I am looking to start a project magic program where I live. I have the info packet from David Copperfield but I am looking for help from anyone who has started one themselves or has participated in a program.

I started "The Magic of Hospice" program for our local Elizabeth Hospice, in Escondido, CA. I make magic housecalls to sick and dying patients as well as some alzheimers patients. My friend, Howard Robinson, does these gigs with me and they're lots of fun and quite rewarding to do.

It was easy for me to get this program started because I'm a family physician in the community and I used to sit on the hospice' board of directors. I made the pitch to the director and did a show for the hospice staff so that they could see what we do in order to promote it properly.

You'll need to get fingerprinted and pass police background check.

Hope this helps to give you some ideas. Check out http://www.medicine-in-motion.com/magic_of_hospice.htm

Where can one get more information about David Copperfield's Project Magic?

Go To David's website at http://www.dcopperfield.com/# and hit the "Enter Full Force" or "Enter Standard" buttons which will take you to a flash menu with a link for Project Magic; scroll through and up comes contact info (address and phone #).

Thanks a lot.

Hey Guys,
Kevin Spencer has taken the Healing with Magic program and run with it. My buddy Rory & I were 2 of the original Project Magic practioners here in VA. Years later after it died out I brought it back to the hospitals in the area, about 8 of them. You will have an easier time approaching the OT's with these ideas because they already think outside of the box.
Bill

I think it's amazing to see the passion in the magic community, those willing to give of their time and their talents to help those in hospitals, hospice situations, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, VA centers, etc. There's not a day that goes by that we don't hear from a magician somewhere in the world who is reaching out to someone else.

I've had the great pleasure of working with DC and the Project Magic program. It is with his blessing and encouragement that Healing of Magic has continued to move forward and expand around the world. If I can be of any help to anyone who wants to get involved in Project Magic or Healing of Magic, I hope you'll drop me an email. You can reach me through the website - http://www.MagicTherapy.com

Good stuff, giving back is long lasting.

I wish you luck ive been trying to set something like this up in my city but I don't no what it is but no one likes magic here. it is a very tough battle here

Miraclesawait -

Just a possible suggestion - find a hospital or other facility (park, etc.) with a recreational therapy program and try contacting them. The first hospital I contacted had no interest whatsoever. I've had an invitation from another hospital to get a physical therapy program connected with magic but the staff didn't have the time to pursue it (both times they tried, several years apart!).

However, the hospital where I go about twice a month or so has turned out very well, and I've been volunteering there for years. I tried turning it to a physical therapy direction once, but it wasn't their interest. So, I've been quite happy just making rounds with the patients performing about 10-20 minutes in each room, longer for some groups every now and again. Every facility will be different and have unique needs or capabilities.

Good luck!

That Copperfield's 'project magic' is a terrible ruse in my opinion. If your going to do something nice, don't make a big deal about it by brining magicians in for your name sake in the media.

Here's what you do. Get a crimal and child background clearences. Copy those and send a letter to your local children's (or VA) hospital's HR and Volenteer office about your intent and follow up with a phone call.

Like I said, don't make a big deal about it like Copperfield. Take pride that you did something nice for people.

HH

I strongly disagree that Copperfield's work on Project Magic is a "ruse."

Tes, your primary goal in performing in hospitals should be a desire to help others who really need it. Don't volunteer in hospitals because some think it's a good place to practice or hone your skills (it isn't) or because you want to get publicity. Volunteer because hospital patients are an audience who really need help and cheering up, and magic can do wonders as part of the physical and mental healing process associated with injury. I've been volunteering at a local hospital for about seven or eight years, and it remains one of my most rewarding experiences.

Publicity can be a side benefit, such as getting an article in a local paper or a reference from the hospital, but if it's your primary goal, you're in the wrong place and need to look elsewhere - you're in for a rough road otherwise.

What Copperfield and others, most notably the Spencers (see other threads on this forum), have done is to work with therapists to design a structured program that helps magicians learn how to get involved with hospitals and other therapeutic settings, and how to appropriately apply magic in those settings. Each trick in their respective books is carefully thought through to show which specific elements of a patient's recovery will benefit. It is an impressive amount of work, with the testimonials from the medical community to back it up. I believe their efforts have done much to interest magicians and the medical community in working together.

