Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: fundraising

"Grand Concert. Altoona City Band with the assistance of local talent. Opera House, February 16th, 1888. Tickets, 50 cents. Quick Charity and Hospital Fund." A ticket for a charity concert held in 1888 by the Altoona City Band. Looks like the printer used a different typeface for each line on the ticket!

The Sunday school of the Third Moravian Church of Philadelphia used share certificates like this to raise funds for the purchase of a church bell. The sale of all 2,500 shares at 10 cents each would have raised $250, and perhaps that would have covered the cost of a bell in the 1870s, which is when these certificates were issued. For another nineteenth-century fundraising strategy that involved buying bricks rather than shares, see The Owner of This Card Has Purchased One Brick in the People's Church, Boston, Mass., ca. 1880 (below). Third Moravian Church Sunday School, Harrowgate, Philadelphia. 2,500 shares. 10 cents each. This is to certify that John Diehne is entitled to one shares in the bell of the Third Moravian Church at Harrogate, Philadelphia. Chas. Thieley, president. J. Lietz, secretary, Senseman & Son, Printers, 416 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia.

Peach Festival Sponsored by the Women's Guild of Second Reformed Church, 45 South Sixth Street, Saturday, September 13, 1952, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Baked ham supper, peaches and ice cream, novelties, cake and candy. Tickets good for anything on sale. Tickets - 10 cents. No. 3623.

A poetic invitation to a church fundraising event featuring pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving Day. The card is not dated, and I have not been able to determine the city or state where James P. Wolff's residence on South Broad Street may have been located. A Google search turned up a brief mention of a similar gathering in 1896: "A Pumpkin Social at Thanksgiving was a novelty, the proceeds furnishing eleven baskets of food for our poorest families" ( Sixteenth Annual Report of the General Board of Managers of the Woman's Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church for the Year 1896-97 , Cincinnati: Western Methodist Book Concern Press, 1897, p. 115). -------- Pumpkin Social Thanksgiving Day Evening Residence Mr. J. P. Wolff, South Broad St. A pumpkin seed in my garden fell, And it grew, and grew. And it said to the Rose of Sharon blossoms "A Thanksgiving pumpkin I'll be to you. Let me be of use to get, Money on the new church debt. My heart when freed form all its eyes, Makes delicious pumpkin pies. Call your friends and make a feast. Give each one a great big piece, Accompanied by a glass of milk. Soon over town, 'twill be the talk. Some wax candles you must put, In the arm holes of my coat, For a jack o'lantern fine, On the gathering throng to shine. In my pocket there is room for a lot of silver coin. Even my seeds may be of use, While concealed they're hard to guess." Now have the roses of Sharon agreed, To the plan of Thansgiv'g pumpkin seed So we've come to invite you to the treat, At the home of Jas. Wolff, South Broad St. Remember the time, Thanksgiving day, Don't anyone think of remaining away. Bring all your friends, don't let the time pass Without lending your aid to our S.S. class.

Judging by a partial Google translation (see below) and information gleaned from some other tickets I purchased at the same time, this Lithuanian-language ticket provided admittance to a benefit dance (ball) held on October 31, 1895, probably somewhere in Pennsylvania and presumably in celebration of All Saints' Day or Halloween. The ornate border, unique typefaces, and illustration of the dancing couple make for an interesting design. -------- Lithuanian text: "Balus, balus! Draug. „Jaunikaicziu Sz. Kazimierio” iszkele dideli balu ant sales buwusios p. Nawicko, o tai diena 31 Spalo, 1895m. Prasides ant 4 adinos po piet ir tesis per wisa nakti. Muzike pirmos klasos. Tikietas - 25c." Partial translation from Google Translate and other sources: "Ball, ball! [Draug. „Jaunikaicziu Sz. Kazimierio” iszkele] great ball [ant sales buwusios p. Nawicko,] which is on 31 October 1895. Starts at 4 o'clock in the afternoon and continues through [wisa?] night. First-class music. Tickets - 25c."

