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CircEsteem Seeks Funding
Posted August 7, 2005
Note: CircEsteem is a wonderful Chicago-based circus skills program for
children. Several of their students were in Davenport.
CHICAGO-BASED CIRCESTEEM TRYING TO "RUN AWAY WITH THE CIRCUS"
Local Non-Profit Youth Organization Seeks Funding for Upcoming Trip
Chicago, Ill., (Aug. 4, 2005) - The children of CircEsteem, Inc., (CE) a
non-profit organization dedicated to helping youth build self-esteem and
respect for one another through the practice and performance of circus arts,
may soon end up a bunch of sad clowns. Due to lack of funding, their highly
anticipated upcoming trip to the American Youth Circus Organization (AYCO)
Festival 2005 from Aug. 24 - 28 in San Francisco, Calif., may never happen.
Uniting youth from around the world, the Festival includes five exciting
days of activities led by renowned circus educators, and even a scheduled CE
performance for their peers. CE, which unites children from countries such
as Sudan and Honduras with children from Chicago's toughest neighborhoods
and their counterparts at some of Chicago's top private schools, must raise
enough funds to cover the $15,200 cost for 16 children, or they'll be forced
to cancel their trip.
"Two years ago, we were able to pile into my old minivan and drive eight
hours to the AYCO Festival in Minnesota," said Paul Miller, CE founder and
CEO. "This year, the Festival is in San Francisco and due to the increased
popularity of our program, it is no longer financially feasible for us to
pay for the trip ourselves. Without the help of generous donations, we
won't be able to attend."
With less than one month until the event, however, CE has raised only half
of the $15,200 necessary to send the young performers to San Francisco (see
below for donation information).
The organization has garnered incredible publicity, the program has grown at
a rapid pace and plenty of social service agencies are referring at-risk
youth to CE. The buzz created around the program is extraordinary, but
appropriate funding has yet to emerge. In the past, CE has struggled to gain
recognition from many major foundations and organizations because the group
does not fit into traditional theatre, art outreach or social work channels.
CE has been working rigorously to generate donations, including a trip to
City Hall where they juggled in loud plaid clown pants with bright
suspenders for the clerks for an hour while waiting in line for a street
performers license. Their efforts on the sidewalk outside of Daley Plaza
and Millennium Park were unsuccessful. A recent trip to the Board of Trade
where CE performed and taught a workshop for the Arab American League
generated more funds than the street performing, but not enough to send the
group to San Francisco. Five members worked all day to earn only $262.
Though they knew it would not be an easy path to the Golden Gate Bridge,
Miller and his fledgling clowns have long had hopes of attending the
biennial AYCO Festival in late August.
"Our children from Africa are telling the kids from Chicago's West Side what
it's like to fly on an airplane," said Miller. "They are so excited -- they
can hardly wait to go on this trip."
Activities at the AYCO Festival 2005 include pre-festival workshops,
encompassing aerial skills, acrobatics, juggling, clowning, stilt
building/walking, Circus Yoga for Families, Circus Arts Therapy and "Circus
101" for children ages 10 and under. In addition to the intensives, the
Festival offers workshops, performances by youth troupes from around the
continent, discussion groups, presenters, a key note speech by a
professional circus performer and a gala performance.
CircEsteem, Inc., is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping youth
build self-esteem and respect for one another through the practice and
performance of circus arts. Founded in 2001 by former Ringling Bros. Barnum
& Bailey Circus clown, Paul Miller, CircEsteem unites youth from diverse
racial, cultural and economic backgrounds to emphasize goals, teamwork and
accomplishments. Current programs under the CircEsteem umbrella include: The
Chicago Youth Circus; Homework & Circuswork; Residency Programs; Summer
Circus Camps; and CircusTeens. Visit
www.circesteem.org/ for additional information.
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Contact:
Paul Miller
Founder and CEO
CircEsteem, Inc.
312-593-HAHA (4242)
paul@circesteem.org
AYCO FESTIVAL TRIP DONATION INFORMATION
ORGANIZATION: CircEsteem, Inc.
WHAT: Seeking donations for trip to American Youth Circus Organization
(AYCO) Festival 2005 in San Francisco, Calif., from Aug. 24 - 28, 2005.
TOTAL AMOUNT NEEDED: $9,200
DONATION LEVELS:
$850 Sponsor a Kid
$350 Airfare and transportation
$200 Hotel for four nights
$150 Meal card and other food
$100 Off-set adult chaperone costs
$150 Festival Pass
HOW: Visit www.circesteem.org/ to make a donation, or send check payable to CircEsteem, Inc. to 1400 W. Devon, #331,
Chicago, IL 60660.
DEADLINE: Aug. 20, 2005
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