I can’t believe that we are now in August and I am writing to you about the September and December BINGO Events and the October 6th Annual AIDS Walk…this year is moving right along for sure!
The John Lennon Art Show and Sale sponsored by Yoko Ono and FACT gave us a door donation of $2,600.00. I want to give a big FACT thank you to Yoko Ono and Legacy Productions for including FACT as part of this event.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) granted FACT another $5,000.00 this year. The Bucks County Playhouse will be hosting the BC/EFA and this year headlining Alan Cumming. This event takes place on October 19-th. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/BCEFA/posts/10153118728115454.
FACT and the Playhouse have teamed up before when we brought you the SOLD OUT David Steinberg one-man show earlier this year, which generated over $3,000 in donations to FACT. The upcoming shows and events are, “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife” (thru Sept 1), the Summer Music series (one of the performances features “Well Strung” on October 5) and don’t miss “Meet Me in St Louis” for the 2013 holiday show. For more information visit www.bcptheater.org .
BACK TO SCHOOL BINGO is the theme for our September 18-th BINGO. The December holiday JINGLE BELL BINGO is taking place on December 11-th. See more information below. Seating is limited and our BINGO events are very popular, so we suggest making reservations on-line at our web site; we hate turning people away at the door. Doors open at 6:00 and your $20 entrance fee not only includes your bingo sheets, it also includes dinner! The September BINGO features “School Boxed Lunch”. We always have a cash bar available. You must be 21 or older for these events. Pumpkin and Big Sue, along with our 50/50 “girls” will keep you very entertained. I want to take this opportunity to thank our BINGO Committee for always doing a great job in organizing these events. Chad Lewine and Gordon Pulaski have created our BINGO “posters” and a special thank you to them for all of their patience and help.
We ask that everyone join us for our 14-th Annual New Hope-Lambertville AIDS WALK on Sunday, October 6-th. Amazing… it is our fourteenth year in producing this fun family and friend’s event (including our four-legged friends too). Walk coordinator, Herbie Andrus and the entire Walk committee have been working very hard to make this another successful Walk! I want to particularly thank our generous sponsors this year. Many have sponsored each year and we have a lot of new sponsors on board as well. I have to also thank our volunteers, our great communities of New Hope & Lambertville, and the FACT all-volunteer board of directors, who all pitch in to make each Walk so successful. You can make a difference by collecting pledge funds for the walk. Please go to our web site for details and simply click on the top home page AIDS WALK Banner and it will direct you to the 2013 Walk page. You can also link to and create your own on-line pledge page there; teams are very welcome. A special thank you goes to Gene Underwood for all of his help on our AIDS Walk logos and t-shirt designs. We also want to thank Scott Dewitt at The Raven for having FACT set up a table at Sunday T-Dance. If you happen to be there, stop by for Walk info and general FACT information. We are in need of a greater LGBT presence at all of events.
FACT gives funding to individuals living with HIV-AIDS for last resort financial assistance with everyday living expenses (for details, visit our web site). Part of FACT’s guidelines allow us to award grants for educational and AIDS awareness programs. We were able to award grants to both Life Ties and Hi-TOPS so far this year. Our Student Scholarship funds have been awarded to Valorie Richards for all of her assistance to FACT and her great volunteer work with other community organizations. There are still student grants available; contact FACT for details if you are or know of a student in the area who can carry out the criteria needed.
Gary Scibelli, one of our board members and a BINGO 50/50 “girl”, alias Norma Doesman, did a great job while vacationing in Provincetown, MA this summer and was able to raise over $900 by “working the streets” selling our FACT wristbands (pictures to be posted in our gallery soon). A big FACT thank you to you Gary! (Gary is pictured here with me)
We are still saddened by the unexpected passing of Ed Coogan. He was a part of our FACT family as a past board member and friend. This is a tragic loss to our community and he will be missed. I want to thank everyone for their donations to FACT in Ed’s honor.
If you have or are thinking about creating an endowment in your estate, FACT would be honored to be a part of your life. Think of us so we can continue to help others with their lives.
The holidays will be here before you know it. I would like to remind everyone that if part of your holiday gift giving is to charity to please remember FACT Bucks County. You can give donations easily on line at our web site and through PayPal. Donations are kept local and support individuals and HIV-AIDS organizations in Bucks, Mercer and Hunterdon Counties.
We are happy to service our community for over 21 years! I hope to see you at our BINGOs and at THE WALK! (See below for additional links)
For information on Life Ties visit www.LifeTiesInc.org
For more information on Hi-TOPS visit www.hitops.org
For more information on Broadway Cares/EFA visit www.broadwaycares.org
OTHER UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS…
The New Hope Arts and Crafts Show is September 28 & 29 http://www.visitnewhope.com/arts-crafts-festival/
For more local events go to www.VisitNewHope.com