While I know there are many who are working and volunteering in this field, I give Copperfield enormous credit and kudos for getting this effort going as he has and giving it some much-needed visibility, and to the Spencers for continuing to take the reins with their Magic Therapy program.

Jason

David deserves huge credit for developing an exciting and very effective treatment modality for therapists. Through the Project Magic program, he has allowed people to see magic as something more than an entertainment art form. When properly implemented, it has the potential to change the quality of people's lives! How can that be a bad thing? I have only the highest respect and regard for his vision and willingness to think beyond the boundaries of what magic "should be."

Jason, as always, thank you for your continued support of the Healing of Magic program. It continues to grow and spread around the world. Just this summer, I've had the chance to work closely with magicians and therapists in Indonesia and Korea to bring magic therapy to their hospitals. The Hocus Focus Project has really taken off as well. I'll be addressing the East Asian International Conference on Teacher Education Research in Hong Kong in December. And I've just accepted an invitation to speak at the International Conference on Special Education in Windhoek, Namibia (Africa) in July 2011. It think this is going to be a fantastic ride!

David Started project magic with only good faith. It was not a publicity stunt or ruse. I can personally attest to that. There were several reasons as to what inspired David to do this. One of them was that he was going through a serious of communications with another magician for quite some time, and they developed some sort of pen pal friendship. After sharing many magic ideas, the Young Magician sent a photo to David of him working on one of their ideas and much to DC's surprise he saw that his friend magician was in a wheelchair. This is one of the many stories that inspired David to do this.

DC has just taken it to a whole new level. He is only one guy, can't connect with everyone, so Project Magic was then established. There are top therapists and Doctors who have proven that the magic therapy aids their patients and fully support it!

David is just sharing this concept with other magicians and its a great way to give back to our communities.

There are several hundred Magicians involved in Project Magic to date.


http://www.magiciantoronto.com

I didn't know he was doing a Veags show. Guess I need to get back to Veags sometime soon.

The MushaCay stuff was fascinating... but as successful as I ma its hard to imagine staying someplace that's $3,000 a night!

I guess that's what you do with your THRID million....

I think there are so few good projects like this why pick on the few out there... Granted you might be able to do something like this better on your own but don't knock down the others out there like this project. There are too few out there to start picking on them.

Gving back is always a good idea. We have been blessed with a gift...and gifts are no good unless given. That's not to say that we can't be paid for those gifts...but it's not ALL about the money or the fame. Sometimes (always for me) it is about just simply doing the right thing.

Few people have ever fully realized the benefits of learning magic.

Even fewer people know the therapeutic healing power of magic available through programs like David Copperfield's PROJECT MAGIC and Kevin Spencer's HEALING of MAGIC.

Overall, as a result of learning magic, new magicians can:

* earn better grades
* improve their success in school
* receive invitations to many parties
* meet people and make new friends
* become the most popular guest and family favorite
* become better readers and critical thinkers
* improve their public speaking skills and confidence
* win prizes at school fundraiser sales
* make extra money in their spare time
* "work" their way through college performing magic shows
* teach others how to perform magic
* share their joy with others
* help heal people
* provide therapeutic rehabilitation to others using "magic therapy"
* make others feel special and appreciated
* receive personal rewards and satisfaction from bringing smiles to faces.

For those that would like to view an informative and motivational slide presentation I created about "Magic Therapy", please go to this page of my website:

http://juliusmagic.webs.com/learningmagic.htm

Please visit http://www.juliusmagic.webs.com to learn more about how JULIUS MAGIC can benefit you, your children, and your organization.

Creating programs are hard to do these days but I would recommend setting up your Magic Program on a Facebook Page and start from their. This would be a great way to start and build a fan base. This way you can also share updates and post classes.

Chris
Orlando Magic Shop

I'm embarrassed to write that I hadn't heard about these programs until reading this thread. My respect and encouragement goes out to those who are volunteering their resources to help others. I'm a former Special Olympics volunteer and long standing literacy tutor and while my intention going into these activities was to GIVE, in turns out that your receive way more than you can imagine in return. If you have some extra time, consider getting involved in something like this. I live in Los Angeles and would be willing to get involved in something this. Please PM if you're interested.