And now, a pitch to those New Yorkers on the board (lurkers too) who might have some free time between Friday, December 4th (at about 9:30am) through Friday, December 18th.
As many of you on this board know, I spend the first two weeks of December helping at a project to make gift bags for men, women and children living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. It's called the
Stephen J. Falat Holiday Basket ProjectI have been a part of it for 11 years (if I recall correctly) and it's a very important part of my Holiday Season. We need volunteers to help out. If any of you in New York (or the surrounding area) have free time and would like to help out we would love to have you. We operate out of the 2nd Floor of the Actors Equity Building in the Audition Lounge.
The day we need the most volunteers is Friday, December 4th. That's the day all the supplies and donations and other purchased gifts arrive. We have to load all the goods from trucks on 46th Street into the freight elevator and into the Audition Lounge. If you want to volunteer on that day you need to be able to lift and carry and run around.
If you can't make it on that day but would like to help out other days we need people to fill the bags, cut and curl ribbon (we do about 3,000 bags and each one is tied with curled, colored ribbon), fill sandwich bags with candy, fold clothing and other tasks. You don't need to be able to lift and carry and run around to help on days after December 4th. We have sitting jobs for those who are not physically able to do much work.
We also have a separate room where bags for children are assembled. That is coordinated by a New Jersey branch of the Barry Manilow Fan Club, 3 wonderful women who love Barry and also love to help out at the holidays.
If you are interested in helping and you're registered on the board you can send me a private message to let me know.
If you lurk but are interested in helping you can just come to the 2nd floor of the Actor's Equity Building at 165 West 46th St. between Broadway and Sixth Avenue any day Monday through Friday from 10-4pm December 7 through approximately December 18. We don't always go the full two weeks, it depends on how many bags we are doing and how many volunteers we have.
You don't have to be a member of Equity to help, just come to the second floor Audition Center and tell the person at the desk that you have come to help on the Basket Project. Even if you only have a half hour to help it's greatly appreciated. I'll be there every day so you'll get to spend time with me (what a treat!).
If you can't help out but want to make a donation of goods or money (it's tax deductible and we can give you an EIN for tax purposes) either send me a private message and I'll tell you who to contact or drop by for even a few minutes and I'll tell you what to do to make a donation.
Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to give. I hope to see some of you this year.
