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Brooklyn Philharmonic Calls It Quits until 2011

Filed under: Events, Art

If the Brooklyn Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra was on your calendar ... well, it isn't any more. There will be no more concerts this season. The entire 2009/10 season has been canceled. But, there is hope for 2011.

April 17, 2009, it seems, is the day the music died. Cause of death: budgetary shortfall from a drop in donations.

J. Barclay Collins II, chairman of the Brooklyn Philharmonic's board, won't reveal exactly how far donations have fallen, but the results are clearly shy of the organization's $3 million annual budget. He did say, however, that he expects the music to return in 2011. Fortunately, it's only the concerts that have been canceled. The Brooklyn Philharmonic will still operate its educational programs – at a cost of approximately $750,000 a year.

The decision to suspend the concerts comes following two years of financial difficulty. For its fiscal year ending June 30, 2007 (the last for which financial information is available), the group had a deficit of $121,925. A full-time staff of 23 people has been slashed by 70 percent.

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Tags: brooklyn, charity, donate, donation, donations, financial crisis, FinancialCrisis, new york, NewYork, orchestra, symphony

Thankful Troops Smoke 7,000 Cigars

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars

While we are constantly reminded of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we often lose site of the people serving. Sure, we support the troops and lament the fact that some are separated from their families for a year or longer ... with unfortunate regularity. But, these concepts remain abstract from those who don't don the uniform every day. Many have a friend or family member serving, but the vast majority is another step removed from the sacrifice. Chuck Ley, founder of the organization Cigars for Soldiers, is bridging the gap. His effort has added a personal and genuine touch to a "support the troops" message that the mainstream media has forced into cliché too soon.

Ley, like me, was a soldier. While my service entailed comfy pencil-pushing positions in Uijongbu, South Korea and Fort Gordon, Georga, he was an infantryman – the real deal – wounded in action in Mogadishu, Somalia. It wasn't the event immortalized in Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down, but few realize that we fought more than once over there. Though back in civilian life for more than a decade, Ley has not forgotten his time in uniform, and many of his friends continue to serve.

From time to time, Ley would get a phone call or e-mail from overseas, a friend in some far-flung place. The tone varied from casual inquiry to begging to near-demand: send cigars. How could a cigar-smoking former soldier refuse?

Gallery: Cigars for Soldiers

Soldiers smoke Pepin Garcia cigars in Iraq

Don Pepin Garcia addresses the crowd at De La Concha

The cigars donated to Cigars for Soldiers by Don Pepin Garcia

Tags: afghanistan, black hawk down, BlackHawkDown, charity, cigar, cigar accessories, cigar cutter, CigarAccessories, CigarCutter, cigars, donate, donation, donations, foundation, georgia, iraq, iraq war, IraqWar, lighter, lighters, marine, marines, mark bowden, MarkBowden, mogadishu, relax, soldier, soldiers, somali, somalia, south korea, SouthKorea, support the troops, SupportTheTroops

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Schoolpop.com, Charity of the Day

by Star Sutherland (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Charity, Charity of the Day

Want to support your favorite school every time you shop online? Schoolpop.com offers internet shoppers an easy way to donate to the school of their choice, while conveniently buying their everyday shopping items. Since its inception, Schoolpop has contributed more than $200 million to over 30,000 schools nationwide! Choose from hundreds of your favorite retailers, Arden B., Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, L'Occitane, Pottery Barn....and hundreds more. Check out the Schoolpop website to see if the school you'd like to support is listed, chances are ....it is! If you're kids school needs a simple and effective fundraiser, get them listed on the site! Some purchases kick back as much as 20% of retail price to the school. I love this site, what an easy way to contribute to the education of future generations.

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Tags: charity, charity of the day, CharityOfTheDay, donate, donations, internet, internet shopping, InternetShopping, online, online shopping, OnlineShopping, school fundraiser, SchoolFundraiser, schoolpop.com, schools

Raising Malawi, Charity of the Day

by Star Sutherland (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Charity, Charity of the Day, Big Givers

Today's Charity of the Day is co-owned by none other than Madonna herself. When Michael Berg and Madonna founded Raising Malawi (RM), their goal was to help over one million orphaned children in Malawi that suffer from deadly diseases, extreme poverty and the effects of severe drought. Raising Malawi volunteers are hard at work, fund-raising, conducting research, and raising awareness. Check out this organization's website, there is a heartwarming and educational letter that Madonna wrote about Malawi and the children that reside there.

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Tags: africa, Charity of the Day, CharityOfTheDay, donate, donation, malawi, Raising Malawi, RaisingMalawi

Adopt-A-Minefield, Charity of the Day

by Star Sutherland (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Charity, Charity of the Day

Adopt-A-Minefield (AAM) is a charity that helps clear some of the tens of millions of land mines that contaminate our world, as well as providing medical care and support to victims of land mines and their families. Landmines are brutal weapons that maim or kill 15,000 to 20,000 civilians every year! Adopt-A-Minefield currently provides mine clearance in six countries: Afghanistan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cambodia, Croatia, Mozambique and Vietnam. AAM is always in search of generous sponsors to adopt minefields that the United Nations has identified as being in desperate need of clearance. Every dollar raised is forwarded to the United Nations for mine clearance. To learn more about how your donation can help the urgent global landmine crisis visit their website.

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Tags: adopt-a-minefield, charity, charity of the day, CharityOfTheDay, donate, donation

The Children's Health Fund, Charity of the Day

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Charity, Charity of the Day

It seems lately that this country is having a lot of issues in a lot of different areas, but one of the biggest is health care. Millions of children in this country are without health insurance and live in families that cannot afford to pay for their basic medical needs. The Children's Health Fund works to provide guaranteed health access for all children nationwide, along with contributing healthcare support services during emergencies (9-11, Hurricane Katrina). The Children's Health Fund was founded back in 1987 by pediatrician Irwin Redlener, MD and singer/songwriter Paul Simon.

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Tags: charities, charity, children, childrens health fund, ChildrensHealthFund, donate

Just Give, Charity of the Day

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Charity, Charity of the Day

The number of charities in the world is countless, non-profits cover all areas imaginable with some serving world-wide and others serving only their immediate local areas. And although you may know you want to share some of your blessings with others by giving money or volunteering, it can be more than a little intimidating to try and find one to support. Just Give is an organization that works to connect people who want to give with the charities that need them most. You can search their website and find charities that serve needs you're passionate about, serve locations near you or near loved ones, or you can simply browse around until something strikes you. Happy giving!

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Tags: charities, charity, charity of the day, CharityOfTheDay, donate, give, giving, just give, JustGive

World Wildlife Fund, Charity of the Day

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Charity, Green, Charity of the Day

The World Wildlife Fund works around the world to protect endangered species, protect and restore endangered habitats, and deal with the ever-growing global challenges facing the environment. As with most charities you can always give the simple gift of a donation in your loved one's name, or with WWF it gets a little more fun and personalized when you adopt an endangered wild animal. For just $50 you get an adoption certificate, a photo of your chosen animal, and best of all an adorable coordinating plush toy. And with 80 species to choose from you can certainly personalize your gift, and even encourage the starting of an annual tradition and a collection of animals. Donate/order by December 17th for Christmas delivery.

Gallery: World Wildlife Fund Animals for Adoption