Church groups and other organizations used variations of this poem to invite members to "Birthday Party" gatherings that were both social get-togethers and fundraising events. See additional examples from 1896 and 1910 (below). Birthday Offering, will be held in the Social Hall of Cookman M. E. Church, October 15, 1912, by the Epworth League in honor of the 45th birthday of George W. Young. Upon this card, a little sack, We give to you with pleasure; Please either send or bring it back, Having filled it from your treasure. To put in pennies were are told, As many years as you are old; And if your name in public be read, We promise the number will never be said. Refreshments will be served to all, and we kinly invite you to make a call; And earnestly pray that the Lord will bless And crown the work with abundant success. The proceeds are for the benefit of the society. If not convenient to attend, please forward sack with your offering.

Church groups and other organizations used variations of this poem to invite members to "Birthday Party" gatherings that were both social get-togethers and fundraising events. See additional examples from 1896 and 1912 (below). The Mite Society will give a Birthday Party, Thursday evening, Sept. 15th, 1910, in the Nantmeal M. E. Church, Rev. J. S Tomlinson, pastor. This birthday party Is given to you; We hope you will come, And propose if you do, An agreeable time. Some good things to eat And besides many others A musical treat. As we could not secure The number of candles To let your light shine, We send this fandangle; Put safely within it As many round pennies As years you are old. Your light will be bright. If you send it or bring it. While we will keep dark, If you wish, what's within it. The Mite Society With greetings most hearty, Feel sure you will come To your own birthday party.

Church groups and other organizations used variations of this poem to invite members to "Birthday Party" gatherings that were both social get-togethers and fundraising events. See additional examples from 1910 and 1912 (below). Birthday Party, in the Methodist Church, Parryville, Tuesday evening, February 18, 1896, at seven o'clock. Invitation. This "Birthday Party" is given for you, 'tis something novel, something new. We send to you a little sack--please either send or bring it back With as many cents as you're years old, we vow the number will ne'er be told. Methodist people with greetings hearty, fell sure you'll attend your own birthday party. Benefit of the Ladies' Aid Society of the Methodist Church. Cake and coffee free.

"Pie Social, to be held in the Lecture Room of St. Paul's Reformed Church, by Class No. 17, on Thursday even'g, Dec. 6, 1900, for benefit of Building Fund. Price, 10 cents." Happy Pi Day !

"A grand entertainment will be held on Saturday even., April 3, '97, in Cooper's Hall, for the benefit of the Salunga Cornet Band. The comedy-drama 'Tatters' is one of the finest amateur plays that has been written, abounding in the most pathetic and humorous scenes. Good music will add largely to the night's entertainment. Don't fail to come; rain or shine. Admission, 15 cents. Reserved seat, 20 cents. Committee. Pluck Print, 38 East Chestnut Street, Lancaster, Pa."

"Fastnacht Sociable, by the Altar Society, Grace Ev. Luth. Church, Lect. Room, N. Queen and James, for new church improvem't fund. Admission, refreshment, and entertainment, 10 cts. Tuesday, Feb. 16, 1904. Admit one. P.A.P." -------- Although this 1904 ticket for a "Fastnacht Sociable" in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, doesn't specify what refreshments were served during this church fundraiser, its shape and the event's name suggest that "fastnachts"--a type of fried doughnut--were on the menu ( fastnachts , however, aren't necessarily round in shape and may not have a hole in the middle). As Wikipedia explains, " Fastnacht Day , is an annual Pennsylvania Dutch celebration that falls on Shrove Tuesday , the day before Ash Wednesday....Traditionally, fastnachts are made to use up the lard, sugar, butter, eggs and other rich foods in a house before the austere diet of Lent begins." Fastnacht Day--which fell on Tuesday, March 4, in 2014--continues to be observed in central Pennsylvania, and a number of Catholic and Protestant churches in the area each make as many as 100,000 fasnachts to sell. Some fastnacht makers use special recipes, such as one which produces an uncoated yeast-raised potato doughnut that's square in shape with no hole, while others--including many grocery and convenience stores--simply repackage their regular sugared or glazed doughnuts and label them as fastnachts. See Sue Gleiter's article, " What Is a Fastnacht? Apparently More Than Just a Fried Doughnut ," PennLive.com, March 3, 2014, for additional information on making, selling, and eating fasnachts. -------- For a ticket to another church-sponsored "fastnacht social," see Annual Fastnacht Social, St. Andrew's Reformed Sunday School, Reading, Pa., Feb. 21, 1950 .

