Warren County man fundraises for local theatres

Carol Durant

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Fundraiser for community theaterCarol Durant

Andrew O'Rourke, who goes by Andy is a local actor in Warren County. Andy decided that he wanted to spread some joy this holiday season and give back to a specific part of the community. Andy loves theatre and the arts. During the pandemic, the Capital District theater community has been hit very hard. Actors, stage managers, lighting and sound engineers, directors, playwrights, concessions and the audiences were stalled. The theatre communities were dormant for in person plays, while some were able to pivot and have an online presence for their fans. Most of the theatre organizations have started to reopen, but at a monetary deficit. Normal fundraising activities that would have occurred during their stage play or musical theater seasons was curtailed. Andy wanted to fundraise and really make it fun. He contacted Custom Ink, an online fundraising platform and designed a few t-shirts in different colors and a hoodie. He asked the company to add a donation button as an option for people who would like to donate instead of purchasing clothes.

The name of the campaign on Custom Ink is 518 Capital Region Fundraiser To Keep Our Theatres Alive. Andy started the campaign on November 1st and it will conclude on December 31st. Here is the fun part. Anyone who participates via purchase or donation can nominate a non profit theatre organization in the 518 area code. Some examples of theatre groups in the area include: The Park Theater, Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York or Schenectady Civic Players. The top three (3) theater organizations will receive these funds to assist in keeping their doors open and their seasons in motion. You can make a donation. You can buy a birthday or holiday gift for a friend or family member to support the arts in the Capital Region. You can assist this effort by sharing with your favorite theatre group, family and friends. Don't keep it a secret, tell everyone you know. Thank you Andy for sharing your positive energy and joy of giving to others. Let's make this holiday season extra special for some of the great theatre organizations in the Capital District.

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Albany, NY
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