Eventually, all noble gestures get hijacked by “fundraisers”;
A former employee of the Terry Fox Foundation in Saskatchewan says he was forced to fabricate fundraising stories in a booklet for donors.
The booklet Gregory Procknow worked on before resigning earlier this year was sent to donors of the well-known charity, which raises money for cancer research.
Procknow says he was asked to do a series of short write-ups, ostensibly by donors, talking about creative ways they had raised money.
One quotes “Norma Rae” from Saskatoon: “As a dilettante canner, I make jars of jellies and pickles and attach a Terry Fox sticker to the jars, and I allow people to make donations of any kind and take away a wonderful autumn treat!”
Procknow, a University of Regina graduate student, said he felt bad about what he had written and eventually quit his summer job.
“Who can really take pride in creating fictitious people and assigning them a gender and a name and parlaying this to the public. It’s just really disgusting,” Procknow said.
h/t Mike W
I think it was Michael Crichton that said something along the lines that all activist organizations should have to disband after ten years of existance.
At that point, it becomes about the organization, not the cause.
Sounds a bit like the document that the NDP claimed was penned by Layton in his final hours.
looks more like a mutual fund when you see their financials. assets of $100 million . collect 30ish million and distribute 25.
AtlanticJim: it;s a well-known fact of organizational psychology that eventually all large organizations become about perpetuating their own existence, whatever their original mission was.
(IIRC, part of Crichton’s thesis was that if you haven’t achieved your goal in ten years, either it’s not going to happen or you suck at it and sho0uld pack it in either way)
Terry Fox was a great Canadian, and a very courageous man. It is disappointing therefore that with each passing year his original message is being diluted and slowly lost, taken over instead by “fundraisers” as Kate notes.
“Eventually, all noble gestures get hijacked by “fundraisers”;”
Kate, your comment really nails it perfectly. There is simply nothing more to add.
Why should there be incentive to cure cancer or any of these ‘big ticket’ funds raisers.
After countless billions of dollars raised over decades it is now an invariable cash cow that has no realistic incentive other than to continue raising $$.
A ‘cure’ for these diseases would mean a dry up of funds and we can’t have that now can we ?!!
I’m aware that I just attacked the sacred cow and will now be hunted down for my ‘misplaced’ criticism for daring to be so mean spirited.
I do not give money to any organized charity. I do not trust any of them. I also must consider what kind of people are attracted to this industry which in fact is nothing more than professional pan-handling.
I prefer to give money directly some of my young relatives who are in need and to causes I support such as SDA and to that freedom warrior, Ezra Levant when he was being abused by the Humans Rights fools … and like that.
And you should all make a donation to SDA once in awhile too.
Gregory Procknow, if you are reading this, do not feel bad.
The masses WANT to be deceived and when confronted with reality, will PAY for the seet sweet prevarication at least 99% of the time.
All you did was a public service.
Wasn’t Norma Rae the name of a film starring Sally Fields who became despondent at working conditions in her local factory/mill and went on to unionize the workforce?
How else are they going to pay those 6 figure salaries and bonuses?
“as a dilettante canner”….hilarious, who talks like this? Good Lord. Just reading that part tells you its fake.
“I admit to an error in judgment in assigning first names to the ideas.”
No,it wasn’t just “an error in judgement”,it’s a clear indication that you have no moral foundation and are prepared to tell lies if you think it’s expedient.
You should be fired.
AtlanticJim: Ghandi made the same point in his autobiography, i.e. that public service organizations should be funded strictly by the subscription of their members, otherwise they simply become self-perpetuating fund-raising organizations. It’s simply a fact of human psychology and self-interest. I had to deal with this issue in a local organization of which I’m a member. It’s function is essentially fraternal and social, but invariably someone (a liberal — no surprise) wanted to turn it into a fund raising organization for one of their pet causes. I had to argue quite vociferously to nix the idea.
When charity fundraisers come to my door I tell them that all the money the Canadian government spends in foreign aid should be going to any real charities here in Canada and that the foreign nations and charities should be the ones begging for funds instead.
