Favorite charities

“The Tunnel world lives in each of us now. Now we are a community watching out for each other as we swim the various physical and emotional rivers life offers. Sometimes we watch; sometimes we swim.” Father’s Fan Fare

Fans who have been around since 1990 probably remember when and why Father's Fan Fare started. There was need for support and communication on a one-on-one basis. Sally Newman said, “I couldn't get the Beauty and the Beast Friendship Quilt (see pictures of the quilt here) out to people quickly enough (it has always been hand carried), so Father’s Fan Fare was started as a way to send out the information world-wide to individuals and groups who were willing to help provide contact and support to those who could use a little encouragement or congratulations. We have even raised funds to help those in special circumstances from time to time - including those involved with the show itself. I'm not sure who gets the most benefit - those who help or those who receive aid; seems to be a winning combination all around. The movement continues to this day and has never been broken.”

Having more people join in this ‘BATB family’ project to provide a card, letter, or e-mail to let someone know they are cared for would be tremendous. Depending on the sensitivity of the situation, specific information may not be given for some listings. If you know of anyone, including yourself, who could use a little extra encouragement, or if you would like to participate by sending your encouragement to others, please contact me.

Father’s Fan Fare
c/o Sally Newman
10714 Anita Drive
Mason Neck, Va 22079-3523
fffquiltlady@cox.net

International Charities

Devin Wells has recommended most of these since his various travels abroad and his ever-changing careers have given him experience with many of these organizations.

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
http://www.redcross.int/

Handicap International
This organization helps children mutilated by anti-personal mines to walk again by providing cheap but efficient prosthetics, made with locally available resources. http://www.handicap-international.org/english/

Habitat for Humanity
Building homes and hope around the world
http://www.habitat.org/

Charities supported by BATB celebrities

We had hoped to present to you a list of celebrity charities; however, our contacts with celebrities were not as fruitful as we had hoped. We have gathered some information about various charities and/or service organizations about which we thought you might like to learn more.

Band of Angels (BOA) www.bandofangels.net is a group of individuals who help those in need by sending them thoughts, prayers, cards, emails, notes. BOA started as a subset of the Official Edward Albert Fan Club but now has grown beyond that and Edward is still very much involved.

At the 1995 "Beauty and the Beast" convention, Eddie Albert Jr. spoke to a meeting of his fan club and Band of Angels was "born" that day.

Edward: "While I was listening with half an ear, I heard Paulette ask for hugs for somebody…I was blessed enough to grow up in a very loving family, a very large family, encompassing several continents actually; and the longer I'm alive, the more I realize how important family is. And I don't just mean blood relations; I mean people that share bonds, that share this time and this space on this pale blue orb that we all live on. It would make me extremely happy and very, very proud of all of us if we could find more and more ways of helping each other…I'd like this to become more than a Fan Club; I'd like to become an extended family. You have already helped me in many ways; the letters that you send in support of the shows I care about are very, very meaningful. I would love it if we could find a way of becoming a support system for each other that went beyond just being fans. If indeed it's my Fan Club and I'm the "Poppa" of the group here, I would love it if there was the possibility of when you are going through something difficult in your life, in whatever way, you can let us know. We can galvanize our increasingly large family, whether it's for letters, or prayer…whatever. I think maybe we will be coming together for something that has real value, not only in this life but in whatever other spheres and dimensions and lives there are. Let's start thinking of ourselves as a family that is pulled together by not only common interests, but a common sense of passion, and a common, in a sense, wisdom of choice-of knowing that if we include something, if we have something in our lives that makes us feel more alive, that makes us feel more cared for, that makes us feel a little bit more protected, that no matter what else happens, we have done something wonderful. Thank you!"

Avril Bowles provides us with additional information at The Official Edward Albert Website.

Eddie has a long-standing, passionate commitment and involvement with the Native American people and their culture; has been a 30+ year board member of the Latino Community Arts Center which his mother started; and has served on the California State Coastal Commission to help effect environmental protection efforts. We are sure these are only a few organizations in which Eddie has participated throughout his helper lifetime.

Marina Broers has told us that Jay Acovone’s favored cause is Pediatric Aids. We have listed two sites: The National Pediatric Aids Network http://www.npan.org/ and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation http://www.pedaids.org/.

We know from recent talk shows (The View and Oprah) that Linda Hamilton has encouraged awareness of bi-polar disorder, a form of mental illness. Most communities have mental health associations or you can find out more at the National Mental Health Association site. http://www.nmha.org/

Both Ellen Geer and Armin Shimerman are teachers at The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum. Ellen sits on the Board of Directors and is also the Artistic Director. The theatre, in addition to performances, has adult, youth, and teen classes. There are also a variety of school programs offered. You can find out more about the theatre at www.theatricum.com. We also encourage your support of the performing arts by attending events and/or supporting your local community theatre.

Sally Newman let us know that Ritch Brinkley's favorite charity is the National Keratoconus Foundation http://www.nkcf.org/, which helped save his sight years ago. They are still at work at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8733 Beverly Blvd Suite 201, Los Angeles, CA 90048, where he got help so many years ago.

Charities that the characters might have supported

Now for some CHARACTER favorites! We may not know many of the celebrities’ favorite charities, but we can postulate charities the characters are sure to like.

Can you imagine Vincent without his love of literature? Of course not, so for him we have chosen two: your local library and Reading Is Fundamental. http://www.rif.org/. RIF is the nation's largest nonprofit children's literacy organization.

And we bet you’ll never guess what we chose for Mouse. Thanks to the ever informative Linda Moore with Band of Angels, we learned of this organization. It fit Mouse so well, we just had to share it with all our helpers. It’s a great alternative for those who hate having garage or yard sales. Of course, most of us have local organizations which are always glad to take usable items and find them new homes, so keep them in mind too. But for a different alternative, check out www.Freecycle.org. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to recycle - plastics, newspapers, magazines, etc. etc. etc.

In remembrance of Ellie, and for those who may have suffered the loss of a child as did Mary, we again thank Linda Moore for letting us know about www.compassionatefriends.org. The mission of The Compassionate Friends is to assist families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age and to provide information to help others be supportive. The Compassionate Friends is a national nonprofit, self-help support organization that offers friendship, understanding, and hope to bereaved parents, grandparents and siblings.

And how could we not list the following charities which we imagine would be near and dear to Father’s heart, providing to others what he has always tried to have provided to his tunnel family. Thanks again to Linda Moore for the following links.

Warming Families is a group with many local chapters that donate blankets and other warm items to agencies serving the needs of homeless and displaced persons. For more information, or to locate the nearest chapter, check them out at www.WarmingFamilies.org.

“A Project Linus blanket is like a big hug when you need one” reads the banner across the home page of this special organization. A group dedicated to making and donating blankets and quilts to needy children of all ages, Project Linus was named one of the “10 Children’s Charities That Deserve Your Support” by Parents’ magazine. www.ProjectLinus.org

Perhaps you will find a worthy cause to support in the above listings. We encourage you to share with us what inspires your generosity by telling us about your favorite charitable organizations during Winterfest.