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Donate Used Props to Children in Afghanistan
Posted January 10, 2005
Note: Original message follows. Viveca has volunteered to collect all donations. If you have any used props to give, please notify her by phone (212.989.4718) or email before bringing them to Carmine Street. Thank you.
I am writing for the Mobile Mini Circus for Children (MMCC), a
not-for-profit organization that functions as a performance group and
child-protection program in Kabul, Afghanistan. The MMCC is dedicated
to the development of the arts in this in this post-war nascent
democracy (for more information and pictures: www.AfghanMMCC.org). Many
of the children are becoming accomplished jugglers: 8-year-old Johnny is
beginning to pass clubs, and in the MMCC's Children's Election that
paralleled Afghanistan's first nation-wide elections 11-year-old Sonam,
one of 4 girl jugglers, was chosen as the winner.
I am contacting you to determine your willingness to consider a
charitable donation of old equipment that no longer has much use for
your group or could easily be replaced. The MMCC children and adult
jugglers have been using old clubs from the U.S.-based LAZER VAUDEVILLE
for two and a half years, and even constructing other sorts of equipment
themselves, such as stilts and masks. Unfortunately, their old clubs
are now in need of replacement. Clubs, diablos, and unicycles are their
staple juggling props, and I could arrange shipping.
I spend four years as a member and later President of Carleton College's
performance group, so I am familar with how fast a club's equipment can
wear out. Perhaps, as an IJA affiliate, your club has a stock of aging
equipment. If your local club (or individuals!) are in a round of
buying new stuff, I would hope you might consider passing on the old to
eager Afghan children performing in a country where few, if any, other
performance groups have been bold enough assemble, perform, and instruct
children.
With much appreciation,
Chris B. Taylor, Research Assistant
Future Generations, Afghanistan
http://www.future.org/PAGES/7_AFGHANISTAN/afghanistan_overview.html
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