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UNICEF and Fandom

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The Early UNICEF and Leonard Nimoy Empire

Nimoy fan clubs encouraged their members to fund-raise for UNICEF, and their newsletters and other publications had a lot of description and promotion for the charity.

UNICEF was very much entwined with Leonard Nimoy Association of Fans. This is both the organization had the public support of Leonard Nimoy's, but also because to be a member of the Leonard Nimoy Association of Fans (and get the goodies, visibility, and support Louise Stange and the club provided), all smaller fan clubs were required to support UNICEF.

The club even had LNNAF UNICEF Chairmen, some of them in 1969 were Michael Sobota, Mrs. Sandi Thompson and Mrs. Gloria Lillibridge. One from 1971 was Jeanne Cygan.

Sell, Sell, Sell

the club has already sponsored one letter-writing contest on behalf of Nimoy and is now engaged in a UNICEF drive. UNICEF is Nimoy's favorite charity and Spock's Scribes are selling notepaper called "Joy of Sharing" and "It's a Small World" to raise money for the charity. [1]

Fans had bake sales [2], sold potholders [3], sold UNICEF note paper [4]

Fans had added incentive to raise money for UNICEF, as big winners would recieve personal praise from Nimoy, and the biggest winner of all would get to meet him to recieve the Nimoy Award.

Nimoy himself wrote letters praising fans and thanking them for their fundraising. [5]

In 1969, Paula Crist's California chapter of LNNAF had a "Spock party" and raised money for UNICEF [6]

From the Australian fanzine, Terran Times #2 (around 1970):

There is $7.31 in the UNICEF piggy bank, six dollars of which was donated by Margaret Oliver to whom much is due in thanks, and fifty cents came from Gary Mason - thanks Gary. The rest is from Middle Earth map sales and other generous people.

In 1969, fans decided to give Nimoy and his wife a 15th Wedding Anniversary Gift; fans raised $157.50:

Teresa Victor very graciously helped with the project and sent the following description of the gift selected for the Nimoys: "It is a breakfront -- early 1900's period -- a bottom chest with bay front in dark carved wood and the top has a beveled glass mirror supported by carved ornate columns; the top shelf has a carved lion's face in front center." This is the first time the club has materially presented the Nimoys with a gift; LN has asked that he contribute to UNICEF in his name instead of sending him something for his birthday or during the holidays. I'm sure the Nimoys will enjoy very much their new piece of furniture -- our way of saying "thanks" for all the enjoyment we've received from his performances and for all the help and friendship given to us through the LNNAF! [7]

Even after fans were warned against selling Trek goods by the Paramount Legal Department, things sold for UNICEF were given a pass. In response to a letter sent to fans by the Paramount Legal Department:

The LNNAF can, therefore, no longer accept ads for the sale of tapes, scripts, pictures, STAR TREK fiction, or any other items which bear any connection with or reference to STAR TREK, its crew members or starship, and, in our case, most particularly Mr, Spock. On the other hand, such items as "Leonard Nimoy bookmarks", or pencils stamped "I am a Leonard Nimoy fan", or any such other similar items you might wish to offer thru the membership in order to raise money for UNICEF would, I am confident, be acceptable. [8]

In 1968, fan disappointment was capitalized upon when Nimoy did not win an Emmy Award; fans were encouraged to donate to UNICEF for the "Emmy fund" (to assuage disappointment that Leonard Nimoy was "not presented with his much-deserved Emmy this year") [9]

Some Pushback from Fans

Not all fans appreciated Nimoy's booster-ism of UNICEF and requests for money. From the editor of Vulcanalia v.2 n.2 (August 1967):

In Anger: Mr. Nimoy hopes that all clubs would give extra money to UNICEF. I'm sorry to say that Vulcanian Enterprises can't even pay her own debt, let alone help others! What do you think we're trying to sell buttons and photographs for? It's obvious that we're not getting anywhere, but it's up to the club members whenever or not the club gets the Nimoy award.

Some clubs did not want to become LNAF chapters because they did not support UNICEF. Reports had circulated for years that a disproportionate amount of UNICEF funds went to Communist countries, or supported government or government factions they did not agree with.

Religious groups also objected to the "godless" UNICEF greeting card line, which omitted specific reference to Christianity or any other faith because these cards were going to people of many faiths.[10][11] [12]

Others simply believed that UNICEF didn't adequately monitor the distribution of funds, that they had too high an overhead, and didn't respect local cultures. Some fans simply disliked being told what to do, or they just wanted to choose their own charities.

In 1972, Regina Marvinny pulled her club, Nimoyan Federation, out of LNAF because of a disturbing (and verified) report that UNICEF officials were using funds to support lavish lifestyles and plush offices, and that the food and medicine provided were inappropriate for malnourished children because their digestive systems couldn't handle it. See more in Tricorder Readings #3.

Trek Fan Publications With Much UNICEF Info

BTS

BTS's Unicef Speech in 2020

K-Pop

Star Wars

Other Fandom Support

Some examples of other fandom involvement in UNICEF:

  • Art to the Rescue, a LiveJournal-based charity auction of Harry Potter fanart organized to raise funds for disaster relief efforts by UNICEF after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
  • IBG Inc. was an a registered US-American 501[c] corporation charity effort founded by several Gillian Anderson fans in 2008. In 2009, it held a 2009 fundraiser for UNICEF.
  • UNICEF was one of the charities supported by 2010's Help Haiti.

Further Reading

References

  1. ^ from Grand Prairie Daily News...Prairie Scope column written by Melissa Estes, on Aug. 14, 1967
  2. ^ Chatter Boxes 9 was published in July/August 1968
  3. ^ Chatter Boxes 4 was published in September/October 1967
  4. ^ July/August 1967 issue of "Chatter Boxes"
  5. ^ Chatter Boxes 8 was published in May/June 1968
  6. ^ Leonard Nimoy Association of Fans Bulletin March/April 1969
  7. ^ Leonard Nimoy Association of Fans Bulletin March/April 1969
  8. ^ from Chatter Boxes 8 was published in May/June 1968
  9. ^ Chatter Boxes 9 was published in July/August 1968
  10. ^ UNICEF For Beginners, pamphlet issued to children recruited for collection drives.
  11. ^ Maggie Black, "In A Popular Cause" (PDF link), chapter 9 of The Children and the Nations: The Story of UNICEF, 1986.
  12. ^ Dr. James T. Shaw, What's Wrong with UNICEF, pamphlet issued by Dr. Carl McIntire's Bible Presbyterian Church in 1966.
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