Wrapping up the Zone's 2007 Birthday Project

part-time poet · Unread post by **part-time poet** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 4:26 pm

A final word on the Zone’s 2007 Birthday Project:

We raised a grand total of $5,000 for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital this year. Congratulations and a huge

to all who donated in Johnny’s honor.

The process of translating from dollars to British pounds is complicated at best; furthermore, although most of our donations--$4,818 worth--came in to the Zone via Paypal (and were then sent via bank check to GOSH), some of our members donated directly to GOSH, in either pounds or dollars, and those donations came in at different times, so the exchange rates varied over the course of the campaign. This gave our contact at GOSH a real headache, to try to determine an end-total for the campaign in pounds.

It is also almost certain that the actual total given by Zone members is higher than GOSH’s records show, since not all of the private donations we heard about from members were tagged as being specifically for the Birthday Project. So we’ll stick to $5,000 as a total . . . it’s simple and easy to remember.

And it’s absolutely amazing.

Here is an official thank you letter I received from Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital (I have removed some personal information which I wouldn’t want circulating around the Internet):

When I received this letter in late September, I realized that there was one private donation missing from GOSH’s calculations (at least—as I said, there may be others that we don’t know about), so rather than have the official total be “off” by $30, I sent a personal check to GOSH to duplicate that member’s donation. I have just received another letter from GOSH confirming receipt of my check, so now the Johnny Depp Zone has officially donated $5,000 to Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in honor of Johnny Depp’s birthday.

Woo hoo!

If you have wondered what your donation might be used for, here is a brochure sent to me by GOSH that sheds some light on that subject:

I am always astonished by the generosity of the Zone’s members. I know how many of us are living on tight budgets and have to choose if we will eat lunch or go to one more matinee showing of Johnny’s latest film. (Ah . . . who needs lunch?) Individually, most Zoners could never hope to give a charitable donation that reached into three figures, let alone four. Now the Zone is very close to having donated $10,000 to children’s charities in the past two years . . . and if you count the donations for hospice bracelets, we are well over $10,000.

You have taken your love and admiration for Johnny Depp and turned it into a way to do good in the world—to bring comfort and help to seriously ill children and their families. It is a gesture worthy of the man who inspires us all. Cheers to all of you,

and may you be blessed in return.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Part-Time Poet

Boo-Radley · Unread post by **Boo-Radley** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:17 pm

PTP I just wanted to thank you for spearheading the GOSH fundraising drive on behalf of Johnny this year, and for keeping us abreast of all the developments along the way. I'm sure this took a lot of your time and I just wanted to say it's very appreciated. I also wanted to say, to everyone here at the Zone that it is moments like this that make me very proud to be a member our community.

I'm sure that Johnny when he became an actor never imagined that he would serve as an inspiration to so many around the world. So

off to you Johnny for being the warm, kind and generous man that you are, which has inspired us to follow your example.

Live in Depp
Boo

DeppInTheHeartOfTexas · Unread post by **DeppInTheHeartOfTexas** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:21 pm

Thanks for the update, ptp! What a generous bunch our Zoners are! Congratulations and thank you to everyone who worked on or donated to the Birthday Project and the hospice bracelet project. Most of all congratulations to the two programs and the children they will be able to help. Great work all around!

AnaMaria · Unread post by **AnaMaria** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 5:24 am

Thank you for this final word and for passing on the letter from GOSH, part-time poet , and most of all: thank you for organizing this wonderful project.

It's touching to see Johnny's name connected to this hospital once again, and heartwarming because it's in such a positive way.

Bless you Johnny.

Endora · Unread post by **Endora** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:11 am

Well said, Boo. And well done everybody.

H2H · Unread post by **H2H** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:23 am

Thanks for posting this update for us. It's amazing what people can do when everyone just contributes a little. And thank you for posting the letter. It's always nice when people say

Lucky13 · Unread post by **Lucky13** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:51 am

H2H wrote: It's always nice when people say

It is very nice indeed !

Many thanks, Part-time Poet for your time and efforts with the wonderful project. It is an honor to have participated and help to make a difference in the lives of these children.

KYwoman · Unread post by **KYwoman** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:36 am

Great news! Thanks for the update PtP and your efforts in pulling all this together and thanks to all who participated. A wonderful project, indeed.

mytreasure · Unread post by **mytreasure** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:13 am

Thank you P-t-P, for keeping us informed. It was so nice to read their letter! The feeling that you get when helping others in need is indescribable. It simply makes your heart sing! Johnny has discovered that and has led others to discover it, too. He's a wonderful human being.

Many thanks to you for starting this birthday project. I hope we can do it every year!!

Charlie · Unread post by **Charlie** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:35 pm

Many thanks for the update PtP, thanks again for organising it and well done and thank you to everyone. It's a privilege to be a tiny part of something so worthwhile.

debs · Unread post by **debs** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 1:11 pm

It was lovely to read the letter, thanks for sharing it with us and huge thanks for organising the fundraising campaign.

San · Unread post by **San** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:09 pm

Thanks for sharing the letter and the information with us.

Unread post by **Theresa** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 1:09 am

Thank you for the final update on this year's birthday project, PTP.

It's very heartwarming to see what we can accomplish when we gather together to honor Johnny. I'm very proud of the Zone for taking the time to help children in need.

Moonlight · Unread post by **Moonlight** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 3:54 am

THANK YOU for this last update on the birthday project, ptp!
And

soooooo much , ptp, for setting this all up!

Many Thanks and much love to all the Zoners who participated in this wonderful project and helped the children with this heartwarmign gesture!

I'm so proud of you, mates!

Charli

e_phemera · Unread post by **e_phemera** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:03 am

Thank you, part-time poet, for letting us know how it all played out.
Looks like it was a good deal of work for you, and so,
MANY HUGE-ISH THANKS!
It makes me very happy to know that a place like GOSH exists to provide care for children. I'm so proud of The Zone's contribution to support them.

Thanks again, e_phemera