We’re celebrating entrants for the 2013 National Philanthropy Day Awards, presented by the Association of Fundraising Professionals at the 26th annual awards luncheon on Friday, Nov. 1 at the Overture Center for the Arts. I’m especially happy that the organization has included a slot for Outstanding Young Philanthropist, and so we’re meeting Alex Haunty, a young man who is stepping up on behalf of people with disabilities.
Alex is a 2011 Middleton High School graduate with developmental disabilities. He received an I See You Award that same year from the Zieman Corp. of Wisconsin for his involvement with the Best Buddies organization, a national entity that fosters one-on-one friendships with people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Alex was awarded the honor for his ability to help other people “see” or understand people with disabilities. What shows his character even more, however, was what he did with the prize money.
A true aficionado of the arts, Alex founded the Alex Haunty Theatre Arts Fund, and with his proceeds he bought tickets to Beauty and the Beast. He then gave those tickets — free — to his Best Buddies classmates with special needs so that they, too, could enjoy a wonderful performance. As his encore, Alex wanted to take classmates to see Mary Poppins, but he lacked the personal funds to again spring for tickets. Family friend Cathy Ostrom, who tutored him when she had owned The Art Room studio in Middleton, again encouraged his painting skills, and she took two of his paintings to the Prairie Café in Middleton, which agreed to host an art exhibit of his work 18 months later.
Alex next created 21 paintings for the exhibit, pledging to use any proceeds from the sale of any of the pictures to take his friends to see an upcoming performance of Mary Poppins. Friends and family got behind that desire and helped him develop cards, giclées, and posters to also sell at the exhibit. His debut was the second most successful show the Prairie Café had hosted since its opening, which enabled Alex to buy 60 tickets last February (an expense of about $3,000) for the Mary Poppins performance! With the other 50% of his profits, Alex developed a website and bought materials for more cards, which he will continue to sell to further his dreams of busing even more special needs students to more performances in the future.
As his nominator said on Haunty’s award application form, “His business name says it all: Inspiring Art by Alex.”
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Also nominated for this award were, as a group, the young students at the Madison Community Jewish Day School. Together, they raised $51 for “tzedakah” to give to the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County — money that will be used to feed two children for one week via after-school meals. Tzedakah means social justice, and the gift represented money each child earned or saved during the week. The money was then anonymously slipped into a decorated box at school for collection.
The schoolchildren also perform at local nursing homes, bringing song and dance with them to brighten lives. It is hoped that the lessons learned at such an early age about philanthropy will seed the world with future stewards of community justice.
Next week we’ll introduce another young entrant for this award. Meanwhile, if you haven’t already done so, register for the luncheon on Nov. 1 to meet these young people and the other community builders who make this community such a great place to work, play, and raise families.
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