$7.35 million dollars from 25,000 people and a knight in shining armor on a white horse comin’ down Main Street with a last minute assist. The Gheens Foundation delivered a check and a promise to take us over the top! Thanks to Carl Thomas and the Gheens’ trustees, this makes The Gheens Foundation the 6th largest contributor to the Fund for the Arts. Thank you!
What further proof do you need that we live in the most generous city in America? Just when we hit our stride the rug got pulled out from under us. Things got tough and many folks said we would never make it. Well, you showed ‘em! Thousands of you came forward. You stepped up for what you believe in and pledged your support to the Fund for the Arts – AGAIN! Thank you!
Thanks to you, we stumbled not, neither did we falter. Change in leadership is always tricky, but at the Fund we are poised to adapt, improvise, and overcome – Semper Fi! In the words of our Mayor, “We are at a point of inflection.” Now is the time for us to move to higher ground – 2gether.
How high do you want to go? What will you do to get there? Will you sit on the bench or will you get in the game? We need both. That’s right! We need folks asking the tough questions and seeking the best solutions. We need folks on the bench cheering those taking the shots. This is a team together, team apart strategy.
Dave Calzi, our new Chairman of the Board, created a platform based on innovation and focus. He asked our top investors what they wanted the Fund to be and they agreed we need to be relevant, innovative, and open to change. We asked you what you wanted and more than 800 folks responded to our online survey. These responses indicate we are doing a great job sticking to our core mission: To generate resources, inspire excellence, and create community connections. However, you too, suggested we need to be more relevant, more innovative, and develop a stronger, more positive tradition of leadership.
My mother always used to say, “Don’t let any grass grow under your feet.” I guess that explains why I’m always on the go! All I’ve got to say is that Joe Pusateri must feel the same way. Joe is our 2012 Campaign Chairman and he has already started. He wants to know why we have only 185 employee campaigns when there are thousands of businesses in our region. Help me, help Joe. Let us know if you want to come off the bench and help us secure new campaigns in the workplace. We’re ready to go!
Need a little more convincing? Treat yourself to a fantastic, fun-filled evening by going to see Music Theatre of Louisville’s production of Guys and Dolls at the Kentucky Center. Good as anything you’ll see in New York City! Click HERE for schedule and tickets. Or, check out what Kentucky Shakespeare in doing in Central Park. Click HERE for details.
It’s GAME TIME! You know what to do. Send this email to a friend. Like us on Facebook. When we reach 1949 “friends” you all get a free ticket to an upcoming Arts event. Take our quick survey at www.fundforthearts.com and click HEREto check out photos from the trail. It’s been a great year and 2gether we’ll make next year even better!
2gether through the Arts we create a great American city!
Barbara Sexton Smith
Acting President & CEO
Fund for the Arts
