New York's Parade Committee Launchs Online Donation Drive

This week the New York City St Patrick's Day Parade Committee announced the launch of their second online donation drive. The Parade, a registered Non-Profit, hopes to raise donations from the general public towards its continued efforts to fund the Parade.

"In the past three years we have introduced technologies such as the Parades' website NYCStPatricksParade.Org, the webcast of the Parade live from Fifth Avenue and secure on line payments for tax deductible donations and Parade functions. All of these have raised the profile of the Parade and brought huge savings to the operations of Parade. These technologies have been implemented at minimum cost to the Parade, thanks to various people with the expertise's volunteering their services " said Hilary Beirne, Parade Executive Secretary and Web Master.

Most people do not know that the New York City Saint Patrick's Day Parade has to pay for everything from comfort stations for Parade participants to reviewing stands and it is completely funded by donations from the public.

While New York City serves as the majestic backdrop to the Parade, the City offers no financial assistance to the Parade despite the fact that the City takes in millions of dollars in tax revenue from Parade participants.

"We want the general public to ask themselves; how many Saint Patrick Days have they spent watching their children be awe-struck by the marching bands? How many times have they gotten goose bumps as the sound of the first bagpipes break through the chilly March morning air? If these are valued memories, then please make a tax deductible donation today by visiting our website NYCStPatricksParade.Org or mail your donation to the Committee," Beirne said at a meeting of Parade delegates in Manhattan. "These tax deductible donations will help to ensure memories for generations to come and will help fund the world's oldest and most cherished Parade," he said.

Because the St Patrick's Day Parade & Celebration Committee is a registered 503c non-profit organization, 100% of ones donation is income tax-deductible.

"The Parade will be 250 years old in 2011 and we are already hard at work planning a truly momentous Parade for that year," said Parade Chairman, John Dunleavy. "We hope our online donation center will continue to help us raise funds to off set the rising costs and the expected reduced donations due to the down turn in the economy.

"Parade costs have increased, especially since 9/11 and we are again looking to the public to raise funds to maintain the worlds' largest Irish event on St Patrick's Day Parade," he continued. "This Parade is profoundly meaningful to the entire US Irish American community and all New Yorkers. It is the day we all show pride in being New Yorkers and in our faith and Irish culture. The Parade is indeed a testament to our unwavering pride of being Irish."

One thing that is truly remarkable about the Parade is the tremendous sense of duty and commitment to keeping the Parade alive by Parade volunteers. Their sense of duty to the Parade has been passed on from one generation to the next, from fathers to sons, mothers to daughters, often entire families work together through out the year to make the Parade possible every March 17th for the past 249 years.