*** LOG OPENED: Wed Jul  7 18:02:09 1999
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Participants:
  disabled
  ChanServ
  Mooooooo
  Lonewolf
  Kark
  Reader_13
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<Lonewolf> Ok hello everyone 
<Lonewolf> Our meeting this week is on Telethons-good fund 
    raisers, but bad image. 
<Lonewolf> This is a subject that has been thrown around 
    before. To me it is the perfect catch 22. Different 
    organizations need the money from telethons to 
    continue research and, in some cases, care they 
    provide. Then you have the other side: 
<Lonewolf> 1. Is it right to parade the crippled children 
    or adults in front of audiences to be gawked at? 
<Mooooooo> when you're trying to raise funds for anything, 
    people need to see what its going foe 
<Mooooooo> for 
<Lonewolf> true 
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<Lonewolf> Karen 
<Kark> I don't think that they would get the funds if 
    they din't show there cause 
<mom> and what's wrong with a little in-the-face-education? 
<Lonewolf> go on Karen 
<Lonewolf> nothing mom but some people feel it is using 
    the kids or whatever 
<Lonewolf> reader 
<Reader_13> I always worried about the money actually 
    reaching the individual... 
<Kark> Well you need to tug on heart strings to get 
    people's attention 
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<Kark> yes reader, I think that way to 
<Lonewolf> unfortunately Karen this is true 
<Lonewolf> how much does actually reach the kids??? 
<Kark> I think people have become robots and need a clear 
    reason to feel 
<Mooooooo> all depends on the charity 
<Mooooooo> some give 100%, some give none 
<Lonewolf> Daniel I know Carly raised an excellent point 
    about this once do you remember what it was 
<mom> that's where making sure the charity is & does what 
    it says it does. 
<Lonewolf> Every year in my hometown they have a telephon 
    for the local crippled children's center 
<Lonewolf> they always have a celebrity or two etc 
<Mooooooo> nope, i dont 
<Kark> I don't like the name 
<Lonewolf> then on sunday morning early they parade in the 
    kids 
<Lonewolf> Naturally contributions increase greatly 
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<Lonewolf> esp from churches etc 
<Lonewolf> its really hard on these kids-you can tell some 
    of them are very embarrassed 
<mom> (sounds like the telemarketers calling you at dinner 
    time, or bedtime...they know where you are likely to be.) 
<Lonewolf> the question raised is that it appears they are 
    begging for money 
<Lonewolf> exactly mom 
<Kark> yes I see the point, does sound like begging 
<Lonewolf> this center was originally for polio victims but 
    nowadays it covers all severe disabilities 
<Lonewolf> reader 
<Reader_13> Everyone knows that it's the organization that's 
    begging because they can't get the governmental funding 
    needed... 
<Lonewolf> true but they wouldn't get squat without the 
    emotional pull of the kids 
<Kark> I here funding has been cut a lot 
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<Lonewolf> yes it has 
<Reader_13> exactly,the hook 
<Lonewolf> so is this an ethical practice 
<Lonewolf> 2. Is it right to go for the sympathy plays? 
<Mooooooo> if it does the good that is intended, its 
    ethical 
<mom> so, the end justifies the means?? 
<Lonewolf> daniel were you ever used in a telethon of any 
    kind? 
<Woz> yupyup again 
<Lonewolf> max 
<Lonewolf> were any of you? 
<Lonewolf> reader 
<Reader_13> I was used by a radio station to help raise 
    money for my first motorized wheelchair in 1970 
<Lonewolf> pictures on ads or just over the air? 
<Kark> We were asked but my mom wouldn't let me 
<Reader_13> just over the air and it was very embarrassing 
    because they taped it 
<Lonewolf> why Karen? 
<Lonewolf> and played it over and over? 
<Mooooooo> nope 
<Mooooooo> never 
<Mooooooo> but i did walk for march of dimes 
<Reader_13> yes, and it was in another city where they 
    raise it (my aunt's doing) 
<Lonewolf> IC 
<Kark> I guess its the parade thing she didn't want me to 
    feel like the outcast 
<Lonewolf> that's the point exactly 
<Lonewolf> reader 
<Reader_13> The money raised helps children or adults that 
    could never afford equipment that the rich or celebrities 
    are seen using, I tend to think it's good up to a 
    point... 
