Fundraising

24 August 2014

Dear Fundraiser           

I hope this e-mail finds you well.

May I first of all say that I so appreciate and admire you and your work as a fundraiser – your zest, energy, ideas! – and how grateful I am for your hard work in this regard.

This e-mail is an effort on my part to explain my sentiments regarding standing at a shopping centre entrance with a tin, collecting money.

Given my context with Anke and Markus, I sometimes experience indescribable guilt about the ‘burden’ I place onto society with my children (and often get fearful about providing for their continued care, should I die before them).

At first I thought that I should bite the bullet this time around and just do it! But I just can’t.  I experience the tin collection as standing in a public space ‘getting into people’s faces’ for money, as if they are responsible for the care of my children. I have a hard enough time as it is to not make other people ‘cringe’ about my situation or feel guilty because they have normal children! I absolutely dread this kind of fundraising!

I do not have a quarrel with those who are okay with this kind of public ‘begging’ (my perception) – be that for their own children or for disabled children in general or for whatever charitable organisation – I respect that – but I need to be shown/given the same respect for how I feel about this kind of fundraising.

I hope and trust that what ‘corporate’ money I have managed to secure for our organisation in the past (and hopefully in the future), and my work on other terrains such as the yearly fête will in some way make up for my not participating in the tin collection next Saturday.  

You know that I have always been happy to advocate for our ‘sector’ – and will keep on doing so, and I will – as always – be open to assisting where I can and with what I feel comfortable with.

Thank you for your time (and hopefully your understanding).

Regards

Pieter Labuschagne

PS. Should you have time and should you be interested, you’re welcome to visit my blog at the address below. I write in both Afrikaans and English. The blog is an effort on my part to try and understand my 34 year Anke and Markus journey better and to try and give voice to my experience, and hopefully to that of other parents as well.