I played the role of Vale Camile "Cammy" Beauchamps at the end of an exhausting 7 fundraiser parties which lead to 2007's Atlanta Cotillion Benefiting AID Atlanta.
There's a magic 3-letter word that was taught to me by The Members.
The word itself---ASK---seemed insanely simple. However, in the World of Business, this one word of advice has evoked millions and millions in exchanged dollars.
That year I made a lot of speeches on the Atlanta Networking Circuit, using these as opportunities to rally others for the Cotillion's cause. Most parties were $20.---not a lot to pay for catered food, cocktails, and entertainment.
From business breakfasts to charity functions I invited people to these small parties. We had two fashion events (including Designer Bill Hallman and Actor Princess Charles) a block party, a gambling night on 7/7/7 and a couple of others things that are now blurred in retrospect.
Around town I made my pitch as to how the strength of a real service organization was shown in the number of people It could help who arrived at the front door, when help was needed most.
I retold a story of how AID Atlanta actually took a homeless man to Piedmont Hospital and paid for some $5,000 in emergency care. Homeless people view GLBT Service Organizations as people empathetic to their cause. This is a good thing.
The monies raised during the Cotillion Season go to help in extra moments like that, when quick money is unavailable.
One day, at the end of my Cotillion Fundraising Season in 2007, an older gentleman, a bank president, came up to me after a speech. He asked "...how much do you have, and how much do you need to make your goal?"
"I have $22,000---want to raise at least $25,000" I smiled.
"Follow me to my car," he said, and there wrote me a $3,000 check. He got tears in his eyes, "...your speech, it, uh, moved me."
That's when I realized that asking was the first step in getting to the big help!
MORE: Stay Tuned for Discussion of The Lucky (Break) Principle
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