Welcome to TheBearProject!
We are a local gay community group where size matters. Our events aim to create a friendly environment where bears, cubs, “G-men” and other stocky and big-sized men – as well as the guys who love them – can hang out, exchange ideas and ming
le.

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The Bible contains six admonishments to homosexuals and 362 admonishments to heterosexuals. That doesn't mean that God doesn't love heterosexuals. It's just that they need more supervision.
~Lynn Lavner

Monday, February 4, 2008

TheBearProject's Charity Event - The Discussion Continues

TBP's Charity Committee:
  • Asimov_22
  • VitalAuto
  • Universek
  • Balenciaga
  • Odac
  • Stonedwin
  • Martinn
Tentatively this is the main committee. Those who wish to help can let me or VitalAuto know personally or email to thebearproject@gmail.com, either way. (Erm, thae order of the names you see above has no hierarchical meaning.)

Committee members, I'll be organizing a meeting very soon. Somewhere in the week of 17th Feb onwards. Will email you guys for the details!



Ok we should finally get to work on this, as it was pushed around for the longest time and we haven't really got the time to sit down and seriously discuss and work things out.

Recently there has been an event that generated much interests and kinda kicked started this whole talk again. It was the MAAD @ Red Dot Museum (which I missed, sadly). Though the idea wasn't new for us anymore, I realized there were many artists and creative people amongst our friends and I thought an Art Sale or Auction of such would be good.

Tentative Date for this event is set in May or in June 2008, depending on how fast we can get our ass working on it...

Meanwhile, I call out to all those who have ideas or interest in creating figurines (from clay etc.), hand-made crafts or trinkets, or those who wish to donate your toy collection for charity. Of course if you have any other good ideas and want to share with us, please post your comments or email us.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, firstly, maybe you guys would like to define the beneficiaries (less fortunate young children? elderlies? gay society at large?)

After defining this, secondly you will have to examine: are you contributing as a group of PLU? will it bring in too much unwanted attention? (criticism perhaps?)

Having said all that, maybe you guys can set up a fund, eg scholarships for deserving, aspiring yet financially stranded students from this small little community to realise their dreams of pursuing their degrees

Or PLU awareness campaign, not so much of a strike or march kinda thing mind you, we really won't wanna mess with singapore law. It can be done in more subtle manner like T-shirts,booklets, or even setting up support groups.

Just some random spurs of ideas, more will come in if I may.

Cheers,
STB

ZeroOnes said...

i'm all for art auction. Since it's a well known fact that the creativity industry have many of us around already.. so using that as a cover.. nobody is going to see us sticking out that way.

One thing that would be interesting that we could do is of coz get everyone to design a teddy bear. yup, people have design babies, paint/dress up cows.. why not we each design a teddy bear and call the auction, THE BEAR PROJECT.

Yes, it may sound cheesy, and no bal, i'm not taking cheesy thursday too seriously.. but I think it's a good idea. =p

So now, the next better idea below...

TheBearProject said...

Hello STB,
I'm glad you gave your inputs. I agree that we must define a benficiary group to receive our charity funds etc. (Which must and will be determined) However, I sense the "defensive-ness" about the revealing of who we are and where we're coming from. I think that will be controversies and repercussions that might spur the public's attention. (or maybe even unwanted attention that you mentioned)

I am not sure whether the rest of those who will be involved share a similar viewpoint? Idealistically, doing charity might over-write the criticisms that might spawn from our actions?

Anonymous said...

The whole 'ART SALE' idea was sparked off after watching this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh6a1Pka4A4

My point of view is since this is the first time we are doing this, let's keep it simple, start small...

WE just need a few artistically talented guys, they can do pretty much anything they want (painting, photography, artwork, sculpture, even a t-shirt design, a well made bejewelled cushion cover or a one-of-a-kind teddy bear made for the event) but keep in mind since this is for charity, the works are to be 'donated' and ORIGINAL meaning anyone willing to donate their artwork must know that they cannot ask to 'cover their cost'... But of cos it doesn't mean you can use a lousy frame or donate something you dun want (remember packing is important!!!!)... Search within your heart and do something really good so people will fork out GOOD money to buy them...

We can probably start with 5-10 pieces of art... Then we can organize a small gathering... Food, Drinks... Just a social thingy, it can be someone's place, a chalet or what not... And hold a intimate exhibiton and use that as auction ground... And maybe we can also create a box... For people who do not like any of the works but want to contribute they can put in any amount just to help out, so the whole event becomes inclusive...

As for the beneficiary, we can discuss it along the way... Maybe thru nominations and then a vote... or we can even have 2 beneficiaries with we get more money (but i doubt it since this is going to be small)...

In my personal opinion, it should be a 'personal donation' to the organization we choose to donate to... Not much hoo-haa, since we are doing charity, dun need any form of media blitz and what not... Let it grow organically, maybe 5 years down the road it'll grow to something like the New York Annual Fire & Ice Ball at the METS where the well heeled and the influential will visit... :P Ok... we can dream right???

