Tag Archives: giving

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WILL You Give?

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In the last few weeks, we’ve explored some aspects of giving, including What’s In It For Me?, Why Do You Give?, and now on “Giving Tuesday” we come to the big ask:  Will You Give?

It’s a simple as that.

The Earl Wentz and William Watkins Foundation was created in 2012 through a monetary contribution in memory of Earl Wentz.  This forms the corpus of the foundation’s finances.   Additional support comes through gifts and grants from private individuals (alumni, friends, supporters of the arts and arts education) and corporations.

And these gifts are not only needed and welcomed but they are put to work right away by the foundation’s Board of Directors strictly for the purposes for which the foundation has been incorporated.

And those purposes are excellent ones:

        • promoting, creating, and supporting the musical and other artistic works of the late Earl Wentz and
        • fostering and continuing the educational methods of Earl Wentz, particularly related to music and drama.

Each year, we continue to give thousands of dollars in scholarships to students in need and to provide classes and educational initiatives in the arts, particularly for students who otherwise might have little or no access to high-caliber arts training and programs.

Over 90% of the students and families we serve are currently living below the poverty line.

We continue to promote, support, and produce the music of Earl Wentz with the continued intent of archiving, maintaining, and preserving them with the highest degree of artistic integrity possible.

There are so many ways you can help:

The Earl Wentz and William Watkins Foundation is qualified as a charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to The Earl Wentz and William Watkins Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.   Federal tax id #: 46-1415914.

Will you give?

Can we — and all those who benefit from our work — count on you?

If you give to The Earl Wentz and William Watkins Foundation, please share with us at the foundation and others in the community — especially those who may be considering a gift — why.

I invite you to “weigh in” with your own comments and ideas and to share them with other readers by using the “Comments” feature above. You can click the “Comments” button at the top of the page to see what other readers have to say and to create a dialogue with them.

And . . . you can give easily by clicking this link.

© William B. Watkins and “William Weighs In”, 2014-2015. All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction. This blog and all its content and components, including but not limited to photographs, videos, music, and text entries, are fully protected by all copyright laws of the United States of America and by international covenants. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

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Why Do You Give?

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Last month’s post, What’s In It For Me?, proved controversial and evoked comments and discussion (which is part of what we want to do!) around selfishness / self-centeredness, especially when it comes to charity.

I participated in an event the other day where we talked about “Thanksliving”. Yep, that’s not a typo. Thanksliving. So in this week in which we celebrate one of the more popular American holidays (usually by eating, drinking, watching parades and sports, and shopping), let’s take a more positive approach and look at why  people (including you and me) do give.

Sometimes it really is out of a sense of gratitude; sometimes it’s from a sense of guilt; sometimes it’s because our hearts have been stirred by something; sometimes it’s because we want something in return (even if it’s only a tax-deduction); and sometimes it’s because we just feel it’s the right thing to do.

From the standpoint of the receiver of the gift — be that a charity or individual — maybe the motivation of the giver isn’t such a big thing. After all, in the case of a charity, if the money gets received that allows for the programs to be accomplished, does it really matter why someone or some business gave?

Well, maybe it does. It’s always good to know that those who support our foundation‘s work are on board with our mission. It also helps us who are doing the work to know that we’re not just on the other side of the cynical “What’s in it for me?” coin.

Here are just a few of my favorite reasons that people have shared about why they support our work:

      • “I give . . . because I cannot imagine this world without Earl, but if he can’t be here, at least his extraordinary genius will live on through the music he created. And perhaps — riding on the notes of his brilliant compositions — his huge heart, sustaining wisdom, and unstoppable humor will continue to inspire, comfort and delight us for years to come.  I miss him beyond words, but am blessed to be able to hear his music time and time again. That is why . . . . “

      • “I give because Earl Wentz gave.  He gave laughter not just to countless audiences but to everyone he met. He gave music to the world. He gave encouragement to his hundreds of students. And he gave love in everything he did.   That’s why I give . . . . “

      • “I had the joy and honor of working with Earl as my teacher and he taught me so much about music and life through his passion for both.  I miss him, but his music will live on as a reminder of his beautiful spirit.  I give . . . so others can experience his music and as a tribute to his life.

      • “There are so many reasons . . . !  Continuing Earl’s work is actually a gift to the world. You know how everyone gets all excited when someone finds an unpublished piece of music from Berlin or Gershwin? Well, Earl’s legacy is of the same magnitude –- but it needs to be heard to be appreciated and loved, which is why funding the preservation and publication of these buried treasures is so important.”

