My first volunteer work starts in two weeks- short term living at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care Center.

The guys I'll be seeing are hospice, rehab and the like.

Excited to be finally getting started in volunteering for our vets!

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated

Thanks all!

Ted-

Great news! Just be prepared for folks who don't want to see your show. Hope for the best, but be ready with a smile when someone says "no thanks." Let us know how it goes.

Thanks for the tip. I'm sure some won't be interested considering their circumstances.

I'll keep you posted!

One week to go! Hope some vets get cheered up!

If you are going to do a stage show for the vets- maybe aim it towards their children. family day- family show for the vets. even if the vet doesn't like the magic, their kids will appreciate it and the vets will be happy watching their kids get excited.

Good idea:)

Well Monday's the day! I've got 3 small sets worked out for going room to room. I tried to pick stuff that was either spectator hands off or can be easily disinfected.

Set 1

Crazy Cube
Dr Daley's last trick
Twisting the Aces
Card to impossible location

Set 2

Silk vanish and reappear
Card Warp
Virginia City Shuffle
Brainwave Deck I like this as a closer here after the packet tricks because I can patter about using a full deck of cards... Plus it really kills.

Set 3

S&S
Signed card to wallet
Rubber bands (that I keep in the wallet)- Thumb through, CMH, Anti-gravity ring up a broken rubberband.
Reality Twister using the pen for the signed card trick.

Hopefully our guys are blessed and entertained. I'm sure I'll make some friendships and that these visits will be more than just performing magic. The experience I'll gain and the people I'll meet will really be priceless. I'm very excited.

Thanks for all the encouragement and wisdom you all share here at the Café!

Ted-

It went really well!

My prepared sets went out the window when I found out how cramped the rooms were and I had no table to put my case on. But I went in with a flexible mind set and worked with it.

Things I learned:
1. Stay flexible
2. Buy a collapsing table asap
3. Go earlier when more of the guys aren't getting tired and crashing out
4. I really like this and will continue to do it!

I ran into someone I know who is in the hospital after having seizures and now will be able to let his buddies at work know how he's doing. Then it went from being flexible in the little rooms to being flexible in an open area. I ran into him in a common area and after he asked me what I was doing there I told him magic for the vets and that got a nurse interested and before I knew it I was performing for 6 people A little silk TT work and a Brainwave deck and now the nurses know me, told me I was good, started telling others about me and are looking forward to my future visits.

I got to do tricks for some others in their rooms and just talk to people and spend time with them. Some of them are lonely.

Things to remember:

Always thank them for their service

It's also cool to be flexible with the length of time I spend. One guy kept wanting to see more so that was fun.

We're thinking about me performing a parlor style show for them in their dining room in the future. We'll see.

Can't wait for next time!

Thanks all!

That's great of you to do this. I can't think of a more deserving group to perform for.

Ted

I think that's AWESOME. My wife & I have been talking about approaching assisted living,VA,nursing homes & the like, just to bring them something different & FUN! I'm thinking about getting the "home" to do kind of a "family day" so that their loved ones can be there also to bring about a
family atmosphere just like jcrabtree2007 mentioned. GREAT IDEA!!!

Mark

You might also consider this for a collapsing table http://flipdisc.com/briefcasetable.htm I'm abig fan of Doug's stuff & I have seen this briefcase table in person, it's GREAT! Just opening up gets peoples attention.

Mark

Thanks guys!

Mark- I've been wanting to volunteer for years and am so happy I finally took the plunge. I'm looking into a local children's hospital and a nursing home as well. I have Mondays off from my normal job so I can go to different places each week and it won't interfere with weekends as my paid magic business grows (hopefully!) It's great and so rewarding. I'm sure you two will love it!

I'll never forget the people I'm meeting. One old guy- I think he must've been a WWII vet, Wally- really got a kick out of the nurse "shuffling" an invisible deck and dropping cards out of it. His smile and laughter made my day.

I'll keep that table in mind if I ever hit the Powerball. lol My budget is so limited I can't even afford to pay attention, but maybe someday as my business grows! I've got my eye on this for now: http://www.magictricks.com/table-wood-folding-hourglass.html

Thanks again you guys!

The nursing homes will love you for visiting them. One place has taped the shows that I've done for them. They will play it for the seniors after I leave.

Ted - is that the Tuscon clinic? I've got a friend that goes there every now and again.

I just did a morning at my local hospital. It was wonderful to just give smiles and not be worried about "selling gigs".

Ed

Ed- Yes it's the Tucson VA. I still want to stop in and say,"hi" next time I'm going through Yuma to San Diego! In fact- one of the vets was from Yuma for a knee replacement.

jcrabtree2007- That's great that they play the video for them after you're gone. What a great idea!

Instead of a separate table, what about just a tray that would hook onto the side of the bed rail or wheel chair arm rest? Could be easier to carry and deal with, and would bring the "action" right up next to them.

Might be something for the Workshop guys, but I'm wondering if you could mount some of those bar clamps used in wood or cabinet building onto the bottom side of a tray. Then just adjust the clamps to fit onto anything from a bed rail to a recliner arm. No chance that your tray would be above their line of vision, and they would have easy access to anything you want them to handle, even with IV tubes.

Might even be able to rig up an end plate that would allow the tray to adjust level. If the upper part of the bed is inclined, the rail would also be inclined - and so too your tray. But if the clamp ends were on a separate piece with maybe two wing nut sliders, you could level it out. Just thinking out loud ....

Ed

Why not just use the table that the staff uses to serve the meals, the legs slide under the bed, while the tray sits in front of the patient so they can eat their meal in bed.

Mark

Preston- my dad is a Deacon and ministers to some of the residence. I didn't realize that I had been taped. He was there visiting some seniors and he said he kept hearing my voice. He found me on the big screen.
I kinda hope they don't pan to the audience during my video. sometimes, half my senior crowd can be asleep. (makes me look like I'm putting my audience to sleep)gotta get a bang wand just to keep them alert. haha

The tray is definitely a possibility Ed. I like the idea of a table though because it provides more separation and less contact in case of transferable bugs. The table Mark is referring to is what I was hoping to use, but they are always cluttered with patient's items, medicines, water cups, etc. A collapsing table seems the way to go because it can pop up in a crowded room. Also trying to focus on tricks that don't need a table, but with a table there can be more interaction and spectator participation.

I'll keep those in mind though and use the bedside table when I can- maybe even fabricate a tray if possible.

Thanks for the ideas!

Ted-

Haha! That's too funny jcrabtree2007!