Amid a barrage of criticism, organizers of a fundraiser featuring former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin have decided the event will no longer benefit public health care.
Instead, funds from the April 15 gala will go to the Charity of Hope, an organization that helps children.
"The attention became a health-care debate when the attention should've been on ... an event that benefits the community," said Dennis Concordia, one of the co-chairs of the event.
Paying, reportedly, $200,000 to a Merkin dimbulb who had recently dissed the Canadian healthcare system to speak at a fundraiser for the Canadian healthcare system created controversy? Who coulda seen that coming?
Apparently not Mr. Concordia.
"I don't think we could have predicted the backlash, not necessarily here in Hamilton but across North America," Concordia said.
Speaking of dimbulbs.
So what is this Charity of Hope?
The concept for The Charity of Hope, according to a message on its website from its president Sam Mercanti, started among friends at the local YMCA. They hope to grow the charity each year.
But if Sawah is going to speak at its annual fundraiser, it appears that an actual Canadian activist on behalf of children, Craig Kielburger, will be bumped.
Presumably the young and accomplished Mr. Kielburger wouldn't charge anything like $200,000 and would likely donate whatever the fee is to the charity he founded while just a kid, Free the Children.
So, has the switch of charities quieted the controversy? Um, no.
Here's a screenshot of the current poll at the Spectator:
5 comments:
So it wasn't a hospital fundraiser afterall but a private fundraiser that was going to donate to the hospital.
Is anyone, besides Sawah, making money off of this.
Actually, it's good news that the Hamilton Health Complex is not associated with this cheap publicity stunt, especially as it won't have any legal obligations when the whole thing flops and the organizers have to pay for the mess, including Palin's fees, her travel expenses, her hair styling services, the caterers, the hall, advertizing, etc. etc
It's hard to see how any charity is going to be much better off from this. As dBO says, there are more costs involved than her fee, which, IF they sell out, will be just covered by the gate.
Those private fundraisers need to buy a clue.
ThinkProgress reports that the hospital has "booted" her.
You betcha!
There may be some more thists and turns to this story before it's over. Actual charities won't fare very well.
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