This is the first year that we at the Berkeley Arts Council have participated in Giving Tuesday. I downloaded the “toolkit” and was overwhelmed with the planning and preparation. Where to begin? The toolkit was filled with a host of activity suggestions to bring people to the organization. After a lot of mulling I realized that the true intent of the day was to provide an opportunity to “share the load”. The day was not meant to bring extra burdens for organizations. So, for this year at least, it was time to simply put a foot out there and begin.
As a recipient of our monthly bulletin you have followed us as we have worked over the past 10 years to support increased frequency, quality and variety of arts-related events, facilitate activities that extend arts throughout the community, and to build communication and interaction among arts organizations.
Let’s face it, most of us do not like asking for help. So as we start small with this our first foray into Giving Tuesday, we realize that to expand our programs we need to open up and ask for your help. Membership dues, fees from classes, and revenue from exhibits are not going to expand our budget to meet to our growing ideas for new art events in the community.
Making a monetary donation is easy to do. Look down the right side for the large orange and blue “Donate” button Click and follow the steps through the PayPal system.
Thank you for taking the time to read this appeal. If you decide to participate in “Giving Tuesday”, thank you for helping support the arts in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.
All the best,
Anna Howard
President – Berkeley Arts Council