Magic For Life

Outside view…

jaysen — Tue, 11 May 2010 08:23:02 +0000

From the heart of a child
To the nurses, doctors, and all the other hospital staff…
I know you are busy trying to take care of every one. I know you come in to check my physical status, giving me stuff through a needle into the tubes, checking my vitals, monitoring everything. I lay here, though, on the hard uncomfortable hospital bed, squirming around, trying to get comfortable, and feeling alone and afraid. I hear other kids crying down the hallway, and wonder what is making them cry.
I hurt and am scared, not knowing what’s going to happen next, yet I try to be brave. I’m bored and attempt to watch the TV that’s mounted in the corner, but the stark blank walls that surround me and distract me, and make me feel uncomfortable.
I’m cold and the sterile white blankets are stiff and itchy. I can’t seem to get warm. I know there’s stuff all around me that I can do, books, cards, and toys, but I just can’t seem to get interested in them. I want to be home in my own bed, in front of my own TV. I’m afraid and alone.
When are you going to come in and check the weird stuff that surrounds me? I wonder what that beeping sound is and the little lines that go up and down and numbers that flash on the panel of one the machines is supposed to be and do. I wonder about what all the tubes do and why are they hooked up to me? I hurt, but try to be brave. I don’t want you to see me crying, like the other kids down the hall.
A face peers around the corner and then two people come in. Gee, these guys aren’t nurses, or doctors or volunteers. They don’t seem to fit here in the hospital. Who are they? They don’t have white coats, and they are not dressed like the nurses. They say hello and are laughing and smiling and say something about a “magic show”.
I groan and roll my eyes back and think, oh how stupid. I want them to go away, but they don’t. So I talk to them a little, I guess. Then they do their act. How odd, these guys are funny and good! Gee, next thing I know I’m smiling, and think wow, that’s pretty cool.
Then they leave, but you know what? I’m glad they came because I forgot about all the tubes; I forgot about the pain, I forgot about all the weird machines all around me just for a little bit. They made me feel not so alone, and not so afraid even if it was only for a few minutes. Magic show, wow that was pretty neat. I wonder what their names were.
Flashback – 50 years, 1966 to the age of 14. I was in an out of hospitals …I still remember being in so much pain, alone, afraid, and no one to hear me cry. They didn’t have magic shows back then to help us kids make the pain, fear, and loneness go away. We were scared, we were ALL scared. To have a brief moment’s escape from that, I would have remembered the brief joy. So I want to thank the organization “Magic for Life” for being here for the kids of today, and as I age, I thank them for being here during my declining years even if it’s only for one brief moment in time.
Wanona L. Heynen – May 2010

Philanthropy Lived

Admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 00:05:17 +0000

Having met with several directors over the past 4 months, nearly every one of them has expressed deep gratitude, and vehemently pointed out our philanthropic approach to business. Typically, I kinda shrug my shoulders, not because I don’t understand what philanthropy means (or at least I think I do), but it isn’t in this business plan to “go out of our way” to help others…It IS our way. I shrug because it isn’t something I consider out of my daily activity, so it all seems really mundane. That is, until I go to one of the shows, and truly see what we can do. What I don’t get to see is the smiles, laughter, and enjoyment post facto. I rely off of the directors who’ve experienced our service & deal with the residents on a daily basis. When they see and hear the positive impact, THAT’S when we’ve succeeded.

Funny, before I sat down to write this, I decided to actually look up philanthropy and philanthropic (only so many times you can be called it before you HAVE to make sure you know what it means). “Organized to provide humanitarian or charitable assistance”. “The effort or inclination to increase human well-being, as by charitable aid”. “Something intended to promote human welfare”. Well, that being said, I’ve re-acquainted myself with what miracles are. They aren’t, ironically, magic, they are the little things that one does every day as part of living the path that makes one happy, and inspires everyone else along the way. It’s just what you do, because “it’s what you’re supposed to do”. My life is now connected to those who do this every day, the directors, the nurses, cooks, all the staff of these facilities. They are, funny enough, inspired by what they do every day.

THAT is philanthropy lived…

“What to Expect from a Gov. Board”

jaysen — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:43:18 +0000

I’ve been reading innumerable books, articles, ezines, & newsletters, and I find it interesting how many of them are regarding the expectations of a Board. “A sleepy board spells disaster. More often than not, drives don’t come together because the governing body can’t or won’t take an active role as donors, cultivators, or solicitors.” (Edles, Fundaising, Hand-On Tactics for Nonprofit Groups, 23).

What I find most curious about this is people’s strong desire to help, and more importantly, to offer direction to others who want to help. They want to step up and be leaders of anchoring change, however, when it comes to actually doing any work, they grow weak in the heart. I’ve also seen a number of ads, inquiries, and pleas to become part of a board, yet when it comes to actually following through, prepare for a multitude of escape artists, email sleights of hand, and disappearing values. Our own board members have it easy (comparitively) this year, needing only to donate $500, or commit enough work & motivation to compensate that much. Btw, average board donation that I’ve heard/read about is $2-2.5k. Every state has a ‘volunteer value’, and even if it was as low as the state minimum wage, it would still only be 60 hours (Oregon approx). 1-2 hours a week to be in a prestigious position, and more importantly, affecting the change that one believes in. That leaves only 127 hours left in the week after work AND volunteering on a board…

It just makes me sad to think that in a culture where heroism, passion, and business are our biggest, greatest stories & media focuses, we seem to have the hardest time donating even an hour a week to being great at any one of those areas. Maybe we’re afraid of committment (ironic coming from an unmarried, 34 year-old male), or maybe it’s fear of doing the right thing & being successful. If we were one of those people that we looked up to, then we wouldn’t enjoy the stories of others as much? Nah, I doubt it. I am committed, do really heroic, passionate, business-minded activities everyday for our charity, and I’m still excited EVERY day about hearing of others’ similar successes.

If we’re ever going to scrap the idea that nonprofits are done by people who failed in the business world, it’s easy, or any other perpetuating myth, we need to be strong, ACTIVE, leaders. I’m not saying be Gandhi, but geez people, an hour…No wonder the leaders’ salaries remains low for what we do. Jax

The Volunteer

Admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:02:05 +0000

I’d like to know how to anchor volunteers to commit, especially to small charities.

This is an opportunity for people to make a noticeable difference, however, those charities with the largest names are more likely going to anchor “The Volunteer”. It’s a wonderful opportunity to stand up and be counted, versus, just another, although important, cog in the wheel.

The corporate charity, to be or not to be. . .
Jaysen Daskalos, Director of Development