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| Path: Main Street : Resources & Library : Research Articles : Feature Article |
Ben Wicks --- one person making a differenceDecember 12, 1995; Canadian FundRaiser
Creative as he is energetic, generous in spirit and with his time, satirist, author, cartoonist and illustrator Ben Wicks is becoming increasingly known for his charitable involvement and philanthropic deeds as much as for his talent. One case in point that illustrates an interesting approach to fundraising is Born To Read. A literacy program conceived and executed by Wicks in cooperation with the National Literacy Secretariat, the provincial education ministries, and a host of literacy organizations that included Frontier College, ABC Canada, and the Literacy Federation, the program is the result of work done with the Laubach organization and Wicks' new-found awareness of just how serious the literacy problem really is in Canada.
Deciding to do his part to reach out to children and their parents, Wicks wrote Born To Read. "I designed this book to hook kids on reading and to encourage parents to spend more time with their children," said Wicks. "Reading is a first and vital step to literacy." Six thousand words, 64 pages and 70 illustrations later, the book was ready to find its way into the hands of every Canadian child from pre-school to grade three.
With vision and determination, Wicks embarked on a slew of personal approaches elevating the `ask' to an art form. The program was so strong that the response was overwhelming. Fifteen companies each agreed to buy 100,000 copies of the book, which was produced with their corporate name on the cover. Thanks to the participation of the Bank of Montreal, Bell Canada, Big V Pharmacies, the Edmonton Oilers hockey club, Honda Canada Inc., Kellogg Canada Inc., MacMillan Bloedel Ltd., Noranda, Palliser Furniture Co., Re/Max, Sears Canada Inc., SmithBooks, Southam Inc., Syncrude Canada Ltd. and Wrigley Canada Inc., all 2 million copies were pre-sold.
Wicks then turned his attention to underwriting the shipping costs to 11,000 public elementary schools across the country. For only the second time in its history, Canada Post mailed the books without charge to every school on the list. The marketing plan brought everything together with the launch of Born To Read Day by the Governor General and various premiers across the country on the same day. Major Canadian magazines such as Chatelaine, Flare and Macleans lent their support to the program by running eight-page literacy inserts bringing attention to the problem, and MediaCom donated 700 bus shelter posters from B.C. to P.E.I.
So successful was the venture, Wicks' staff of four was fielding up to 150 calls a day from teachers and parents across Canada asking for additional copies -- orders that could not be filled. However, the program is slated for a repeat next April. In the interim, so impressed with one man's effort were Britain and the USA, Wicks has been asked to help set up similar programs in those countries.
Never one to rest on his laurels, Ben is already at it again. In response to the approaching storm of the recent referendum, Wicks contacted as many newspapers as he could in June and asked them to run a contest inviting children to write a love letter to their country. Dear Canada - Cher Canada is the loving result, a heart-warming compilation of 250 pictures and letters gleaned from over 50,000 entries received. Publisher St. Joseph's Press reduced their bill by $50,000 for this fundraiser that retails for $9.95. In just six weeks the book has sold over 80,000 copies, which bodes well for the projected recipients of the proceeds, inner city Boy's and Girl's Clubs and Gems of Hope.
For more details (416) 967-0338.
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