-Balenciaga

VitalAuto said...

I totally love the art auction idea. I can contribute my photography works. Yes, we should start small first, if it's successful, we can try something bigger the following year and it could become a yearly event.

after seeing the Family Guy event, should we get this together for Christmas gathering? could be a little rushed lah... Christmas is the time for giving, and i think we should have a nice christmas gathering.

i agree with Bal that donations should not be hyped up, after all all we want to do is to give something back and to do something good.

Also like the Family Guy Event. we could have a bake sale too. So that ppl who are not contributing artworks can get involved by baking and selling their food. Money from bake sale can be added into the donation.

Super!

Balenciaga said...

Glad you like the Art themed charity...

But i do have some reservation on the Bake Sale element... I think we can have a 'Food Fair' concept but to mix it with the Art Auction wouldn't be a good idea only becos it will confuse the theme of the event and people may feel upset if they find out they have to pay for food when it is an Art Auction (of cos if we treat it as an outing thingy, we'll collect the money and prepare the food and if there's any extra it'll go into the money collected)...

And something just occurred to me, if there are pieces that are not sold, we can always ebay them and 'clear the stock' and who knows, we just might get a better price for it and it'll all go into the stash...

Just my thot... Feel free to demolish it... ;)

Anonymous said...

Glad to see the community giving back. Very encouraging. Lemme know if I can do anything to help.

Anonymous said...

Hello...

If you need a Treasurer in this event, I will do my best as my art is really lousy that I think I will need to give people $1 instead to take my work...
Also canvassing was my duties during school days.

Maxi (martinn)

Anonymous said...

Since I'm not that artistically inclined too, would be glad to offer my labour in anyways.

One suggestion of a beneficiary could be a gay support group or alike. This means we can make it like a gays-helping-gays event...

Divineseeker said...

how about doing donating labour to a worth charity? im sure someone out there needs us to paint buildings or redo rooms or build something? or just take out some kids or seniors out for a day?

Anonymous said...

Am not the most artistic either but most interested to do some art work. Anyone need help with their art? Let me know.

Not too sure about gays-helping-gays though. I mean aren't gay being ostracized enough. We should raise above it....think Professor X. Xavier.

:s

Anonymous said...

donating labour hor i think spaces is already doing so maybe we can like help out when they go do their spring cleaning for the needy...

http://www.ourspaces.com/

Anonymous said...

Divineseeker, i know that nowadays, charity organization are expecting more from their donors...

They no longer encourage those one off act of goodwill mostly becos they want to grow the relationship between two parties... Which is why if you notice, companies now 'adopt' a charity for a fixed period of at least 1 year...

So i dun think the one-off charity thingy will work..

Anonymous said...

Just to add on, personal view is whether enough is being done to help our own community. Maybe not much since we are quite ostracised... But totally agree that we can, and should go beyond our own community.

So I'm sure this is just the beginning, a start of more things to come :)

VitalAuto said...

thanks for all the comments... i think we should get a committee going to jumpstart this project before it gets shoved to the one-day-we-will-do-project. We have martinn as the treasurer liao... anyone who's interested to be in the committee, pls let asimov or i know, thanks... we will then plan for a meeting. hear from you guys soon!

Anonymous said...

odac reporting for duty!

actually i'm also a treasurer kind of guy, but since that's taken i'll gladly do the logistics lah...

Anonymous said...

martinn reporting for duty too!

well, treasury department and logistic department always work hand-in-hand.

TheBearProject said...

Yes, I agree with VA... too many will-do-it-soon project ideas. We NEED ACTION people!

So currently, the main committee will be: VA/Uni, Asimov, Balen, Odac, Martinn...

Should be enough? Well we gotta formulate the concrete idea 1st, that is raising funds (for charity) not on a big scale yet but on a social level?

Anonymous said...

count me in if there's still space. cheers

TheBearProject said...

Yes of cos! Appreciate your help stonedwin :)

Just wondering if any of you guys have any experience in raising funds for charity purposes?

otto fong said...

I'm discussing with Ngarte about doing some figurines of the bunnies from my comics. Also, this coming BKK trip we'll be scouting Chatuchak Market for simple ways to create t-shirts and stationaries. Any suggestions to contribute in that aspect?

otto fong said...

Ever thought of a charity for animals? Lots of pet lovers in our community.

TheBearProject said...

Hmmm Charity for animals would be a step further but its a good idea too :)

Otto, so you guys are going to BKK to look for T-shirt making supplies? Thats nice thats nice! Thanks so much for your contribution...

Ngarte, finally your hidden talents will be put to good use and a good cause!!! Maybe you can teach us Sculpey as well so we can help you make some.

Another issue I was pondering on, was that an Art Sale is different from an Art Auction...