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sdgiu Elite user The Boonies, NC 456 Posts |
I do pretty much all volunteer Magic for my, and other churches in the area, mostly for the kids, and I enjoy every minute of it.
I have also done clown/magic/ballooning walk-arounds at Army Hopsitals. I thought I was going to do stuff for the kids, and ended up each time I went, spending most of the time in the grown up wards, because of lack of kids. The first time I went, there were actually NO, -0-, ZIP, kids in the childrens ward. I found that out after they let me spend an hour getting into the costume and makeup. Bless'em, the sneaky devils. They'd even loaned me a pair of scrubs, for my Dr B. Waki personna, so they knew. When I came out and asked them where the kids were, they feigned not knowing, and suggested I go to the adult wards and do a walk around up there while they tried to find some. Having been in the army for quite a while, at the time, I wondered how a Clown going thru the wards was going to go over. I mean a clown visiting wounded battle hardened veterans...Hmmmmmmmmmm, I just wasn't too sure about that arrangement. But I went anyway. It was great. I had forgotten how lonely, and depressing it was to be in the hospital for an extended period of time. I have never gotten such a warm reception, everyone I was able to see was great, and whether I did a magic trick, or made them a balloon animal, and just talked to them for a short time, they all seemed to enjoy the short break from the terrible sameness of being in the hospital. I left there that first time feeling so good, even if no one else got anything out of it, it was good for me to see how good I have it, and how God has blessed me. Now for you guys that do Magic Professionally, and feel you need to get paid to perform, (Whats wrong with you, you like to eat and feed your familys or something. ) I only read about half of page one, so I am hoping this was covered. But just in case, "Any" charitable organization can give you a reciept for time spent in a performance, and although it's not immediate hard cash, Uncle Sam does allow this as a deduction on your income taxes. I work with the Boy Scouts and am very familiar with this, as it is a great way to solicit contributions of materials. So if you have to work for a living, and have a little spare time, this is another way Volunteer work can be profitable. I don't know that you could get a reciept for doing walk-arounds at a hospital, or nursing home, but the worst they could do is laugh at you, and say no, but then again..., they might say yes. I am sure that any free Performances you do could be thusly compensated, although you might want to work out the details of this with the Hospital Administrator well in advance. Steve |
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KirkG Inner circle 1391 Posts |
I am sorry, but this is the second time this was mentioned and it is wrong! You cannot deduct a fee for your time that you volunteer, even at a licensed tax deductable charity. This is Federal so it applies to all states.
You can deduct milage and actual expenses, balloons for example. Better to get paid and then write your own check back to them for the deduction. Of course, many people haven't been audited yet, so they think this is OK. To confirm for yourselves go the the IRS website and check it out for yourselves. Kirk G |
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Dawai Regular user Honolulu,Hawaii 131 Posts |
I voluntteer my Magic Once year. For Child Abuse. During Christmas call Breakfast with Santa. close up magic for kids and their family.
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Mike Wild Inner circle NY, PA, TX, MA, FL, NC 1290 Posts |
United Way - Annual Alcoholism Council Christmas party
Big Brothers & Big Sisters - Sponsorship Rallies * Stangers at the train station - whether they want to see it or not |
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gregor New user 6 Posts |
I have volunteered at the local veterans hospital,
candlelighters, a local children with cancer group, and the make-a-wish foundation. but I tell them up front that if I get a paying gig for that date I will cancel them for the $ gig |
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Jhonsky Regular user Hawaii 112 Posts |
I started at family and friends parties.
Normally local Magic Clubs offer the opportunity to volunteer for Schools and stuff. |
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Mike Wild Inner circle NY, PA, TX, MA, FL, NC 1290 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-03-27 15:37, gregor wrote: Wow, bouncing vets and sick children for a paying gig is a bit harsh man. I try to not schedule a paying gig on the one or two nights per year that I do charity gigs. That way no one gets cancelled. I think I'd have a hard time looking in the mirror the morning after I cancelled on a bunch of kids with cancer. But that's just me. Mike |
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Reis O'Brien Inner circle Seattle, WA 2467 Posts |
Well said, Mike. I'd like to think that the capacity of my heart is larger than the capacity of my wallet.
