Totem Pole Playhouse Announces New Fundraising Opportunity For Local Non-Profit Organizations

Totem Pole Playhouse, Pennsylvania's premiere summer theatre, located in Caledonia State Park between Gettysburg and Chambersburg, PA, has announced a new initiative aimed at helping area non-profit organizations raise funds. The new program offers any 501(c)3 not-for-profit group or organization, regardless of size, the opportunity to sell tickets for a selected performance of one of The Playhouse's shows this season at face value, and then to keep half of the price of all of the tickets they sell.

Totem Pole Playhouse has helped to raise tens of thousands of dollars for area non-profit organizations over the past several seasons. Since 2013, The Playhouse has donated a portion of the proceeds from opening night performances to several non-profit groups and organizations here in Central Pennsylvania, such as the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation of Central PA, the Cumberland Valley Breast Care Alliance, the Central Pennsylvania Animal Alliance and others. Over the course of the past few years, The Playhouse came to realize that there was an even greater need for fundraising opportunities for smaller non-profit organizations with limited budgets.

Producing Artistic Director, Rowan Joseph, noted, "Most smaller non-profits barely have enough money to meet their operating expenses, with little or no funds set aside to do larger fundraisers. They will have the occasional bake sale, car wash, or pancake breakfast to raise a few hundred dollars, but even those require a lot of volunteer time and energy, something which is also more and more scarce these days. My first summer at Totem Pole, I had a small charitable group from the community I live in called the Support Network at Penn National (SNaP) approach me about an opening night benefit, but frankly, they were too small for the kind of networking/outreach we were trying to develop at the time." The Vision Statement on that organization's website states in part: "Support Network at Penn National is a non-profit charitable entity organized to provide services to its members that will significantly improve the quality of their life and allow them to age with grace."

Joseph went on, "The second year they approached me again and we decided to offer them tickets to any performance, including opening nights, at half price which they could sell for full price (or more if they chose) and keep the proceeds," said Joseph. "That year, they sold 20 tickets to Shenandoah; last season they sold 40 tickets; and this year for Million Dollar Quartet they expect to sell 50 tickets, each year making a profit."

SNaP Executive Director, Donna Crissman added, "This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a night out with friends, support the Totem Pole and enjoy a great performance, and the easiest way to raise money for our organization."

Totem Pole's Managing Director, Sue McMurtray, lauds the program: "We have so many small groups that we donate tickets to for their various fundraisers each year that we thought this would be a great program for them. Of course, larger groups are welcome too; the more tickets you sell, the greater your return."

Call the Totem Pole Playhouse box office at (717) 352-2164 or (888) 805-7056 to participate in this fundraising activity. All groups must present proof of active non-profit status.

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