On behalf of Arts Alive! Center for the Arts, Music Factor Project and Enumclaw Schools Foundation I would like to say “thank you” to some of those who contributed time and resources to our benefit concert for Magic Strings on June 4.
First, to Jamie Laval and Zac Leger, our musicians: it’s always a pleasure to hear you play and you are a joy to work with. Our students love you and you have inspired them these past two years. Thank you for being the consummate pros that you are.
Fiddle Club played and started the evening on the right note – literally and figuratively! Thank you all for your performance and for being flexible with last-minute changes. It is fun to watch and listen to you.
Jon Funfar was our emcee and took the mic so I did not have to. (Big “thanks” from me!)
Our major sponsor, the Enumclaw Rotary Club, does wonderful things in our community, with a special focus on supporting and recognizing students. Without the financial and moral support of this service organization, Music Factor would not have gotten off the ground last year and this year’s project may not have happened. Thank you for this and all the other contributions you make to our community.
The Courier-Herald again supported us with in-kind sponsorship and a story by Brenda Sexton. Thank you Bill Marcum, Kevin Hanson and Martha Boston as well.
Rainier Bar and Grill and Skynet Broadband were also major donors this year. These two businesses are very supportive of youth causes and have been key in the success of Music Factor Project the past two years. Like The Rainier and Skynet, our other business sponsors are all locally owned and operated and invested in our town: Dr. Nancy Becker, Enumclaw Self Storage and BRC Gear. Personal sponsors include cornerstones in our community: Mayor Liz Reynolds and Enumclaw School Board member and Enumclaw Schools Foundation President Nancy Merrill and her husband, Dr. Jim Merrill.
Arts Alive! Gallery, Enumclaw Music and City Perk were ticket outlets for this event. Thank you Elaine Lynest and the Arts Alive! gang, Barb and Monica and the Enumclaw Music folks, and Connie and Shannon and the girls at City Perk. We had quite a run on tickets the last two days.
Larry Fetter, Kristen Damazio, Michelle Larson and all the guys at the venue were very accommodating and helpful. We could not have done this without you.
Bruce Pierce at Reson8 Technologies took care of all the tech stuff that is, honestly, way over my head!
Lauren Hardman, Taylor Hardman and Sarah Hanna and Sarah Podsus were indispensable to me on the day of the event. Thank you to all the other volunteers, parents of Magic Strings Students and the student volunteers themselves for selling tickets and helping at the event wherever you were needed.
A special note of thanks goes out to the Southwood PTA for donating and popping the popcorn and to Aaron Brenner’s Bakery for donating all the great pastries.
Susan Arbury, principal, and Magic Strings teachers Linda Madsen, Heather Landry, Kelly Cole, Brandy Stockwell, Judy Davis and Laura Johnson at Southwood were a force of positive energy that propelled this forward. Thank you for this, but more, for creating and continuing this program.
A quick hats off to Darlene Hamilton at Gramma’s Garden for helping us to promote the event.
Lastly, and not to be forgotten, huge thanks to our audience! It was a much bigger crowd than I dared hope for and you were enthusiastic and involved. Musicians feed off the energy of the crowd and you helped to make the event even better.
I hope I have not omitted anyone – I apologize if I did. Events such as this take so many people to be successful and each one matters.
Celia Bender
Music Factor Project