<Lonewolf> what point reader 
<Kark> A group of us use to put flags on all the graves 
    in the Military Cemetary for memorial day and the Newspaper 
    want my picture and my mom would let them take the 
    picture unless it was with all the kids and they didn't 
    want it 
<Reader_13> who among us can afford equipment that Reeves 
    uses? 
<Lonewolf> true also 
<Lonewolf> I enquired into a service dog 
<Kark> she wouldn't 
<Lonewolf> in 
<mom> or all the specialists & surgeries that michael j. 
    fox has had 
<Lonewolf> inquired 
<Kark> I left out the n't 
<Lonewolf> and one organization wanted me to find a charity 
    to subsidize it 
<Reader_13> The point where the child or adult is ridiculed 
    more than being shown as he/she actually is... 
<Lonewolf> by some sort of fundraiser 
<Lonewolf> I didn't want my face platered on some jar in 
    the grocery stroe so I declined 
<Lonewolf> plastered 
<Lonewolf> They wanted $10,000 
<mom> justification for greed? 
<Lonewolf> reader 
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<Reader_13> The heart being played but with an educational 
    background is probably the best way to go... 
<Lonewolf> hard to decide 
<Lonewolf> I think it can be done with dignity but 
    sometimes isn't 
<Lonewolf> 3. What other ways could money be raised for 
    these organizations? 
<mom> (but who is deciding the comfort level of whom? 
<Lonewolf> that's a tough one mom 
<Reader_13> I lived in a crippled children hospital and I 
    disliked it when they brought celebrities around cause I 
    was working on healing my self image... 
<Lonewolf> karen 
<Kark> May I ask for clarification on the celeb thing 
    reader? 
<Reader_13> in what way? 
<Kark> sorry, Why didn't you like them 
<Reader_13> Because I wasn't amused by clowns or someone 
    from Bonanza who knew nothing about me or my disability 
    trying to cheer me up... 
<Lonewolf> they wanted to see the poor litle crippled kids? 
<mom> ... 
<Lonewolf> 4. What is it that moves people to contribute 
    during a telethon? 
<Lonewolf> sympathy? guilt? 
<Kark> I think I understand 
<mom> probably several things... yes, those, but some may 
    feel empathy, or that in some small way they can help 
    someone with anonymity 
<Lonewolf> I think Reader is saying he was trying to feel 
    dignity and the celebs brought him down 
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<Lonewolf> I think guilt comes into play too 
<Lonewolf> My child is normal but could have been like 
    that 
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<Lonewolf> hasn't been that long ago when crippled kids 
    were hidden away 
<Lonewolf> mom 
<mom> so your child feels guilty about being normal?? 
<Lonewolf> no-the parent thinking this causes them to 
    contribute 
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<Lonewolf> Your comfort level question is interesting mom 
<mom> well, that tends to be the nature of the 
    telethon-thing 
<mom> g.a. 
<Lonewolf> maybe the contributions increase because of the 
    audience's discomfort 
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<Lonewolf> every wed night without fail 
<Lonewolf> we have a net split 
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<Kark> net split 
<Lonewolf> yup 
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<Lonewolf> daniel isn't back 
<mom> my oldest was yelling at me for using juno... the 
    security issue... cause it was trying to mess my computer 
    up 
<Lonewolf> scott 
<mom> thru juno...! 
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<LordLinux> ooops 
<LordLinux> forgot 
<Lonewolf> scott did you have a question 
<LordLinux> i aint welcome here 
<Lonewolf> oh 
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<mom> the comfort level issue can be approached on so many 
    fronts... 
<Lonewolf> uh what was that about 
<mom> n.c. 
<Lonewolf> yes that is true 
<Lonewolf> personally it would make me feel like a bug 
    under a glass 
<katt> is there a topic? 
<mom> its an issue of how low can we go without offending 
    too many people and still make this an entertaining program 
<Lonewolf> and have u noticed you never see telethons for 
    old people? 
<Lonewolf> yes katt-telethons 
<Lonewolf> like an alzheimers telethon 
<Lonewolf> reader 
<katt> stupid question - what are telethons? 
