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Full List of Questions
A
Sit-A-Thon?
What… umm… what is that exactly?
A Sit-A-Thon is a fundraiser in which
volunteers collect pledges from friends and
family, and then agree to sit for an entire day.
It is taking place on September 6th
from 8am - 6pm at the Portuguese-American Social
and Athletic Club in Smithfield.
Just
sit? All day? How do they not go insane?
In past years, some popular distractions
have included: board games, reading books, Mad
Libs, playing catch, and the boisterous singing
of ridiculous songs towards the end when we just
can’t take it anymore. It is also not
unusual for us to plan some surprise organized
games or bits of entertainment during the day.
I
don’t want to sit alone. Should I tell
my friends to sit as well?
Absolutely! The official number of
friends recommended by the Obscure Company is 8.
However, you may bring as many or few as you
like, as long as everyone registers and collects
pledges, of course. The registration form
is located here.
What
exactly do we sit on?
That is an excellent question. You are
to be commended.
Thank
you.
You’re welcome. Now, to answer that
superlative query: whatever you want. The
Obscure Company attempts to reward everyone who
chooses to work so hard leading up to the event
with as comfortable a seat as possible.
We generally bring as many couches and
armchairs as we can get our hands on.
There is something fantastic about
enjoying an outdoor couch with friends on a
Saturday. That
said, we can’t always guarantee that the couch
supply will meet demand, and so you are welcome
to BYOC.
BYOC?
Bring Your Own Chair. You probably own
a chair that you enjoy sitting in much more than
our loaners. And so you are welcome to
bring that if you like.
Office chairs, captain’s chairs,
director’s chairs, armchairs, sofas, bean
bags, stools, stationary bicycles… all sitting
apparatus (or apparatuses?) are welcome at the
Sit-A-Thon.
When
you say that we sit “all day”, we get…
y’know… breaks?
Right?
Unfortunately, our human need to use
restroom facilities supersedes our overwhelming
desire to sit endlessly for charity. So
yes, there will be scheduled restroom breaks
throughout the day.
What
if I can’t wait until a scheduled break?
We have built an elaborate device for
tar-and-feathering anyone who… Alright, we
suppose it is permissible for you to take
additional breaks if necessary. But our
expectation remains that if you are not in a
bathroom, then you are in a chair.
Fair
enough. Let’s talk about food.
Yes, let’s. I enjoy Cheez-Its and
hot dogs…
Clarification:
let’s talk about what I eat when I’m there.
Oh, yes. First of all, we will have
plenty of bottled water on site, to keep all of
our beloved volunteers hydrated. We will
have some snacks available, but we encourage you
to bring some mid-day munchies with you.
Also, The Obscure Company will be
arranging for lunch to be brought to the event
site. Lunch is free for all sitters with
at least $100 in pledges submitted on the event
date, and just $5 for everyone else.
If you have any special dietary
requirements, please let Tom
Douglass know via
e-mail so we can make arrangements.
So,
what do I need to bring
with me on September 6th?
All you are required to bring is yourself,
your pledge sheets, and a positive attitude.
But feel free to bring any of the following:
your own comfy chair, books, games, snack food,
music devices with headphones, your knitting,
jigsaw puzzles… you get the idea.
Do
I need any extra money?
Other than possibly the $5 for lunch, we
don’t nickel and dime our beloved sitters on
the day of the Sit-A-Thon.
You can sit without a dollar in your
pocket and have a fantastic time.
That said, there are occasionally
opportunities to enhance your day in exchange
for a small donation (anything from an ice cream
truck drive-by to a massage therapist stopping
in), and we welcome you to bring a few dollars
with you if you think you might want to take
advantage of something like that.
We will try to post any planned
activities that require an additional donation
to the website prior to the event, so you can
plan what you will want to bring.
Is
there anything I shouldn’t bring?
We would prefer if pets were left at home.
Especially snakes. I am terrified of
snakes.
Where
is the Portuguese-American Social and Athletic
Club?
The club is nestled in a lovely neighborhood
at 36 Fenwood St in Smithfield, and features
ample parking and shade. Directions to the event site are located here.
What
time can we arrive for
registration?
Registration begins at 7:00, with a shotgun
sitting start at 8 am sharp.
What
about collecting
sponsors? How do I do that?
New
this year, we have developed a toolkit on our Sitters
page that includes a ton of new
fundraising ideas to help you get started.
We also try to make donating and pledging
as convenient as possible. You can collect donations and pledges using the paper sponsor
sheet in the toolkit.
You can also send donors to
sitathon.obscurecompany.com, where they can
choose to simply enter a pledge online, or
donate directly via PayPal.
Are
donations tax-deductible?
The
Obscure Company is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3)
non-profit organization, so all donations are
100% tax deductible.
How
is the money being
used?
The overwhelming majority of the donated
funds are going to Camp Hope, which is a
wonderful program run by the American Cancer
Society. It is a free summer camp in RI
for children battling cancer, with a completely
volunteer medical and counseling staff.
You can learn more about Camp Hope on other
areas of our website. Some funds will also
be retained by the Obscure Company to fund our
own charitable goals.
I
want to sit, but I have
to leave at <insert random time> to go
to <insert random excuse>. Is that
OK?
We would love for everyone to stay for the
entire event. However, we understand that
the best-laid plans of mice and men often go
awry. If you need to miss any part of the
Sit-A-Thon, please notify a staff member before
leaving. This is simply so we can keep
track of who is at the event at any given time.
Is
there anything else
I need to know?
Probably. Unfortunately, my agent is
doing that thing with her watch that means this
interview is almost over. But feel free to
read more about the event specifics in the other
sections of the website. If you have
additional questions, please e-mail the
co-coordinators John
Colwell or Tom
Douglass, and we will get back to you promptly. |
