Comments on: Tough Economic Times http://camillustownshop.org/2009/02/07/tough-economic-times/ The mission of the Town Shop is to provide a rich and consistent array of the ingredients (People, Places, and Possibilities) that young people need to encourage and support their personal growth and development. Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:38:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Cousin Daniel http://camillustownshop.org/2009/02/07/tough-economic-times/comment-page-1/#comment-232 Cousin Daniel Tue, 10 Feb 2009 06:44:20 +0000 http://camillustownshop.org/?p=184#comment-232 D & C... Hang in there! Things are tough all over. I wish I could say things are different in California but the state employees are being required to take off two days monthly as a strange, stopgap means to hold back on spending. This is trickling down into many fine programs and will eventually reach me as younger colleagues will be dropped from county probation work. (More work for the geezer). In seeking support for the Town Shop, I imagine that you have been seeing grant money dry up and once-generous donors retreat. Julie and I are currently key sponsors to a rotating homeless shelter program in our valley. I coordinate each Tuesday night's provision of a hot dinner, hot showers and a warm bed, using a score of volunteers. Once the cold season is over, I'd like to set you up with some chump change form the Hedrick coffer. Don't hold your breath or laugh. You might as well get what I'd be contributing if the homeless shelter was a year-long program. There is much to be said for collective fundraising. Last year, we sent Andrew to Sydney for two weeks through three-years of seemingly endless fundraising by church teens. You probably know just how demanding constant fundraising can be. Our most profitable gig, as far as the effort-to-earnings ratio was concerned, was a casino night. It's all funny money and managed by a team of former casino dealers who teach roulette, blackjack and other games to largely empty-nester retirees. The kids sell snacks and a few parents run a bar. We have professional musicians who put together a jazz group complete with a torch singer. It beat the bizzilion carwashes and bake sales. I know you'll pull through! Hang tough! Much love... Cousin Daniel D & C… Hang in there! Things are tough all over. I wish I could say things are different in California but the state employees are being required to take off two days monthly as a strange, stopgap means to hold back on spending. This is trickling down into many fine programs and will eventually reach me as younger colleagues will be dropped from county probation work. (More work for the geezer). In seeking support for the Town Shop, I imagine that you have been seeing grant money dry up and once-generous donors retreat. Julie and I are currently key sponsors to a rotating homeless shelter program in our valley. I coordinate each Tuesday night’s provision of a hot dinner, hot showers and a warm bed, using a score of volunteers. Once the cold season is over, I’d like to set you up with some chump change form the Hedrick coffer. Don’t hold your breath or laugh. You might as well get what I’d be contributing if the homeless shelter was a year-long program.

There is much to be said for collective fundraising. Last year, we sent Andrew to Sydney for two weeks through three-years of seemingly endless fundraising by church teens. You probably know just how demanding constant fundraising can be. Our most profitable gig, as far as the effort-to-earnings ratio was concerned, was a casino night. It’s all funny money and managed by a team of former casino dealers who teach roulette, blackjack and other games to largely empty-nester retirees. The kids sell snacks and a few parents run a bar. We have professional musicians who put together a jazz group complete with a torch singer. It beat the bizzilion carwashes and bake sales. I know you’ll pull through! Hang tough! Much love… Cousin Daniel

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