Then I tell them that all the fund raisers should organize and demonstrate to demand the government makes that happen instead of begging for the funds from me.
“Who can really take pride in creating fictitious people and assigning them a gender and a name and parlaying this to the public. It’s just really disgusting,” Procknow said.
Dear Mr. Procknow- try the lefties and treehuggers as a start. Here’s a clue. Suzuki, Gore, Obama.
As mentioned, this is one of the big reasons I refuse to donate in any meaningful amount to charities like this and others. Further to that, the overhead costs (meaning the big paycheques for the executives and the palatial offices) dilute the donation even further.
One of my biggest complaints is seeing the expenses the local food banks go to in order to collect funds. Their clientelle have become indoctrinated and refuse (in many cases) to get off their fat pratt and try to find some honest work.
Sorry, that’s a bit of a rant.
I’ve been approached a number of times by various people in the hobby gaming community since getting a bit of a rep as an “angel investor” for small press/indie games. I’ve had to explain repeatedly that I do not give out charity, I invest. IOW, I have to think that your project is going to make some damn profit before I put my cash into it. (e.g.: you have a prototype for a card game that I know will sell like crazy among the convention crowd; here, have seed capital. Your friend tried to run a games convention in the middle of a massive economic downturn and needs money to cover expenses because 70% of the attendees didn’t show up: no.)
I apply the same logic to charities and worthy causes and even random people: I will invest in people if I think I’m going to get something out of the deal, even if that something is nothing more than a new business associate who is now a productive member of society who owes me a favour.
Too much of charitable giving has become infected by the notion of the noble and suffering poor. There are surely those who have become destitute through circumstance, but those are exactly the people who don’t stay poor, because they know how to make good decisions. If I help those people out, they’re more likely to become someone I can turn to later on for my own purposes. Someone who is poor because they don’t know how to manage their own life is never going to not be poor no matter how many resources are thrown at them.
Some diseases are more glamorous and well-organized than others. If you are afflicted with something that’s out of the loop, I have a feeling that you don’t get the cadillac treatment for it. When you focus so many resources on a particular ailment, it’s likely that some others get ignored. Also, I suspect that many of the successful fundraising organizations actually have a ton of surplus cash which they use to perpetuate themselves rather than do good. Some even hire professional organizations to do the fund-raising for them. It’s a minefield and I think we have a duty NOT to give to any but proven charities. Otherwise your money is not only being wasted, it can be used against you–like the money I used to donate to the Sierra Club and World Wildlife Federation. What an idiot I felt when that money was used to promote climate hysteria instead of maintaining hiking trails or saving habitat for endangered species. Organizations mutate to reflect the ideology and goals of those who have an agenda and manipulate credulous and well-intentioned idiots.
This is not to dump on Terry Fox and his ideals. It’s just that the self-serving opportunists who are capitalizing on his efforts should be turfed. Disgusting.
*
“daniel says… eventually all large organizations become
about perpetuating their own existence”
that’s the thing about propaganda… who cares if it’s true?
the important thing is to hit your target demographic.
just ask the toronto district school board.
*
Anyone who can come with the “dilettante canner” line has a brilliant career ahead working for Greenpeace, David Suzuki or the IPCC.
Al Gore would think a writer of such talent is priceless.
And they could be diligent as well.
“dilettante canner”….LOL!
“I think it was Michael Crichton that said something along the lines that all activist organizations should have to disband after ten years of existance.
At that point, it becomes about the organization, not the cause.
Posted by: AtlanticJim at September 14, 2011 10:32 AM”
EXACTLY.
How long has the Stephen Lewis Foundation existed?
The LAST place I donate is to food banks. We have enough social programs to cover our needs.Except our guilt, that is.
“I’m aware that I just attacked the sacred cow and will now be hunted down for my ‘misplaced’ criticism for daring to be so mean spirited.”
I’ve often wondered where the money collected by the Run for the Cure and pink ribbon campaigns ends up. The CIBC is into the cancer cure campaign BIG-time, using their employees to help it along.
