Wednesday, January 21, 2004
|
Wednesday, January 21, 2004 |
|
ECCA shifts focus to schools, performing arts center By MICHAEL BOYLAN What does 50 cents actually buy these days? Two thin packs of Juicy Fruit gum or 10 pieces of Bazooka Joe gum, or if you’re not into gum, it buys two oatmeal cookies or two swiss cake rolls from Little Debbie. Fifty cents is also what is allocated to fine arts students in Fayette County this year, due to a two-thirds reduction in the funding for fine arts programs in local schools. The Endowment Committee for the Cultural Arts of Fayette County is trying to help. ECCA President Sandra Jungers announced that the Board of Directors voted unanimously to increase substantially the organizations support of the visual and performing arts education programs in the county high schools. The ECCA was formed in 1984 and its initial goals were to raise money for a piano for the McIntosh Chorus, a community music ensemble, and to financially support the new Peachtree City Library. Since then, they have provided grants and scholarships totaling more than $284,600 to Fayette County arts programs, including $68,000 to the Fayette County School System in support of their arts programs and $32,100 in annual scholarships to Fayette County students. The ECCA raises money for these causes through a number of fundraisers, chief among them being the annual Valentine Ball. “It’s the social event of the season,” stated ball chairperson Suzanne Heil. “The Valentine Ball is the major fund raising event we sponsor annually and raises much needed funding that this year will directly benefit the Fine Arts Departments at our five Fayette County high schools.” The ECCA hopes to donate between $8-12,000 this year. Other fundraisers scheduled for this year include a membership party and spring bash April 16 at the Hollingsworth House and a large, community wide project scheduled for the fall, the details of which can’t be disclosed as of yet. The ECCA is also seeking to increase awareness of the club and one of the ways they will do this is with a bus trip to the Springer Opera House to see “Ragtime” March 13. Tickets will be $40 per person. Andre DeLorenzo, education coordinator of the ECCA and member of their Board of Directors, sees the ECCA as an assistance program, providing grants for specific requests from fine arts departments in the community and the schools. “We aren’t supposed to be a resource,” said DeLorenzo. “We are supposed to provide assistance.” Now in its 20th year, the ECCA is seeking to make a larger presence in the community. In addition to helping the schools, they will be making an initial donation of $25,000 to the Fayette Family Aquatic, Arts and Humanities Center, which will be built across from Cleveland Elementary School and will provide the community with a first class 450 seat theater space and an indoor/outdoor aquatic center. The ECCA will also co-sponsor Offshoot Productions’ Shakespeare in the Park production of “The Comedy of Errors” at Villages Amphitheater in June. There is also discussion of a juried visual arts show and sale for the five county high schools and a combined high school production this summer. The ECCA Valentine Ball will take place Feb. 7 at the Wyndham Executive Conference Center. The evening will begin with a social hour at 7 p.m., followed by dinner and dancing at 8:15 p.m. Music for the evening will be provided by Class Act, and a live and silent auction will follow the dinner. The Starr’s Mill Show Choir will also be performing at the ball, giving the community a chance to see the talent and the types of programs that are in the local schools. Tickets are $85 for ECCA members and $100 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased through the ball’s chairperson, Heil, by calling 770-487-8508. Memberships are also available ranging from $50 for seniors or singles to $1,700 for corporate sponsorships. For a membership application, e-mail to jeffnlee@bellsouth.net.
|
