I just received this email from Urban Sparks. If you’re a reader of this blog, you 
know JP Patches is my childhood hero. I was fortunate to have him surprise me on my birthday this year when he showed up at my home. Fundraising is still actively taking place for the statue to honor JP and Gertrude in Fremont. It was recently announced that JP is fighting blood cancer. He still managed to show up at the Seattle Aqaurium to the delight of locals and do a fundraiser a few weeks ago for Channel 9 (our public television station).
I have added a link on the left side of Mortgage Porter so you can easily donate any
amount you would like or purchase a Patches Paver. This link featuring this handsome clown will remain until we have enough funds raised to complete JP and Gertrude’s statue. Still looking for last minute Christmas Gifts? A Patches Paver is the perfect present for Patches Pals!
View photos from when the statue model was unveiled at Fremont earlier this year.
Hi Patches Pals,
Let’s boost JP’s and Gertrude’s spirits for the Holidays. They still boost spirits all year round and they’ve done it for 50 years! Think of the joy they’ve brought you.
Let’s give them a boost for the holidays; let’s finish the statue fundraising now, before the end of the year, so they can dance around it in early 2008.
J.P. and Gertrude still give to community by making increasingly-rare public appearances that touch kids of all ages. And they do it with clown makeup. As sweet as Gertrude is and as dedicated as she is to winning J.P.’s heart, she’s pretty tired of putting her face on and washing it off again before bedtime.
This year, J.P. and Gertrude have worked extra hard with a team of “youngsters” at NATAS-NW and Urban Sparks to support the gift of the statue to generations of grownup kids and to generations of kids that they hope will get to grow up after spending time at Children’s Hospital.
They know that they can live long beyond their mortal lives as role models of humor, kindness, and generosity and they know that the donations that the ICU2TV will collect for years to come will help Children’s Hospital serve kids who need more than a good laugh. So they’re ignoring their advanced ages and pushing on to support this effort – not for ego but for their love of kids.
Depending on whether you were 7 years old in 1958 or 1981, J.P. and Gertrude are 23 to 46 years older than you. Think about that for a moment. Let’s cut ‘em some slack….
Chris Wedes and Bob Newman and say “Thank you from all of the kids who teamed up to honor J.P. Patches and Gertrude. Together we made bronze. You can relax now and stand forever.”
…If we go beyond bronze and raise extra money, that extra money will go to J.P.’s favorite charity – Children’s Hospital. So we can’t go wrong. No need to pull your pie! Donate here
Please help push this fundraising effort over the top right now so we can finish the statue and give J.P. and Gertrude the recognition they so richly deserve. Then join them at the unveiling in 2008.
Thanks so much. Your Patches Pals at:
NATAS Northwest and Urban Sparks
P.S. Here is a recent article on J.P.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/338485_patches06.html
See the Mayor of the City Dump get honored by
Seattle’s Mayor and City Council:
(Fast forward to 10 minutes.)
http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=2020745
A media group that I’m involved with because of my former job helped man the phone banks the night of the JP show on Channel 9 earlier this month – even though I’m not a Seattle native, I’m a JP fan after seeing him in so many parades, and it was a thrill to be in the room with JP and Gertrude (and Pat Cashman!) during the pledge-drive night. The pledge callers all had amazing heartwarming stories about how JP had touched their lives (and their kids’). However, the fundraiser was for KCTS, not for the statue, so definitely it’s time to pony up for the latter!