
that we can ever give. Thanks for improving mine.”
Shakespeare is right; we can all help change
some curses to blessings if we care enough. The DAF is an
excellent way for all theater fans, patrons, and enthusiasts to give back to
the local talent that entertains, enlightens, provokes and inspires us
regularly from their stages.
If you would like more information, check out DAF on Facebook here.
If you’d like to make a tax deductible
donation, you can take care of that here. If you’re eligible for and need
assistance, you can find a downloadable application form on this web page (scroll
down). If you’d like some cool
sportswear or other gear with the DAF
logo, find it in the online DAF store
here.
Any and all donations are greatly appreciated.
DAF logo and photos of Becky
Toma & Maggie Stillman used with permission.
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