Girl Toots Horn for Charity. Panhandling?

CAPE MAY – Every year they get hauled off to “jail.” Prominent citizens who volunteer to be taken in by the police and held in a hotel “jail” until they get enough donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s (MDA) Lock Up fundraiser to post their bail and be released. This year, though, the list of detainees included one child – 9-year-old Annika Marks of Rio Grande. But for Annika, the long arm of the law had already tapped on her shoulder.
Annika, who collected $1,005 for MDA, had already had several run-ins with police. And those times weren’t part of the fund-raising event.
According to Annika’s mother, Tammy Marks, Annika wanted to play her trumpet to earn money for her bail donations. The mother-daughter team decided to have Annika play her trumpet outside Casales Shoe store on Washington Street Mall in Cape May.
“Casales said I could be under their awning,” said Annika.
“And 15 minutes later, the Cape May police said we had to move because we were panhandling,” added her mother. “At the time, Annika didn’t even know what the word ‘panhandler’ meant.”
A few days later, Annika’s next performance on the mall was in front of Lemon Tree. “Corey from the Lemon Tree told us we could come in front of his business. Annika had a huge crowd around her, little kids were dancing, and the police showed up again, telling her to move along. We showed them the letter from the MDA. She was playing ‘The Star Spangled Banner,’” said Tammy, “and the policeman waited until she finished before he kicked her out. The policeman told me we had to go to the police department to get a permit or close the case so people couldn’t throw money in it. ”
Once at the police station in search of a permit, Annika learned a valuable lesson – the ins and outs of bureaucracy. “The police wouldn’t see us and they referred us to the Clerk’s Office,” said Tammy. “One staff member there said we didn’t need a permit, another one said we did. I asked to get a permit and we were told they weren’t issuing them.”
Cape May’s ordinance, number 158-11, addresses public performers on Washington Street Mall. According to the ordinance a separate permit is required for each performance. The permit fee is $25 and an application must be filed “no later than 20 days before the requested performance dates.” The ordinance does state “Any performer of an organization who holds a tax-exempt certificate issued by the IRS shall not be required to pay a permit fee and shall have the 20-day permit application period waived.”
After that Annika moved her one (young) woman show to other local hot spots – like Wal Mart, ShopRite, and Acme in North Cape May. Annika even tooted a tune in the parking lot at Citizens Bank Park after a Phillies game. “I was tired,” she said. “It was a 10-inning game and I got $20 in about seven minutes.”
“I was surprised that she earned over $1,000,” said her mother.
Annika began playing the trumpet two and a half years ago. Diagnosed with Central Auditory Processing Disorder, the fourth grader has an 80 percent hearing loss and wears hearing aids in both ears.
“Last year I made $668,” said the pint-sized musician. “This year MDA called and asked if I wanted to do it again. My goal was $800, because that’s how much it costs to send one kid to camp for a week.”
On the appointed day when Annika was to be “arrested” and taken to the MDA holding facility (Grand Hotel in Cape May), Tammy suggested to the NJ State Police that they meet Annika on a bench at the Washington Street Mall. “They’re volunteers,” said Tammy. “They’re from the northern part of the state and I thought the church on the mall in Cape May would be an easier landmark for them to find.” To make sure they were able to find her daughter in the summer crowd, Tammy told the troopers that Annika would be on a bench and she’d be holding her trumpet so they would recognize her.
Once in MDA police “custody” Annika had her mug shot taken and was put in the back of a police car. “I also got a raffle ticket,” she said. “And I won two tickets to Adventure Aquarium.”
According to Tammy Marks over $12,000 was collected in Cape May County for MDA as part of the Lock Up fundraiser. “And this 9-year-old raised $1,005 of that total all by herself!”
Annika is looking forward to collecting for MDA again next year. “I want people to know that even a child my age can make a difference.”
And the panhandler permit? “Next year we’re going to ask the mayor how to do it,” Marks said.