Bette Midler’s Birthday Fundraiser – She’ll Never Forget It You Know!

“I will never forget it, you know! I was having tea with my girlfriend Clementine, and suddenly the doorbell rang. I answered the door, there was a delivery boy with two dozen roses.

The card read ‘Love, from your boyfriend Ernie.”

I said to Clementine, “Do you know what this means? For the next two weeks, I am going to be flat on my back with my legs wide open!”

Clementine says to me “What’s the matter with you, ain’t you got a vase?”

So what do you give the Divine Miss M for her birthday? A vase?

Umm no, not unless you are planning on wearing said vase.

“Just a little “yoke”… **** ’em if they can’t take a joke,” as Midler herself would say.

Fortunately, there is a much better – and safer – idea.

The honorable Don Bradshaw, webmaster of premiere Bette Midler themed blog Bootleg Betty and his fellow Betteheads worldwide have planned a special project for Midler’s 64th birthday which is being celebrated on December 1, 2009.

Between now and November 28, 2009, Don and Bootleg Betty are hosting a special fundraiser for our Divine One, in honour of her amazing work with the New York Restoration Project. Fans are being invited to send donations to Midler care of Kristen Dougherty from the NYRP, along with a card to wish her a Happy Birthday and any other loving sentiments we feel. It is important to reiterate that this is not a “Send fan mail to Bette” project, this is a fundraiser which is designed to benefit the NYRP in Bette’s honour. Fans can send cards of course, but are expected to donate a minimum of $35.00 minimum to the charity if they wish to participate.

According to Don’s blog regarding the event, these are the official rules:

Starts: October 1, 2009 through November 28, 2009

Minimum Donation: $35.00 then to the moon(if you can’t make the minimum, then just give what you can. It’s okay. The economy sucks….

1. Purchase a birthday card or make your own

2. Enclose your check or money order (credit card info below)

3. Important-Make the check out to NYRP. Write on the check where there’s room….”Happy Birthday Bette – BLB” to let her know it came from the BLB group so they can tally how much money we raised. Write this on the check and the back of the envelope…make sure you follow this part carefully or your donation won’t get counted nor will it make it into the box being presented to Ms. Midler.


4. Beginning on Oct 1 through Nov. 30 Mail the check to (make sure to write Happy Birthday Bette – The BetteHeads on the back of the envelope….very important)

5. You may also use their Credit Card page. Beginning in September they will be rolling out a new design. You may choose one of the already allotted donations or ‘Other’ and make up your own. When you get to the end of the process a Comment Box should appear – just write “Happy Birthday Bette – BLB” to let them know to count your donation with the Bootleg Betty group. You can still send a card. However, don’t send anything or use credit card until Oct 1, 2009.

6. For Cards with Enclosed Checks start sending beginning Oct 1 through Nov. 28th. Keep everything positive. Please send to:
Attn: Kristen DoughertyNew York Restoration Project254 West 31st Street,10th FloorNew York, NY 10001

7. Bette will be presented the birthday cards and donations in a Handmade Memory Box on her birthday or close to it.

8. Then NYRP will tally the totals.We need a lot of participants, so start saving up or raising money. The birthday card will give you a chance to express some of your feelings. So let’s make this successful and maybe make this a yearly thing. At least we tried. Pass this along to your other Bette friends and get them involved, too.

9. All donations are tax deductible!

Here is a look at the lovely Memory Box, designed by Mary Russell, with which Midler will be presented on her birthday containing all the donations and cards. See more images here:

So, let’s make Bette Midler’s birthday such a special one that she “will never forget it, you know” and help clean up the environment in the process and have fun working together for the greater good.

~ Michael Holloway