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shane_delon Regular user 114 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-03-19 12:10, KirkG wrote: I did magic for kind of a troubled kids orphanage one time and the person that runs it offered to send me a receipt so I could get a tax write-off. I assumed that he had done this before and knew..... sd |
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willrob999 Regular user UK 106 Posts |
I do a voluntary show once every two weeks for a charity called PHAB, which stands for physically handicapped and able bodies it is a club for physicllay handicap children that meet once a week and I just go there to do a few close up effects for the children I am there usually for an hour and I just enjoy doing it.
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drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
There is a new program called Operation Hocus Pocus in the S.A.M. to get people to perform in VA hospitals. I just signed up. They have some guidelines for performers, information about tax deductions (mileage and expenses only), and so on on their web site.
I like the idea of doing this through the S.A.M. There is the possibility of involving S.A.M. assemblies to get a group of performers; I will be performing individually because I am an associate member due to geographical isolation. Yours, Paul |
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Mike Walton Special user Chicago 984 Posts |
If anyone in the Chicago area has any interest in volunteering at a hospital at least once every other week, then check out openheartmagic.com which is under construction. You can go to volunteermatch.org and do a search on magic and Chicago to find out more about the work.
If you have any questions, you can PM me directly. We're already in Rush Children's Hospital and within a week or two will be in the Cook County Hospital. One of our Board members is the Hospital Director of Child Life Services at Rush. Child Life Services is the group that manages the patient's environment as it regards to the mental aspects of healing. We're combining strong close-up bedside magic with aspects of Child Life Services to create a positive affect, which is a term used in the hospital. This positive affect encourages healing, stimulates thinking, and offers a myriad of other benefits from the astonishment, surprise and laughter associated with the meaningful engagement of close-up magic. Talk about inspiration from a Café thread and your discussions, Open Heart Magic is now incorporated as a non-profit. |
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pepijn Regular user Utrecht (the netherlands) 134 Posts |
Hey!
I haven't been into magic that long (about 6 month's now) I can do a couple of effects pretty good but it's not really a lot and it's mainly cards. How long do your performances need to be if you perform in for instance a hospital or an elderly home. I would really like to set this up in a hospital here. because the performers cheered me up when I was in hospitall for two weeks (nothing really serious..)but I was a happy camper that day. I want to go and help others to but how good do you need to be and how long should you'r routine be. howmany different things should you cover (cups and balls, cards, coins) sorry if thes questions are pretty dumb but I was just wondering. |
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Mike Walton Special user Chicago 984 Posts |
It's a great question. The most important aspects of hospital bedside magic is getting the spectator to interact and creating surprise, astonishment and laughter, which all contribute to good magic anyway. What you perform and for how long depends upon the age of the patient and also if they're male or female. Here is what I found to work:
Ages 3 to 9- TT work & sponge balls. You can perform 10 minutes for these kids and they'll want more. If I can just perform close-up magic for 3 to 9 year olds for the rest of my life, I would do it because their laughter is contagious and it's so easy to create magic with this range. It's just so darn fun. Ages 10 & up - Simple to follow, visual card routines where the spectator is involved. Do 2 effects - maybe three if they want more, but if you've actively involved the spectator and worked out two strong effects, then you're done. Males like a little more card magic. Limit your card effects to two for females and sometimes just one depending upon the situation. I'm working on learning some spectator involving coin effects, which the females may like a little more. Also, with females ages 10 to adult, you can do spongeballs. A nurse pulled me over to a gurney to do magic with a 14 year old gal who just came out of surgery and was coming out of her drug stupor. She was still a little groggy and her older sister was standing next to her. I did spongeballs with her and they both were bursting out in laughter in the intensive care area. Learn spongeballs! Simply put, an interactive and astonishing spongeball routine makes everyone laugh. If children or adoloscents are with parents, then they'll want more magic. If they're by themselves which usually only occurs with adoloscents, then they'll want less magic or maybe no magic at all. When you do magic, the goal isn't entertainment. It really needs to be the positive affects of surprise, astonishment and laughter and when you get to that point, you're done. Leave on a high note because once you've created that positive affect, then they will be more engaged with what is going on around them, will be pleasantly distracted from some of the stresses and negative aspects of their illness and hospital stay, will feel better and have a more positive attitude, and months later when they think back to their hospital stay, my guess is they'll remember the magic which may replace some of the potentially traumatic memories that illness and a hospital stay can bring. PM me if you have any questions at all. I would love to help. |
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drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
Your performances should be about as long as a visit to that person should be. They aren't so brief that they are a sort of drive-by performance, they aren't so long that they tire out the person.
