From the Desk of the Director of the Ashtabula Arts Center

Other Departments Director's Desk Theatre Department Auditions Calendar Dance Department Music Department Visual Arts Department Happenings & Events Volunteer News Picture Gallery Subscribe to ArtsCenterNews.Com Subscribe to receive periodic updates from the Ashtabula Arts Center Email: Visit this group Classes Workshops Theatre Classes Dance Classes Music Classes Visual Arts Classes Box Office Info Please call 440-964-3396 for more information Board of Trustees OFFICERS: President: Rob Schimmelpfennig Executive Vice President: Judy Robson Vice President: Mike Fedler Vice President: Bill Kline Treasurer: Rich Vanek Secretary: Debbi Waring BOARD MEMBERS: Baerbel Baginski, WSL Steve Candella Neroy Carter Arnie Esterer Adele Herzog Mary Ellen Higley Ken Johnson Mark Jones Randy Jones Gloria Kaull Kim Laurello Ed Looman Chris McClure Tom Picken Scot Sinkler Linda VanBuren Joseph Varckette Ellen Winer Phyllis Duffy-Zala Arts Center Staff Beth Koski Executive Director Cindy Rimpela Business Manager Pamela Hammond Public Relations/Marketing Coordinator Shelagh Dubsky Dance Coordinator Lyn Savarise Music Coordinator Meeghan Humphrey Visual Arts Coordinator Phil Mullet Technical Liason Joe Ford Maintenance Coordinator Marquitta Mollick Evening Desk Coordinator This Dept's Archives 07/2002 08/2002 11/2002 12/2002 02/2003 05/2003 06/2003 08/2003 11/2003 12/2003 03/2004 05/2004 07/2004 08/2004 10/2004 01/2005 03/2005 06/2005 08/2005 10/2005 12/2005 04/2006 05/2006 07/2006 09/2006 11/2006 12/2006 03/2007 05/2007 08/2007 10/2007 12/2007 03/2008 04/2008 06/2008 View Stats

2928 West 13th St. Ashtabula, Ohio 44004 phone: 440-964-3396 Search This Site: SUMMER SCHEDULES KEEP US ALL BUSY: Posted: Wednesday, July 10, 2002 Yipe – it’s gotten awful hot in the last week! Summer’s upon us BIG time! It almost sneaks up on us every year – we’re in sweaters one day and shorts the next before we realize what’s happened. I love Northeast Ohio – it's never dull!! Just like what we have in store for you at the Arts Center – I think you’ll always be amazed and surprised. The talent in this area is unbelievable. Recently I traveled to a well-established Cleveland theatre to see a production of a play we had produced in the recent past and was awed by the absolute fact that the version we had produced was sooooooo much better (and THAT’S LOCAL people) - we do wonderful things right here in our own community - PLEASE come and enjoy!! I just came back from Columbus where I chaired a panel for the Ohio Arts Council, and as always I’m amazed at the amount and scope of offerings we give to our region - as is the entire state. They revere the Ashtabula Arts Center as a model for all to see. Why don’t we in this community revere the Center as well? I often wonder in my simple brain if I just make it look too easy – believe it or not I’ve had people ask me what I do for my real job! I know the Arts Center is my passion, and therefore, in some ways, I do the Arts Center a disservice by being so involved. Just recently I had a friend of mine call me and tell me he was worried about me because everything I do involves the Center. But I told him If I didn’t love it, I wouldn't do it! And I’m not alone in my passion. The Arts Center’s staff is amazing – our patrons do really not see the hours and hours of work, creation and dedication. Often many of us are at the Center or doing its work seven days a week – true, you may not always be able to reach a staff member by simply calling the Center during what most would believe to be "regular" business hours – but all of us have received many phone calls at our homes during odd hours and off days. I can never say enough how much I appreciate our Arts Center team and all they do!! We’re still plugging away at the Annual Membership/Fund Drive for our fiscal year 2002-2003 which began July 1st. To date we have pledges totaling about 65% of our budgeted amount. Many of you have already responded, but there are still several we have not yet heard from. Please – we need your support!! Also, if you have never contributed to the Center, I encourage you to do so now. The Center generates about 60% of our annual income budget – far higher than most not for profits - and something of which to be very proud. But we hang in a very delicate balance of requiring your support to enable us to continue full programming. I realize this is a particularly difficult time in our country and the world, and you are most likely feeling this uncertainty, but the Arts Center is a local entity – your dollars stay here and work for our community. We hope you will join us this summer as we offer many, many entertaining and enriching experiences both on the Center’s grounds and around our community at large. A large part of our reward as Arts Center staff members is hearing someone say they really enjoyed a production, a class and/or a performance. Won’t you please join us?!