<Reader_13> There are so many different causes... I'm afraid 
    they're going to go like the talk shows--shock value... 
<Lonewolf> true reader and no one wants to see old people 
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<Lonewolf> katt telethons are fundraisers 
<Lonewolf> 4. What is it that moves people to contribute 
    during a telethon? 
<Lonewolf> sorry 
<Lonewolf> was oopsie 
<katt> by a telephone? or any kind? 
<Lonewolf> 5. Tell us about telethons in your area. 
<Lonewolf> katt we use ! for statements and ? for 
    questions 
<Lonewolf> they are usually tv programs 
<Lonewolf> that use disabled kids to raise money 
<katt> ! oh, thanks 
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<Lonewolf> like Jerry's kids 
<Lonewolf> 5. Tell us about telethons in your area. 
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<katt> !I've never seen one 
<Kark> Jerry's is the biggest one I see, not any others I 
    know 
<Lonewolf> anyone else? 
<mom> there's one in cleveland for the local children's 
    hospitals 
<mom> that is run by the local tv news celebs 
<Lonewolf> Have any of you ever seen a telethon for people 
    other than children? 
<Mooooooo> nope 
<katt> !no 
<Lonewolf> sad but true-people are motivated by young 
    tragedies 
<Lonewolf> reader since you grew up in a children's 
    hospital could you share with everyone exactly how it felt 
    to be paraded 
<mom> in our local paper there are occasional stories to 
    elicit contribs for many types / ages of tragedies 
<Lonewolf> yes those are usually accidents or sudden 
    illnesses etc 
<mom> yup 
<Lonewolf> chronic is often a different story 
<mom> definitely 
<Lonewolf> I've noticed a decline in the last 10 yrs of 
    telethons 
<Lonewolf> max 
<Woz> decline due to overhead cost dimished returns 
<Lonewolf> prob 
<Lonewolf> reader 
<Reader_13> People are being overwhelmed by causes and are 
    getting tired of feeling guilty... 
<Lonewolf> I think what we have is does the end justify 
    the means 
<Lonewolf> mom 
<mom> the local sports figures around here will 
<mom> go to the hospitals, whatnot, and do the celeb 
    thing, but 
<mom> then , they tell the cameras to turn off and go 
    away as soon as the pictures get taken 
<Lonewolf> katt 
<katt> do they raise a lot of money? 
<Lonewolf> sometimes 
<Lonewolf> what do you all think of bucket shakes? 
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<Kark> don't like them 
<Lonewolf> does everyone know what a bucket shake is? 
<Mooooooo> nope 
<katt> nope 
<Woz> no 
<mom> > then , they tell the cameras to turn off and go 
    away as soon as the pictures get taken then only with the 
    staff do the sprts guys do the different wards 
<Kark> in Church they shake the basket in front of you 
    for a donation 
<Lonewolf> people stand at intersections with buckets for 
    contributions to something or other 
<mom> is that like the kettle ringers at the holidays 
<Kark> Move thearters too 
<Lonewolf> kinda 
<Reader_13> They're not well regulated... 
<Kark> boy I need sp ck 
<Lonewolf> we just had a case here of an organization from 
    florida doing bucket shakes-turned out to be phoney 
<Lonewolf> exactly reader 
<Lonewolf> we have them here the weekend of Jerry's kids 
<Lonewolf> hard to turn down a bucket in your car window 
<Lonewolf> mom 
<mom> i have noticed that the typical ones to give $ are 
    the ones who don't have a lot, or the huge corps that 
    have so much they don't miss it at all 
<Lonewolf> yes 
<Lonewolf> anyone else have anything? 
<Lonewolf> T 
<Lonewolf> Thank you all for coming 
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<Lonewolf> and participating 
<Lonewolf> max? 
<Woz> thanks for beeing here 
<Woz> we need you 
<Lonewolf> ur welcome-see you all next week 
<Lonewolf> well thanks max 
<Woz> hehe 
<Mooooooo> thanks judi :o) 
<Reader_13> Thanks 
*** LOG CLOSED: Wed Jul  7 18:58:30 1999