2008 VOLUNTEERS IN FUNDRAISING AWARD
Friends of Thirteen, WNET, New York
Nominated by Neal Shapiro, President and CEO, Thirteen/WNET New York
Award accepted by Dorothy Pacella, Friends of Thirteen
Thirteen/WNET New York appreciates the opportunity to nominate the Friends of Thirteen, Inc. for the 2008 NFPB Volunteer in Fund-Raising Award.
The Friends of Thirteen is a nonprofit organization of volunteers who act as liaisons between Thirteen/WNET New York and the community to INCREASE viewership of the station’s quality programming; PROMOTE use of its innovative educational resources; and EXPAND support for public television as one of our nation’s great cultural treasures.
From volunteering time, to providing financial support, to making it known to their elected officials how important independent public television is in their lives, the Friends of Thirteen demonstrated the value of public television to the communities we serve.
Contribution Highlights:
- Education – one of public television’s key missions is to use the power of electronic media to create innovative educational opportunities – this was accomplished through the Teaching and Learning Celebration - a two-day professional development conference for educators. Over a two-day period nearly 10,000 educators and friends of education gathered at the Marriott Hotel in New York City. For three years the Friends assumed responsibility for a project within the Celebration focused on students – Hobart Shakespeareans (2005); Daniel Pearl Reporters (2006) and underwriting for (314) teacher registrations (2007). The Friends raised the funds necessary to bring these students to the Celebration. The Friends also initiated and organized an on-site merchandise booth, cultivated the Educator Member program, and enlisted student support from the Fashion Institute of Technology and McCauley Honors College.
- Programming - NEW YORK WAR STORIES, local companion documentary to THE WAR: A Ken Burns Film. Friends’ board members read over 500 narratives, received and catalogued 160 videos / DVD submissions and 350 letters; identified and secured NY Veterans and family members for local production; gathered information and built a database of military and community organizations and distributed 4,000 WWII brochures; partnered with a senior center and a Public Access channel to produce 11 interviews for the War Stories Website; facilitated placement of articles in community newspapers; assisted in planning an patron event for a local library; identified veterans for member pledge spots; distributed flyers to community organizations. This was a year-long project.
- Advocacy - grassroots advocacy continues to be an important role for the Friends of Thirteen. In February, The Friends of Thirteen, embarked on its 20th annual visit to congressional representative as part of their fundraising mission on Capitol Hill Day. This year, three special generations of Friends assisted in the lobby effort – Beverly Lundquist, her daughter Ann, and her granddaughter Tecla.
- Korean American Friends of Thirteen, hosted a fundraising dinner in Flushing with over 250 people attending. Live auction with one of a kind auction items, video presentation of Great Performances: NY Philharmonic Performance in Pyongyang, and a Korean Traditional Dance Performance. The Korean Friends are an integral part of the Thirteen family and have been supporting the station for over 15 years with Golf Outings, Fundraising Dinners, and Theater Parties.
- Community Engagement – The Friends hosted a screening and reception for 750 at the historic St. George Theatre in Staten Island, NY, for A Walk Around Staten Island. This event “opened the doors” to new many cultural organizations and partnerships in the community and played a key role in very successful pledging.
The Friends of Thirteen continue to grow over the years and is very successful because they are very special volunteers, board members, contributors – they are the best people to deliver public television’s message into the community and on Capitol Hill. Their vested interest is simply their love of their local public television station.
The overall strong leadership of the Chairman Carmela Haklisch and the board members, made it possible for Thirteen/WNET to realize nearly $190,000 in FY2007-08.
Friends of Thirteen, WNET, New York
Nominated by Neal Shapiro, President and CEO, Thirteen/WNET New York
Award accepted by Dorothy Pacella, Friends of Thirteen
Thirteen/WNET New York appreciates the opportunity to nominate the Friends of Thirteen, Inc. for the 2008 NFPB Volunteer in Fund-Raising Award.
The Friends of Thirteen is a nonprofit organization of volunteers who act as liaisons between Thirteen/WNET New York and the community to INCREASE viewership of the station’s quality programming; PROMOTE use of its innovative educational resources; and EXPAND support for public television as one of our nation’s great cultural treasures.
From volunteering time, to providing financial support, to making it known to their elected officials how important independent public television is in their lives, the Friends of Thirteen demonstrated the value of public television to the communities we serve.
Contribution Highlights:
- Education – one of public television’s key missions is to use the power of electronic media to create innovative educational opportunities – this was accomplished through the Teaching and Learning Celebration - a two-day professional development conference for educators. Over a two-day period nearly 10,000 educators and friends of education gathered at the Marriott Hotel in New York City. For three years the Friends assumed responsibility for a project within the Celebration focused on students – Hobart Shakespeareans (2005); Daniel Pearl Reporters (2006) and underwriting for (314) teacher registrations (2007). The Friends raised the funds necessary to bring these students to the Celebration. The Friends also initiated and organized an on-site merchandise booth, cultivated the Educator Member program, and enlisted student support from the Fashion Institute of Technology and McCauley Honors College.
- Programming - NEW YORK WAR STORIES, local companion documentary to THE WAR: A Ken Burns Film. Friends’ board members read over 500 narratives, received and catalogued 160 videos / DVD submissions and 350 letters; identified and secured NY Veterans and family members for local production; gathered information and built a database of military and community organizations and distributed 4,000 WWII brochures; partnered with a senior center and a Public Access channel to produce 11 interviews for the War Stories Website; facilitated placement of articles in community newspapers; assisted in planning an patron event for a local library; identified veterans for member pledge spots; distributed flyers to community organizations. This was a year-long project.
- Advocacy - grassroots advocacy continues to be an important role for the Friends of Thirteen. In February, The Friends of Thirteen, embarked on its 20th annual visit to congressional representative as part of their fundraising mission on Capitol Hill Day. This year, three special generations of Friends assisted in the lobby effort – Beverly Lundquist, her daughter Ann, and her granddaughter Tecla.
- Korean American Friends of Thirteen, hosted a fundraising dinner in Flushing with over 250 people attending. Live auction with one of a kind auction items, video presentation of Great Performances: NY Philharmonic Performance in Pyongyang, and a Korean Traditional Dance Performance. The Korean Friends are an integral part of the Thirteen family and have been supporting the station for over 15 years with Golf Outings, Fundraising Dinners, and Theater Parties.
- Community Engagement – The Friends hosted a screening and reception for 750 at the historic St. George Theatre in Staten Island, NY, for A Walk Around Staten Island. This event “opened the doors” to new many cultural organizations and partnerships in the community and played a key role in very successful pledging.
The Friends of Thirteen continue to grow over the years and is very successful because they are very special volunteers, board members, contributors – they are the best people to deliver public television’s message into the community and on Capitol Hill. Their vested interest is simply their love of their local public television station.
The overall strong leadership of the Chairman Carmela Haklisch and the board members, made it possible for Thirteen/WNET to realize nearly $190,000 in FY2007-08.