Post by Jari on Sept 30, 2005 9:43:55 GMT -5
Clinton nabbed as museum fundraiser
Project head Asper to approach Pitt
By ROSS ROMANIUK, CITY HALL REPORTER
First Bill Clinton, then Brad Pitt.
The Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights has recruited former U.S. president Bill Clinton to be an unofficial fundraiser south of the border for the $293-million museum, and officials are hoping Hollywood hunk Brad Pitt will join the cause when he comes to Winnipeg next month.
Gail Asper, head of the museum's project management group, met Clinton last month in New York City at the Clinton Global Initiatives Conference.
Asper said she got him to climb aboard the museum bandwagon with a "star" pin and his lobbying power.
Totally on side
"If people weren't moved to action before, they were totally on side then. And there was only a $100-million net worth in this room, like the head of Starbucks and the heads of every major company in the world," she said.
Clinton's support comes as the fundraising arm of the proposed museum prepares to look for deep pockets south of the border.
After drumming up about $40 million toward a $160-million private contribution target for the coming Forks-area museum, the Friends group is pushing into New York and Los Angeles for donations to keep their dream of opening by 2009 on track.
"People are saying we should just be in the States. They have way more money," Asper said of her coming cash drive in the U.S.
"They also understand a little more about celebrating their heroes."
Asper said she hopes to meet with Pitt when shooting for The Assassination of Jesse James moves to Winnipeg late next month.
"We want him to be an advocate for the museum," Asper said.
"We'd like to pin him with a human-rights star because he's such a human-rights advocate. We've got (city film and culture manager) Kenny Boyce working on that."
The celebrity names can only help the museum gather more funds after the federal government kicked in $100 million in April, and as the Friends group puts together drives in cities across Canada.
Asper told Mayor Sam Katz and councillors at a private meeting yesterday that long-distance contacts will soon come in handy.
www.winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2005/09/30/pf-1241972.html
Project head Asper to approach Pitt
By ROSS ROMANIUK, CITY HALL REPORTER
First Bill Clinton, then Brad Pitt.
The Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights has recruited former U.S. president Bill Clinton to be an unofficial fundraiser south of the border for the $293-million museum, and officials are hoping Hollywood hunk Brad Pitt will join the cause when he comes to Winnipeg next month.
Gail Asper, head of the museum's project management group, met Clinton last month in New York City at the Clinton Global Initiatives Conference.
Asper said she got him to climb aboard the museum bandwagon with a "star" pin and his lobbying power.
Totally on side
"If people weren't moved to action before, they were totally on side then. And there was only a $100-million net worth in this room, like the head of Starbucks and the heads of every major company in the world," she said.
Clinton's support comes as the fundraising arm of the proposed museum prepares to look for deep pockets south of the border.
After drumming up about $40 million toward a $160-million private contribution target for the coming Forks-area museum, the Friends group is pushing into New York and Los Angeles for donations to keep their dream of opening by 2009 on track.
"People are saying we should just be in the States. They have way more money," Asper said of her coming cash drive in the U.S.
"They also understand a little more about celebrating their heroes."
Asper said she hopes to meet with Pitt when shooting for The Assassination of Jesse James moves to Winnipeg late next month.
"We want him to be an advocate for the museum," Asper said.
"We'd like to pin him with a human-rights star because he's such a human-rights advocate. We've got (city film and culture manager) Kenny Boyce working on that."
The celebrity names can only help the museum gather more funds after the federal government kicked in $100 million in April, and as the Friends group puts together drives in cities across Canada.
Asper told Mayor Sam Katz and councillors at a private meeting yesterday that long-distance contacts will soon come in handy.
www.winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2005/09/30/pf-1241972.html