Youth Arts Foundation to host its annual fundraiser Oct. 24
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–The Paso Robles Youth Arts Foundation will be hosting their 4th annual Dining With the Arts dinner theater fundraiser event taking place on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. in Berg Auditorium located at 3201 Spring Street in Paso Robles.
Youth performers at last year’s event.
Tickets are sold out, but the public is still encouraged to support the foundation by sponsoring a child. Visit www.PRYAF.org and click the “Donate” button to make a credit card donation through PayPal’s secure website. A donation of $250 sponsors one child for an entire year.
This year’s theme is “Day of Dance, Celebration of the Arts” and will feature artwork from PRYAF students as well as prominent local artists. The evening includes hors-d’oeuvres, dinner catered by Chef Charlie, dessert, student performances, and live & silent auction. All proceeds will go toward supporting PRYAF’s mission to enrich the lives of area youth with free classes in the visual and performing arts in a safe, nurturing environment.
“We have a very talented, experienced staff of administrators and instructors –many of whom are professional artists themselves– who provide instruction in a wide variety of classes in art, dance, voice, theater, music, and more,” PRYAF Executive Director Mindy Sisemore says. “We also have state-of-the-art instruments and equipment, and a fantastic facility that provides a safe and clean learning environment. All of this is provided at absolutely no cost to the children, or their parents. It costs a lot of money to do what we do, and we receive no government funding. As such, we rely entirely on donations, public and private funding, and support from the community through events like this. Last year we raised over $30,000 for our program, and our goal this year is $40,000.”
PRYAF has been serving the local community for over 15 years, and during that time has provided art instruction to hundreds of students in the North County. When recent statewide budget cuts forced local schools to reduce or altogether eliminate their arts programs, PRYAF increased the number of classes they offered in order to help fill the void.
Attendees enjoying last year’s event.
“What’s amazing to me is that I still run into people on a regular basis who’ve lived in the area for a long time but have never heard of PRYAF before,” says Sisemore. “They are just now learning about us and want to know how they can get involved and what they can do to help.”
“Throughout the years, we’ve provided a great service to the community and in return the community has really embraced us and allowed us to be successful. I’m really excited for what the next 15 years will bring!”
About PRYAF
Founded in 2001, the Paso Robles Youth Arts Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to, “enrich the lives of area youth with free classes in the visual and performing arts in a safe, nurturing environment.” The organization seeks to promote self-reliance, enhance self-esteem, and instill a sense of wholeness in local youth by providing a safe, accessible environment where they can experience the arts, thereby promoting cultural understanding and enhancing the community.
PRYAF believes the arts are vital to the cognitive growth and development of youth as they become contributing members of the community, and has been providing children ages 5 to 18 with free classes in the visual and performing arts for over 15 years. Currently, they offer fifty classes weekly and serve more than 1,230 students per year in their after school program.
PRYAF relies entirely on donations and private funding including grants, scholarships, supplies, and equipment. For information regarding making a donation, volunteering, attending events, fund raisers, or classes, contact the PRYAF office at (805) 238-5825 or visit www.pryaf.org.
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