Giving Tuesday 2016: How GoComics Creators Gave Through the Year
by The GoComics TeamWhether you've been following trending topics or simply flicking through your personal social media feeds today, you may have noticed the #GivingTuesday hashtag. Giving Tuesday started back in 2012 through a joint effort by 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation to inject a spirit of giving during a season that's become more associated with consumerism. The official GT website explains how people can get involved and donate their time and money to activities taking place today, and it got us thinking about the spirit of giving embodied by so many of our GoComics creators. Here's some of the charitable work this community has carried out in 2016.
Cartoonists United for St. Jude Kids
This past May, 23 cartoonists traveled to Memphis to participate in the annual Cartoonists United for St. Jude Kids event. A ticketed fundraiser for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, this year's event included a VIP meet and greet, access to a Memphis-themed art silent auction, plus dinner and cartoonist entertainment. Nearly a dozen GoComics creators participated, including Lynn Johnston (For Better Or For Worse), Stephan Pastis (Pearls Before Swine), Robb Armstrong (JumpStart), Greg Evans (Luann), Mike Luckovich, Rick Stromoski (Soup to Nutz), Maria Scrivan (Half Full), Lincoln Pierce (Big Nate), Greg Cravens (The Buckets), Michael Ramirez and Jason Chatfield (Ginger Meggs). And even better than the already important fundraiser, the creators shared their time and talents with young hospital patients.
Richard Thompson
This year the world lost beloved Cul de Sac creator Richard Thompson to complications with Parkinson's disease. At his memorial in August, where friends, colleagues and loved ones gathered, his family asked those wishing to donate flowers to instead consider making a donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. This request followed the gift of proceeds from Team Cul de Sac: Cartoonists Draw the Line at Parkinson’s, which had already raised tens of thousands of dollars for the charity and its mission to support research for a Parkinson's cure.
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Collage
Last month Pajama Diaries creator Terri Libenson and her family finished corralling 36 character sketches into one massive 41-by-58 inch framed collage for display at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. Libenson lent her pen to the project and received art from GoComics creators including Jim Allen (The Beauforts), Mark Anderson (Andertoons), Charles Brubaker (Ask a Cat), Jenny Campbell (Flo and Friends), Dave Coverly (Speed Bump), Brian Crane (Pickles), Graham Harrop (Ten Cats), Jef Mallett (Frazz), Mark Parisi (Off the Mark), Stephan Pastis (Pearls Before Swine), Lincoln Peirce (Big Nate), Pat Sandy (Next Door Neighbors),Maria Scrivan (Half Full), Mark Tatulli (Heart of the City), Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes), Wayno (WaynoVision) and Jan Elliot (Stone Soup). It now hangs where visitors of all ages can easily access the comfort of cartooning.
We're proud of our GoComics creators for embodying the spirit of #GivingTuesday earlier in the year and look forward to hearing from users who participate in the event directly today in the comments.