"Boy Scout Troop No. 11 of Sts. Peter and Paul Greek Catholic Church, Simpson, Pa., presents Dead Man's Eyes , with Lon Chaney, Jr., and Jean Parker, at the Neutral Theatre, Simpson, Tuesday evening, March 20th, 1945. Shows at 7 o'clock and 9 o'clock. Admission (tax incl.), 30c." Ticket for a showing of Dead Man's Eyes , a 1944 film noir mystery, to benefit a Boy Scout troop.

The Rev. John William Hamilton was founding pastor of the People's Church in Boston, where he served from 1875 to 1884. He was later elected as a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church. This fundraising card provides evidence of the ambitious building program that took place during Hamilton's tenure at the church. According to The Centennial of New England Methodism (Boston, Mass: Crawford Brothers, 1891), ed. George A. Crawford, the construction of the People's Church took about seven years. "The corner-stone of the chapel and parsonage was laid May 27, 1877.... The corner-stone of the church-building itself was not laid until July 3, 1882, and the building was not opened for worship until Sunday, February 10, 1884" (pp. 508-9). The Owner of This Card Has Purchased One Brick in the People's Church Cor. of Columbus Avenue and Berkely St., Boston. The Rev. J. W. Hamilton, pastor. The edifice combines three buildings in one: the church, parsonage, and chapel. The main auditorium will seat 3000 people; the chapel opens into it, greatly increasing its capacity. No expensive tower or costly ornaments, and the church will be free. The Rev. D. W. Couch, financial agent. D. E. Poland, pres. and treas. board of trustees. "The rich and poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all." [Proverbs 22:2.]

Although this photo was in poor shape when I bought it and required significant touch-up to make the image somewhat more visible for posting, I thought that the appeal for assistance printed on the back of the card made it worthwhile. I did some searching for further information about the triplets, but didn't uncover a definitive account of their story. The Find A Grave Web site contains some information regarding the girls' parents, Jarred Washington Tracey (1857-1906) and Emma Barton Tracey (1858-1949) (I'm not sure why the parents' middle names don't match their middle intials on the card). Emma Tracey's entry includes a different photo of the mother with her three daughters. Find A Grave also contains entries for the children, Mabel V. Tracey McKelvey (1886-1967) , Edith Grace Tracey Thompson (1886-1967) , and Bessie Barton Tracey Willard (1886-1966) . -------- Printed on the back of the card: The Triplet Children of J. M. and Emma C. Tracey, Fountaindale, Pa. Mable Viola, Born April 4, 1886, noon, weighed 6 lbs. Edith Grace, Born April 5, 1886, noon, weighed 6 lbs. Bessie Barton, Born April 6, 1886, 4 p.m., weighed 7 lbs. Mrs. Tracey, the mother of these babes, was born with but one arm. Photographs taken Aug. 26, 1886. Cabinet photographs of these children will be mailed to any address for 25 cents. Address J. M. Tracey, Fountain Dale, Adams co., Pa. The profit from the sale of photographs will be devoted to rearing and educating the triplets. -------- Printed on the front of the card below the photo (too faint to be visible here): "Tipton Photo, Gettysburg, Pa."