About Us
Our characters have been working together for almost 8 years now. We started as characters for the Chesterton Wizard of Oz Festival and, over time, expanded our audience by appearing at numerous events such as The Indianapolis 500 Kids Festival, The Indiana State Fair, Oz-Stravaganza! (2009) in Chittenango, and many more. We also donate our services to charitible organizations and children's hospitals.
Many costumed character groups simply show up and pose for photos, our group does much more than that! We sing and dance, we emcee events - basically we strive to make our characters as much a part of an event as possible. We love spending one-on-one time with attendees - chatting, playing games, whatever we can do to make the event as special as possible.
This Campaign
This campaign is to help send us to Oz-Stravaganza in Chittenango, New York, this summer. This event is held in the hometown of L. Frank Baum, the author of the Wizard of Oz, and celebrates all things Oz! We last appeared at this event in 2009. We had an awesome time and have wanted to return ever since. Unfortunately, the trip can be quite costly and if hard for us to cover. The event organizers also love having us, but with everything they have on their plate, it is not always possible for them to provide the financial support we need. We are asking that you consider contributing to our cause and helping us get to Chittenango so that we may provide the families, fans, and children with quality entertainment with a touch of magic!
What We Need & What You Get
A trip such as this has many expenses including:
- Vehicle Rental - Our group typically includes 6 characters and 3-4 assistances. This requires us to rent a large vehicle that can hold us all and baggage. In some cases, it is also necessary to rent small trailer to haul costumes and props.
- Gas - Like with all trips, we need fuel for our vehicles and in today's economy it can be killer!
- Hotels - Hotels are one of the more costly aspects of our trips. While we bunk about 4 to a room, it is still rather costly, as we must worry about hotels not only at the event but also on the way to and from.
- Costume Maintenance - We typically do 5-10 events per year. With all the moving, dancing, marching in parades, repeated packing and unpacking, and so on, our costumes take quite a good deal of wear and tear. This requires periodic maintenance, cleaning, and, after so many years, replacement eventually. Also, new makeup must be bought every so often.
- Misc. Expenses - Even "fictional" characters must eat. We must also keep certain things on hand such as bottled water, first aid kit, etc.
As you look below, you will notice we have various sponsorship levels with varying incentives. While you may give any amount from $1.00 and up, these levels provide you with several great great perks including:
- Advertisement on Facebook page
- Name/Business listed on our cast t-shirt
- Autographed photos
- Advertisment at the event
- An appearance by the characters at your event
- Much more
The Impact
Think of the joy you can help bring to countless children by helping send the characters to Oz-Stravaganza. You should see their faces light up when they meet Dorothy and friends for the first time!
Other Ways You Can Help
Financial donations are not the only way you can help. You or your business may also provide assistance in one of the following ways:
- In-kind donations of snacks, bottled, water, etc.
- Business in the area may help to provide food and lodging.
- Help spread the word of our campaign!
- Vouchers, coupons, and discounts for our various expenses.
