Please join MiceChat and hundreds of Disney and industry insiders as we StartSomeGood for the Walt Disney Birthplace. There are a couple of big upcoming events that YOU are invited to, so check out the whole article below.
You have been reading quite a bit in the news lately about the Walt Disney Birthplace restoration project, and for good reason. MiceChat is backing the project and we hope you will too!
First, let us give you just a bit of backstory. Walt Disney’s parents, Elias and Flora, designed and built a small home in the Hermosa neighborhood of Chicago in 1893. The young Disney family settled into their new home with their two sons: Herbert and Raymond.
This is where Disney history gets really interesting. You see, shortly after moving into the home, their third son, Roy, was born on June 24, 1893. Walter Elias Disney followed on December 5, 1901. This is the house in which the two men who created the Disney magic you all know and love were born. This humble home, on the corner of Tripp Avenue in a Chicago suburb was where the magic literally began. On December 6, 1903, the Disney’s welcomed their fifth child, Ruth. Soon thereafter the family moved off to Marceline, Missouri, but they would eventually make their way to Kansas City and then back to Chicago.
But what happened to the little house in which Walt was born? It still stands today, but is in a very fragile state. The City of Chicago attempted to designate the structure as a Historic Landmark in 1991, but the owner of the property at the time fought the designation. This put the important home at risk of demolition.
Sadly, the home is not in great condition and another harsh Chicago winter would likely do some significant damage. The birthplace team (a 501c3 nonprofit) is scrambling to stabilize the home, repair the siding, install restoration windows and paint the structure as we speak. But that doesn’t come cheap. This is where the Disney fans step in. A crowd-sourced fundraising project has raised nearly enough to get the critical part of the restoration complete by the end of this year. But it still needs about $15,000 to complete this round of repairs. With your help, we can do it!!!
There are a number of ways you can get involved. First, the Birthplace has been holding events which provide you an opportunity to meet celebrities, learn some history and meet the team behind the restoration. There’s also a Kickstarter-type StartSomeGood project which allows you to earn rewards in exchange for donations to the project. They are also holding some amazing events, including one this Monday, November 17th.
Fun Events
Restoring a fragile old historic structure is a lot of work. But remember that a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down. There are some pretty amazing events coming up that are affordable and help restore the Disney Home.
Broadway Sings Disney – November 17th – Studio City, CA
You know our friend Michael-Leon Wooley? He was the voice of Louis the Alligator in The Princess and the Frog. This coming Monday night he is getting all of his show biz and Broadway friends together for one amazing night to benefit the Walt Disney Birthplace. The sweet part is that they will be singing your favorite Disney songs!
Alongside Michael-Leon, the following artists will be performing: Joan Almedilla, Lisa Datz, Stephanie Fredericks, Rhett George, Anne Letscher, Eric Petersen, Carla Renata, Noah Weisberg, Jessica Snow Wilson, and more.
Pricing
- Reserved Table Seating – $35.00
- Preferred Seating 1 & 2 – $50.00
- VIP PACKAGE – $75/seat – front row seating, private reception with the cast of the show and signed event lithograph. Only 6 tables available (max party size of 4)
It’s simple! Pay a few bucks, hang out with celebrities AND benefit the Walt Disney Birthplace Foundation. Vitello’s is a great place to eat, too. Arrive early, get a great seat and have dinner before the show.
Tickets available here (while they last):
An Evening with Bob Gurr
Who says that all of the good events are held in California? If you are close to Walt Disney World you can spend a magical evening with Disney Legend Bob Gurr in beautiful Celebration, Fl. This cocktail party type event will include special guests, Magic, Memories, and a rare opportunity to meet a true Disney Legend and learn more about the man who started it all . . . Walt Disney!
Bob was hired by Walt Disney himself to work on Disneyland. He has spent countless hours with the legendary Uncle Walt and eagerly shares amazing stories about those early days at the magic factory. What was the code word around the studio for when Walt was in a bad mood? What was the tell tale sign that Walt was getting agitated? Just ask Bob! He’ll be there, Gurrtini in hand, to share his recollections from the day he was hired on at Disney Imagineering. This is also the perfect way to close out your visit to the IAAPA convention if you plan on being in town that weekend.
There are an extremely limited number of tickets available for this private affair, and some exclusive opportunities will be available for event attendees. Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind night, and the opportunity to meet a true Magic Maker!
Start Some Good
So what if you aren’t going to be anywhere near the two upcoming November events but you would still like to help? It’s EASY to start some good. Go to http://startsomegood.com/wdb and contribute as much or as little as you can to help restore Walt Disney’s birthplace. Now you may not have the extra $40,000 laying around to become a Phase One Benefactor, but if you are a Disney Fan who wants to help, you can give as little as $10 and feel good knowing that you are making a difference. There are also opportunities to buy a brick, merchandise, sponsor a window and all sorts of other things which will allow you to leave a legacy.
We’ll be back with another update next month as the restoration of the house kicks into high gear.
We hope that you will join us in rallying Disney fans around the globe to help save Walt Disney’s Birthplace. We can only save the magic with your help!
- For more information about the birthplace visit: www.TheWaltDisneyBirthplace.org
- To make a donation to the restoration campaign, visit: StartSomeGood.com/WDB
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