Open Forum

I would like to ask EDTA to increase their advocacy for community service projects to the troupes. TOTSKE has helped our school theatre troupe to be visible in their community, provide a service experience for the members, and a way to publicize our theatre program with direct contact to our patrons. The deadline for the TOTSKE verification form is Monday, Nov 7th in order to be eligible for the troupe awards. As I look at the number of schools involved in thespians and those involved in TOTSKE it saddens me that the numbers are not greater.  

I have been an advocate for community service projects as part of maintaining active membership in our ITS troupe. We have embraced the Trick or Treat So Kids Can Eat campaign for many years through ITS.  It seems that as the years have gone on there has not been as much publicity about the campaign from EDTA.  Our community in Mission Viejo CA has embraced this project and even though we are not what one would think is an area of need we have found that many of the local food pantries rely on this campaign for supplies to get them through to the holiday season.

Our troupe collects food at local grocery stores, neighborhoods, public library, City Hall, the school homerooms and at theatre productions (Pay what you CAN nights- for discounted tickets). We are able to involve both parents and students and then celebrate with a Halloween Party on the night of the neighborhood collection. 

Please increase the visibility of the community service projects on the website so that the troupes can easily access the information and promote the national campaigns.  Help the troupe directors and student leaders to find the information, deadlines and forms.

If anyone has any ideas to help promote TOTSKE, Broadway Cares, etc...please add to this discussion. Thanks

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Kathy Cannnarozzi Harris
Theater Director - Mission Viejo HS
VAPA Coordinator K-12
Saddleback Valley USD
Mission Viejo, CA
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It's always exciting and encouraging to hear stories about schools and communities where the Trick or Treat so Kids Can Eat food drive has had a positive impact. For the 2016 campaign we used more personalized and targeted emails to encourage participation so the outward visibility may not have seems as much. With the web page sliders and ebulletin reminders added to the emails, we can report that registrations went up this year. 

Donation verification forms are still coming in so we don't have a collection total yet. We are on track to pass last year's total. Watch for the campaign and awards update later this month.

Thanks to all who participated. You do indeed make a difference where there is a great need. Rest assured, the TOTS-EAT food drive will be back again in 2017.

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David LaFleche
Director of Membership
Educational Theatre Association
Cincinnati OH

Original Message:
Sent: 11-06-2016 17:58
From: Kathy Cannarozzi-Harris
Subject: Trick or Treat So Kids Can Eat

I would like to ask EDTA to increase their advocacy for community service projects to the troupes. TOTSKE has helped our school theatre troupe to be visible in their community, provide a service experience for the members, and a way to publicize our theatre program with direct contact to our patrons. The deadline for the TOTSKE verification form is Monday, Nov 7th in order to be eligible for the troupe awards. As I look at the number of schools involved in thespians and those involved in TOTSKE it saddens me that the numbers are not greater.  

I have been an advocate for community service projects as part of maintaining active membership in our ITS troupe. We have embraced the Trick or Treat So Kids Can Eat campaign for many years through ITS.  It seems that as the years have gone on there has not been as much publicity about the campaign from EDTA.  Our community in Mission Viejo CA has embraced this project and even though we are not what one would think is an area of need we have found that many of the local food pantries rely on this campaign for supplies to get them through to the holiday season.

Our troupe collects food at local grocery stores, neighborhoods, public library, City Hall, the school homerooms and at theatre productions (Pay what you CAN nights- for discounted tickets). We are able to involve both parents and students and then celebrate with a Halloween Party on the night of the neighborhood collection. 

Please increase the visibility of the community service projects on the website so that the troupes can easily access the information and promote the national campaigns.  Help the troupe directors and student leaders to find the information, deadlines and forms.

If anyone has any ideas to help promote TOTSKE, Broadway Cares, etc...please add to this discussion. Thanks

------------------------------
Kathy Cannnarozzi Harris
Theater Director - Mission Viejo HS
VAPA Coordinator K-12
Saddleback Valley USD
Mission Viejo, CA
------------------------------