Melissa Savenko's Richmond Real Estate Review

How Generous Is Richmond? VERY Generous!

The Amazing Raise is off and running, and in only 9+ hours, Richmonders have donated over $223,000!  The entire objective of the Amazing Raise is to raise as much money as possible by encouraging online donations of $50 or more during a specified 36 hour period, which began this morning at 6 A.M.  The Community Foundation is offering at least $100,000 in matching grants, possibly more.  There are also various contests that allow the nonprofits participating to win additional grant money, for things like most donations during a time period, etc.

Everyone has their own charity of choice.  Sometimes folks have multiple.  I am on the Board of the Byrd Theatre Foundation, so that's the organization I'm giving to.  After all, we were just named one of the "Top Ten Places to Watch a Movie in Splendor" in USA Today only five days ago!  [As an aside, I'm personally hoping Stephen Spielberg and Daniel Day-Lewis saw that article and plan to slip into the Byrd incognito sometime real soon].

 I hope you will consider giving to the Byrd Theatre Foundation during the Amazing Raise.  Here is the link directly to the online donation page for the Byrd Theatre Foundation.  Even if the Byrd is not your charity of choice, I hope you will each consider giving a donation of at least $50 to some worthy local nonprofit organization.  Each and every one of these groups does great things, often on a shoestring budget.  So, I know times are tough.  But consider that $50 donation.  You'll feel good about yourself for the rest of the day!

Richmond, pat yourself on the back.  You are very generous.  That's yet another thing for us to be proud of!

Ready, Set, GIVE! The Amazing Raise Is Off!

Starting at 6 a.m. TODAY, in just fifteen minutes, 36 hours of the Amazing Raise - Richmond's online fund raising challenge - begin.  Here is all the information about the Amazing Raise.  Please consider donating $50 - or $100, or $500 - to the Byrd Theatre Foundation.  Heck, donate a dollar, donate $5, donate $10!  Only online donations of $50 or more are credited towards our standings in the competition for up to $10,000 in grant money from the Community Foundation.  But we would be ever-so-grateful for ANY financial support. 

So Richmond, are you generous?  I think you are.  Do you LOVE the Byrd?  I think you do.  Ready, set, GIVE!

Byrd Theatre Foundation - How You Can Help

1.  Donate money starting TOMORROW, Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at 6 a.m.  The Amazing Raise, a fund raising event that lets local nonprofits "compete" to win volume and dollar amount contests, will result in at least $100,000 in matching grants being awarded to those local nonprofits by the Community Foundation.  Every $50 donation you make online is counted towards the Byrd Theatre Foundation's total.  Help us get those matching grants! Click here to learn more about the Amazing Raise and how you can participate. 

2.  "Like" us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.  Our Facebook page is The Byrd Theatre & Foundation.  Twitter, @thebyrdrva, is here.

3.  Attend the Cameron Carpenter gala this FRIDAY, October 7, 8:00 p.m. at the theatre.  Cameron Carpenter is an award-winning musician who is smashing the conventional wisdom of what organ music is.  Tickets are still available, and this may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a musical virtuoso play our very own Wurlitzer organ.  It promises to be an AMAZING event.  Click here to learn more about Cameron Carpenter.  Click here to go directly to the ticket link.

4.  Put the RVA Zombie Festival on your calendar, October 29, coinciding with the day of the Carytown Zombie Walk, and "like" it on Facebook.  Great zombie movies, like Dawn of the Dead, Shaun of the Dead, and 28 Days Later, and all the proceeds benefit the Byrd Theatre Foundation!

5.  Get involved with the Byrd Theatre Foundation.  Offer to volunteer.  Participate on a special committee.  Just come to the movies, and talk about this Richmond treasure to all of your friends.  After all, we were just named one of the Top 10 Places in the USA to See a Movie in Splendor only four days ago!

Thanks to everyone for their support!