Warm Holiday Wishes to All!

I hope each one of you has a chance to experience the joy and inspiration of a live musical performance at least once this holiday season.  For precious moments, time stands still, enabling us all to be present and simply enjoy the company of loved ones.  Hearing live music always make me more fully aware of the good things in abundance in everyday life.

On behalf of the board, advisory council, staff, faculty and families that are Apple Tree Arts, I wish you and yours a happy, hope-filled, peaceful, and inspirational holiday season.

 Making Holidays Special for Those Most In Need

Imagine yourself in the hospital over the holidays.  Think about missing out on the festivities, and consider how lonely and frightened you might feel -- especially if you are a child.  Well, a member of the Apple Tree Arts family has decided to do something about that.  Bradley H. Smith, vice president and chief marketing officer of MUNCmedia, has joined with two corporate partners in building philanthropy right into the business plan of a new financial communications service they have created called Retail Investor Conferences (retailinvestorconferences.com). 

Growing out of his personal and deeply emotional attachment to both Apple Tree Arts and Boston Children's Hospital, Smith and his partners have decided to donate a percentage of their corporate profits to Apple Tree Arts on a regular basis.  Apple Tree Arts will use these funds to send Apple Tree Arts musicians to area hospitals to entertain some very special children in need of the healing that music can bring.  Kim Webster, one of Apple Tree's early childhood music educators whose ability to connect with children through puppets and song is almost legendary, made his first visit to U-Mass Memorial Hospital in Worcester last month.  Working with Child Life Services, he plans a second visit to U-Mass and another one to Children's Hospital this month. 

"Quality of life is an essential element at these hospitals," says Smith.  "We want to assure that this vital 'best medicine' remains unaffected by budget attrition" - a problem affecting many corporate philanthropy programs when profits fall.  If all his corporate goals are met, Smith hopes to be able to send thousands of dollars Apple Tree Arts' way.  It doesn't get any better than that. 

Announcing Our New Faculty CD! 

Do you have a favorite Apple Tree Arts teacher?  Do you just love jazz...or classical music...or show tunes...or choral music?  Well, it's all here -- on the new Apple Tree Arts Faculty CD!  Beautifully recorded this summer, the CD includes twelve of our most wonderfully talented musicians and teachers.  The CD is available at our business office at One Grafton Common and at all our special events.  At only $15 each, it's a great holiday gift and a wonderful way to support Apple Tree Arts.

Grafton Town House Update

Participating with the Town of Grafton in celebrating its 275th anniversary this year, we are reminded to pause for a moment and reflect on all we've been able to accomplish so far as we work with the town to restore the Grafton Town House for use as a new area performing arts center.  The new roof will keep us dry and the repaired fire escapes will keep us safe while we focus now on making the building accessible to all.  With full funding in hand, the Grafton Town House Oversight Committee -- with whom I've been working for the past few years -- plans to go out to bid on the accessibility work this month.  Included are an interior and exterior ramp, ADA-compliant door hardware, a limited-use elevator, four handicap-accessible bathrooms, and a new copper roof over the portico.  In addition, a survey has been needed to address roadway impacts on Grafton Common resulting from the need to extend the front of the Town House by 13 feet to accommodate the new ramp.  It is expected that this will be complete by year-end.  We have much to celebrate as we enter the holiday season! 

Paul Scarlett, President, Board of Directors

Thanks So Much!

Thanks so much to all who have contributed so generously to our fall appeal.  Your support means so much to us because, without it, we simply wouldn't be able to offer as many music-making opportunities to the community as we do.  If you haven't yet made your contribution, it's not too late!

This holiday season, we want to extend our special thanks to two very generous donors.  Koopman Lumber (www.koopmanlumber.com) is a long-time Apple Tree Arts supporter.  We want to recognize their assistance publicly at this time their help with the storage of our huge collection of theatre arts costumes and sets as we transition to our new home at One Grafton Common.  Thanks, Koopman's!

Grafton resident Ron Diurba has contributed his wonderful bass voice to the Apple Tree Arts Community Chorus for many years, but his business (Therapy Resources Management) is also an Apple Tree Arts supporter. The importance of their generous gift in general operating support to Apple Tree Arts cannot be overestimated.  Thanks so much, Ron! 

Katie O'Neill Appointed to Board

Apple Tree Arts welcomed a new board member this spring -- Katie O'Neill.  A longtime singer, Katie has experience in musical theatre as well as liturgical and traditional music. In "real life," Katie's background is in community-based non-profit fundraising and marketing.  She is currently Director of Training and Policy for the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers.  In addition to Apple Tree Arts, Katie volunteers with the Worcester Irish Music Festival and the Irish Cultural Centre Drama Group. She is a resident of Westborough.  Welcome to the Apple Tree Arts family, Katie!

Happy Holidays from all of us at Apple Tree Arts!