I saw a televised interview with a drug company representative quite a few years ago. At the time, she said that a cure for cancer should be found within about five years.
I do want to point out that I think we’re being too hard on Mr. Procknow. He did quit his job over the issue, and he did take his story to the press. I don’t fault him for doing what he was told long enough to get the pamphlets printed; he’s a grad student and thus likely only 22-23 years old and has spent his entire legal adulthood sheltered in a university environment.
I think we should be congratulating him on his principles and gently pointing out that next time, he should quit before producing the offending material.
As a person working in the cancer field and having family affected by cancer I have to say to those who figure research is just a scam in order to keep a job are full of sh*t.
First of all, cancer is not just one disease but rather a classification of similar diseases. Treating one will not treat all 130+ cancers and there is no “magic bullet” to fix everything.
Second, medical researchers and such would have no problem shifting their efforts to any myriad of other diseases if there was such a “MAGIC BULLET.”
If you decide to donate to any charity or cause then it is your responsibility to check out said cause and see where the money goes. The internet makes this easy to find out and any regular SDA reader will realize this has been discussed before.
And finally, fundraisers are in the same category as community organizers, and look how well that has turned out for our neighbours to the south.
Texas Canuck
My kids’ mom died last Spring @ 58 yrs from bone cancer.
I was just diagnosed last week with probable lung cancer but will have to wait 3 months to see what develops.
I’ve never smoked,have spent my life being consciencious of what I eat; have always been very active…I could go on.
No; not everyone in the cancer research industry are pond scum.
Reading through the comments here pretty much says it all.
One could lay a large part of the blame for cancer with the food industry, cosmetic industry etc; but like the automobile which probably kills/maims more people per year than cancer, folks are not willing to forgo the conveniences of modern life to avoid something that they may not get.
Funny thing Life…We’re here and then we’re not!
I like others, give to individuals or small charities.
This though is my personnel choice. Here are the REAL salaries of charity CEO’s.
I have to agree that any charity when it becomes big also becomes less effective. As the organization becomes more focused on itself. It also becomes more storied, more dense, as its original purpose mutates. Thus less use of the money for charity, & more for personel , With growth being the driver.
How Much Do Charity Leaders Make?
http://blog.charitynavigator.org/2010/08/how-much-do-charity-leaders-make.html
No matter how you look at it….Fraud..plain and simple….are they all like this????
“As a person working in the cancer field and having family affected by cancer I have to say to those who figure research is just a scam in order to keep a job are full of sh*t.”
RESEARCH is a good thing (obviously); being continually bombarded by over-the-top fundraisers makes me skeptical about the organizers.
@7:47 – Jeebuz, duffer, both those things are aweful. I’m so sorry. (3 months wait, eh? Makes ya proud of this wonderful system etc.)
Rev. and others – yeah, you want to check out charities pretty thoroughlt. There are several sites dedicated to that.
@ old duffer, all the best with this.
@daniel ream
i am involved and have been involved for teh last 20 years in worthy causes i.e. – competition, recreation and education – not necessarily in that order.
your words/writing ring true and i like the cut of your gib; i would like to add my 2 cents and suggest that if anyone is in the mood to influence what goes on locally (forget the donation through the pros) – the best (imho) venue is volunteerism. kick some shins to start and work your way up.
faith, hope, and charity is tried and true. dearest kate can serve as your exemplar.
and to chutzpah – i can attest that board members of any given federally-recognised charitable organisation (read tax deductible receipts) can direct funds in any direction – notwithstanding research. diligence is the keyword.
johnnyonline, “diligence is the keyword.”
Yes, I agree, and I especially like your thoughts on doing what’s needed locally.
For those interested in cancer research:
“Doctors removed a billion of his T-cells — a type of white blood cell that fights viruses and tumors — and gave them new genes that would program the cells to attack his cancer. Then the altered cells were dripped back into Mr. Ludwig’s veins.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/health/13gene.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
Who is Steve Fonyo?