Those who know me most know the thing I HATE (emphasis added) most probably involves asking others for money, to donate, to contribute, to take a journal ad.  When I first started out, Tony Menna, who I met in Mario Cuomo's campaign for Mayor, who induced me to joined my first and second political clubs and later became my local political leader, shared with me how he would often attend other political functions – club fundraisers and the like, in return for folks supporting ours.

As almost anyone who endures the so-called chicken circuit – except perhaps the lovely couple, Riva and Alan Schwartz, very rare does anyone drag a spouse to an event.   And in those instances where you someone cajoled your partner to join you, soon after – sometimes even at the event, you get old, “NEVER AGAIN drag me to one of those.

So a generation later I find myself helping client (political) candidates ask others for money.   Sometimes, I even scheduled myself to attend their “call-time” not just to make sure they make the call but to get them comfy at making the calls. One client finally got comfy enough to use a space without me needing to join him in an agency – Allied Personnel Services --near his official office I arranged with my Gotham Towers colleague, neighbor and friend, Amparo Connors who owns it. I came to it self-taught. When I took over a non-profit almost a quarter-century ago, I realized reliance on UJA-Federation alone would not work; I began Installation Breakfasts to raise money; over time learning to line up not just journal ads but sponsors so the event cost nothing and EVERYTHING we took in became profit. Still in comparison to most galas, small change.

As many in Gotham know, it does not stop with my clients and some voluntary organizations on whose boards I sit (and often lead); I serve as Gotham's overall Sponsor Chair and occasionally harangue via email and otherwise many in and out of our tribe to support events including Gotham's Winter and Spring Cocktail parties, the Gotham Battle of the Bands® and even, though music matters a lot to this correspondent, perhaps my most fave Gotham event, the Gotham Green Awards®.

Last year Shelly and I attended the Theresa Awards Dinner. Shelly came away much impressed at the Theresa Foundation's mission and the efforts of my Gotham Long Island Legal colleague, Vincent Russo and wife Susan in sustaining the Theresa Academy for the Performing Arts. So when the call came this year to help this year, and that the honorees included our own, our Gotham City Networking, Inc.® co-founder, Fred Klein, I answered. And its not too late for others in and out of our special tribe to answer that call, as sponsors, through taking a journal ad, joining or organizing their Gotham group to take an ad, attending and more. A good cause.

Happy Holiday -- Happy Easter and best wishes for a kosher Passover.