Hey fellow fans of the Divine Bette Midler.

Time and time again, I have noticed that there is something special about Ms. M's fans. Not just with the excitement and participation that comes from donating to NYRP, creating clubs to follow Ms. M's outlook on life and the environment and pulling into our own lives a bit. We've seen club members who go out and volunteer for NYRP, and also work towards a better environment within their own neighborhoods. But one of the things that moved me the most, was a situation that arose a while back in the Official Bette Midler Fan Club. Not only did this show that Bette Midler fans stick together, but they they are willing to reach into their own hearts and help out someone most have never met, but gotten to know through the club. The connection? The base of the admiration for Ms. M. People showed in the truest sense that "ya gotta have friends."

	A while back a fellow club member named Melissa dropped out of sight from the message board. When she did pop on, we discovered the reason for her absence. Her house, and all her possessions (including her Bette Midler collection that had taken years to build) had burned to the ground. Myself and Mama Rose decided to put the word out to fellow clubbies to help out. The response was overwhelming. I asked a simple question...
"Do you have your own little collection of Midler-o-bilia? Videos, cds, tapes, vinyl (maybe even 8 tracks?), posters, magazines, books, and t shirts? Whenever you're having a really bad day, you can go through your collection, watch a movie or pop in a cd and feel a little better right?"
	Melissa I KNOW felt that way, and due to a tragic event, a house fire, not only did she lose her personal and household possessions, but she no longer had any of her own collection to find that solitude in. SO, "ya gotta have friends" right? "When you're standing at the end of that long long road" looking out at the world, it's friends that bring ya back to where you need to be....
and the Official Bette Midler Fan Club was NOT going to be an exception to the rule. True, we knew we couldn't piece by piece rebuild her house, but we could and did help her get another collection going." Melissa posted up on the board, and offered to BUY items from us. BUT, instead of allowing her to do that, there were so many great fans out there who took the time to spare a couple hours to make up a video tape, a cd, or went through their own collection to find something to donate.

Melissa was truly moved by the response, her collection was replaced with much of what she had, and many things she hadn't. She wanted to let everyone out there know how much it meant to her to have people reach into their hearts and give her a helping hand. She asked me to post a big huge thank you to every who helped out, sent words of encouragement and support, and those who sent in things for her Divine Collection.

As you can see We managed to collect most of the films and cds, tapes of rare interviews, posters, an autographed picture (thanks to AGP), and signature superstores.com home of the OFFICIAL Bette Midler Store Donated unbelieveable items to help build up Melissa's collection (including: Poi Balls, DMM Tout Ticket Stub, DMM Concert T Shirts, a bunch of goodies from the NYE show, Sweatshirt, coffee mug, and of course a Delores Delago Doll).

Truly this club showed the meaning of friendship.... but was it really a surprise?? NAH....
After all, Ya Gotta Have Friends!

-CC

This project is was no way connected to Ms. Midler or her associates, but rather it's about members of her fan club coming together to help out a fellow member.
Not a member of the club?? Come Join US