      • Earl was a giver . . . .  A lot of my confidence to appear on stage came from Earl.  He believed in me, in my abilities and my aspirations.  He was always there to give you a boost when you needed it . . . .”

So . . . in this season of thanks and giving . . .

Why do you give?

Why not?

If you give to The Earl Wentz and William Watkins Foundation, specifically, please share with us at the foundation and others in the community — especially those who may be considering a gift — why.

I invite you to “weigh in” with your own comments and ideas and to share them with other readers by using the “Comments” feature above. You can click the “Comments” button at the top of the page to see what other readers have to say and to create a dialogue with them.

And . . . you can give easily by clicking this link.

© William B. Watkins and “William Weighs In”, 2014-2015. All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction. This blog and all its content and components, including but not limited to photographs, videos, music, and text entries, are fully protected by all copyright laws of the United States of America and by international covenants. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

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What’s In It For Me?

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Our blog is back after some time off.  Time off was taken for the standard summer break reasons but also because shortly after the last post, there was the horrible tragedy of the Charleston, South Carolina church shootings.  Anything I could think to say in this blog just faded in light of that.

Alongside of that, was a disturbing trend that I’ve noticed grow more and more in the last several years.  It’s “What’s In It for Me?”  Maybe that’s not so bad when it comes to flat out business but it really disgusts me when it comes to charitable actions.

And sadly, I’ve had that raised once too often when it comes to the work that we’re doing and trying to do at The Earl Wentz and William Watkins Foundation.  Here’s a few brief examples:

The individual who suddenly decided for some reason that he or she owned the rights to one of Earl’s works simply because he had performed in it and, therefore, said he or she was no longer interested in fulfilling the booking obligations we had made and further showed true colors by ending with “Too bad you didn’t know Earl’s wishes.”  Was that an ill-advised “negotiating tactic” or something worse? The upshot is that what the individual has ended up with is a really bad reputation in the business and ultimately a loss of the performance fees he would have received for his legitimate work.

Another is a church official who decided, I assume from greed, that he could do whatever he wanted to with Earl’s music, that “there’s a common perception that music doesn’t belong to anyone”, and that “if ASCAP has told you any different, we can talk about it.” (Send me a note if you need a primer on copyright, wills, performance rights, legal ownership, what ASCAP is and does, good taste and decency, etc.! Contact him if you need a primer on why the church is reviled so highly in our society and trust in clergy is at an all-time low.)

If those didn’t send me retching, and don’t do the same for you (apologies if you’re reading this around mealtime!), here’s the one that just stopped me in my tracks the week of the Charleston massacre when nine innocent people were gunned down in their place of worship by a racist maniac with access to a gun:

I had been asking readers of this blog and of our “Update” newsletters and our general supporters to provide a few written sentences on the subject of “home” to help with a program we were developing around that subject for our young students.  This would also help connect the larger community with our students in a way that would be tangible and easily-understandable for our students.  (They need to know that people care and that other people, especially adults, think what they are doing is valuable and will share something — which cost the responding adults only about 5 minutes of their time.)

I was startled by the number of people who couldn’t take a few minutes to write down a few words that would be helpful to children but was completely appalled when someone who has benefited greatly from the work of the late Earl Wentz , rather than contributing a few words, approached me to try to get our mailing list so that she could sell the parents of our below-the-poverty-line students her videos.

How about that sports fans?

Are you with me on this?

Have we all just bloody lost it?

I mean, I’m no panty-waist but this makes me puke.

The first two are, sadly, for our lawyers to deal with. The last is something far worse (as is the underlying motivation behind the first two).

Please do let me know your thoughts and feelings by using the “Comments” tab above and let’s have a community dialogue about this quickly before it’s too late for us all.

My quick take is that what’s “in it” for anyone who contributes or works with us is the unspeakable joy and pleasure that comes from helping those in need and seeing their faces light up and their lives forever impacted in a positive manner (perhaps for the first time ever), a legitimate tax-deduction for your monetary gifts, and — if you are a vendor or instructor for us — fair compensation in addition to the first item. If you believe in good karma then there’s bucket-loads of that, too. . . .

. . . . But if you fall into that first category of I have to profit off of charitable works designed for the most needy, then let me direct you to the end of the line right behind the bone-picking vultures.

Welcome back to my world, dear readers, and a happy fall (he tried to say without too much irony.)

Click “comments” at beginning of this post above to view what others are saying and to weigh in on this topic.