Have some spare tricks, too. You need a snappy opener and a nice closer. Watch them to see how interested they are. Talk to them before you start performing. If they beg you for one more trick, you do one of your spares. A nice opening line from Eugene Burger: "Would you like to see the greatest card trick of the twentieth century?" It's OK if they say no. Ask them how they are feeling today and be cheerful. Listen to what they have to say. It would be good to avoid card effects in which they must handle the cards. Some of these folks may have restricted vision or mobility, or they have tubes in their arms. Sponge balls may be out for that reason also. Find some good material that doesn't use cards, for variety. Don't worry about how good you are. You will get better. This audience is going to be glad to see someone cheerful drop by for a visit. Being cheerful, and a good listener if that's called for, is more important than having mastered difficult magic tricks. Good luck. Yours, Paul |
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Mike Walton Special user Chicago 984 Posts |
It would be very GOOD to include card effects where the patient handles the cards but of course, only for those that can handle them which is MOST of the patients in pediatrics. There is nothing that creates surprise, astonishment and patient interaction like in-your-hands magic.
For patients who can’t move, a trick can easily and quickly be adapted with the spectator interaction still intact. For example, instead of having the spectator sandwich the card between his hands or pin it with a finger to the table, you put the card on their hospital bed right next to him still making him more involved than having him just watch you. Instead of having him pick a card, you can Hindu shuffle the deck and have him say stop. I performed for an 11 year old who temporarily couldn't move his body or speak but he was very aware of what was going on around him. I had him blink both eyes to tell me when to stop and choose a card. This adaptation and interaction allows you, as a magician to engage someone that no one else is able to engage. You’re having him think and you’re interacting with him on a different level than others in the hospital are able to do. The only exception to this is in those rare rooms where a patient may catch something from you due to a weak immune system and then you do some in your own hands magic, but you still have him involved. A magician typically isn't expected to visit those rooms where he/she could catch something from the patient. |
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pepijn Regular user Utrecht (the netherlands) 134 Posts |
This sounds pretty good. At the moment (for the next to weeks) I am doing my final exams for my high school so I am really busy but I am going to go to the hospitall after that. It sounds pretty good.
I just get really nervous performing. I always' have the feeling that I am not good enough. But maybe this is going to be good for my magic in generall. I definitly hope so! btw. I really applaud you guys who go regulalry already I really think it is a good thing!! Oh, I forgot I am going to try some spongeball magic. I am ordering it with my next couple of things because it sounds really good! Thanks a lot! |
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ed rhodes Inner circle Rhode Island 2885 Posts |
There's been a major discussion on this thread about the wisdom of doing "charity" shows. Correct me if I'm wrong, (as if I had to suggest that in this crowd), but I think the problem is the use of the word "charity."
If a charity is doing a show as a fund-raiser, (or even just as a promotion for the publicity), then you can be certain the acts on the show are getting paid and you should probably be one of them. If you are doing a show in a retirement home or children's ward or VA hospital. Then you are performing AS a charity and you can feel good about entertaining these people without worrying about payment et. al. Does that cover both sides of the question or have I missed something completely?
"...and if you're too afraid of goin' astray, you won't go anywhere." - Granny Weatherwax
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prodigitalmagic New user West Olive Mi 48 Posts |
I do a free show every year for the Walk for life Relay it is a cancer survivor benefit and as many chances as I can get fo the children at the DeVoss Childrens Hospital in Grand Rapids Michigan. This is a special way for me to give back to them for helping my 7 year old daughter win in her bout with cancer.
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Reis O'Brien Inner circle Seattle, WA 2467 Posts |
Prodigitalmagic, that is awesome to hear, both about your daughter's success and you giving back to those who helped. I'm so glad to know that not every single facet of our lives is not centered around paychecks and schedules.
"And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make." |
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