Save Fairyland!
Donation protected
Save Fairyland! is a local effort initiated by the Tampa Natives Show and concerned friends who are working to retrieve, restore and relocate the beloved storybook characters of Fairyland.
Recently "discovered" in a City of Tampa backlot the figures, removed from Fairyland Forest in Lowry Park circa 1996, have been left to the elements and are in pretty rough shape. We approached the City SEVERAL MONTHS ago, to take possession of the figures to restore them to their original glory and relocate them for the enjoyment of future generations.
However, the City has decided, to our great disappointment, to post the figurines in an auction to be held in January. Our goal is to purchase the figures. refurbish and relocate them here in Tampa for the children of our community to enjoy. THAT WAS THEIR INTENDED PURPOSE. THAT IS OUR MISSION!
JOIN US in this fight to SAVE FAIRYLAND! Share this appeal with other Tampa Natives and friends who cherish the memories of Fairyland and want to see them all returned to our community in a way that results in a "happily ever after!"
Every gift, no matter the size, will be a big help in keeping Fairyland more than just a memory. GIVE TODAY!
:: IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT YOUR DONATION :: When the sale of the Fairyland figures was formally announced by the City of Tampa on December 23, we (myself and members of The Tampa Natives Show who had been working on saving the figures for several months now) were "blindsided," and we had not yet set up a corporation. Because of the short time we had to organize to make the purchase, we established a Go Fund Me account. Since I initiated the account, it carries my name. However, let me be clear, the collected funds belong to this project.
The City of Tampa has set the game - we intend to WIN!
We have learned some things since December 23rd: We now KNOW the Fairyland figures will be auctioned in 12 lots on January 14th, we do not need special credentials to bid, we do need to have cash, and we'll have to move them off the City lot pretty quickly. (We HAVE secured a safe, DONATED, indoor storage facility to keep them safe and dry while we work on the restorations!)
We do NOT know for certain how much cash we will need to purchase them all, because it is an auction. We also do not know who else might be interested in buying them. Understand, we plan to win all of them!
That being said, there are still some "IFs" I want to go over:
If there are funds remaining after the sale, they will be used to establish a non-profit to continue soliciting for tax-deductible funds, supplies, and services to refurbish them and then find appropriate public placement. Filing for tax-exempt status takes money - the State-required corporate filing fees, and the application fees to the IRS total over $500. We will be very transparent about all this. ALL of the money collected after paying for the figures and these fees will be turned over to the non-profit.
If all the money collected so far is used to purchase them, we will have to find a benefactor(s) to advance us the funds to set up the not-for-profit 501(C)(3) organization to move forward with the project.
If the sale is stopped by the City, for any reason, and there is a chance that if we organize a non-profit to receive them and take over their care, we will do that with all the funds. Any remaining funds after paying fees will go to the non-profit to provide a bit of seed money to pay for things like moving and start the refurbishing.
Lastly, if another private buyer comes in and swoops them all away from us, and it turns out we have no future involvement with the Fairyland figures, I will refund your gift, minus the small fee charged to me by Go Fund Me.
Should you have any questions about this process, please feel free to contact me.
Best regards,
Brenda Piniella Rouse
Fairyland Restoration Project Committee
https://savefairyland.wordpress.com/
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Recently "discovered" in a City of Tampa backlot the figures, removed from Fairyland Forest in Lowry Park circa 1996, have been left to the elements and are in pretty rough shape. We approached the City SEVERAL MONTHS ago, to take possession of the figures to restore them to their original glory and relocate them for the enjoyment of future generations.
However, the City has decided, to our great disappointment, to post the figurines in an auction to be held in January. Our goal is to purchase the figures. refurbish and relocate them here in Tampa for the children of our community to enjoy. THAT WAS THEIR INTENDED PURPOSE. THAT IS OUR MISSION!
JOIN US in this fight to SAVE FAIRYLAND! Share this appeal with other Tampa Natives and friends who cherish the memories of Fairyland and want to see them all returned to our community in a way that results in a "happily ever after!"
Every gift, no matter the size, will be a big help in keeping Fairyland more than just a memory. GIVE TODAY!
:: IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT YOUR DONATION :: When the sale of the Fairyland figures was formally announced by the City of Tampa on December 23, we (myself and members of The Tampa Natives Show who had been working on saving the figures for several months now) were "blindsided," and we had not yet set up a corporation. Because of the short time we had to organize to make the purchase, we established a Go Fund Me account. Since I initiated the account, it carries my name. However, let me be clear, the collected funds belong to this project.
The City of Tampa has set the game - we intend to WIN!
We have learned some things since December 23rd: We now KNOW the Fairyland figures will be auctioned in 12 lots on January 14th, we do not need special credentials to bid, we do need to have cash, and we'll have to move them off the City lot pretty quickly. (We HAVE secured a safe, DONATED, indoor storage facility to keep them safe and dry while we work on the restorations!)
We do NOT know for certain how much cash we will need to purchase them all, because it is an auction. We also do not know who else might be interested in buying them. Understand, we plan to win all of them!
That being said, there are still some "IFs" I want to go over:
If there are funds remaining after the sale, they will be used to establish a non-profit to continue soliciting for tax-deductible funds, supplies, and services to refurbish them and then find appropriate public placement. Filing for tax-exempt status takes money - the State-required corporate filing fees, and the application fees to the IRS total over $500. We will be very transparent about all this. ALL of the money collected after paying for the figures and these fees will be turned over to the non-profit.
If all the money collected so far is used to purchase them, we will have to find a benefactor(s) to advance us the funds to set up the not-for-profit 501(C)(3) organization to move forward with the project.
If the sale is stopped by the City, for any reason, and there is a chance that if we organize a non-profit to receive them and take over their care, we will do that with all the funds. Any remaining funds after paying fees will go to the non-profit to provide a bit of seed money to pay for things like moving and start the refurbishing.
Lastly, if another private buyer comes in and swoops them all away from us, and it turns out we have no future involvement with the Fairyland figures, I will refund your gift, minus the small fee charged to me by Go Fund Me.
Should you have any questions about this process, please feel free to contact me.
Best regards,
Brenda Piniella Rouse
Fairyland Restoration Project Committee
https://savefairyland.wordpress.com/
Click here to Reply, Reply to all, or Forward
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Brenda Piniella Rouse
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Tampa, FL
