Volume 2, No. 4. February 22, 2002
Z + 6 = $300
Zealand Shannon learned the value
of community giving at an early age. It was part of his family culture. So it
seemed a natural thing for him, following the example of a Hollywood couple,
to celebrate a milestone birthday by asking his friends to give him donations
to a charity in lieu of presents. His charity of choice was his favorite place
in the whole world: the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, Florida.
That total donation
of $300 Zealand gathered at his sixth birthday party made him the youngest donor
in MOSI history. "Zealand is an example of a true philanthropist, which to me
is someone who gives from the heart because they want to," said Kathryn McManus,
MOSI's vice president of development. "Also, for a kindergartner, this is what
I would call a major gift, a sacrificial, unselfish act of giving. It is more
meaningful in some ways than a $10,000 gift from a businessman, in relation
to his net worth."
Jeff and Gina Shannon,
Zealand's parents, had discussed the concept of charity with Zealand since he
was 4. "We had no idea whether he would latch onto it," said Jeff. But the story
of actors Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones requesting charity donations
instead of gifts for their wedding two years ago prompted the Shannons to adopt
that same tradition in their family celebrations. Zealand, Jeff said, "liked
the concept."
But he wanted to pick
his own charity: MOSI. He especially liked its new "O is for Oranges," hands-on
exhibit aimed at smaller children. Drawing from what he knew of the Make-a Wish
program, Zealand wanted the money he collected for his birthday to go toward
giving other less fortunate children the chance to visit MOSI, too. Zealand's
wishes dovetailed perfectly with the museum's own K+I+D=S program, a fund-raising
campaign aimed at making MOSI affordable for underprivileged children.
Gina Shannon called
the museum asking where she could send the money, but MOSI's management, upon
learning Zealand's stature, "wanted him to come over so we could fuss over him
and make a presentation," McManus said. In the glare of television cameras last
week, MOSI's President Wit Ostrenko stood with Zealand in front of "O is for
Oranges." "Zealand dug down in his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash," McManus
said. "Wit gave him a MOSI pen and a lapel pin, then Zealand and Wit went off
and played in the exhibit together for a half hour. The president wanted to
take him on a backstage tour, and Zealand said, 'No, I'm having fun here.'"
MOSI contacted Michael
Douglas to relay the inspirational tale, and the actor wrote a later to Zealand
congratulating him for his act. "We commend your parents for teaching you about
the pleasure of giving at such an early age, something we will try and instill
in our young son Dylan as soon as he is old enough to understand," Douglas wrote,
and he promised to match Zealand's gift to MOSI.
But there was one thing Zealand himself wasn't old enough to understand. Said Jeff: "When we got the letter and read it to Zealand he said, 'Who is Michael Douglas?'"