TO THE EDITOR:

What a year this has been. We still need your support. Help us begin 2009 on a brilliant note!

You may have heard about the Washington-Wilkes Arts Foundation's accomplishments. We gave $18,000 to the public school band program as a result of the Hillary Lindsey concert in 2007. How fortunate we were to have this wonderful talent give so generously back to her hometown. The W-WAF was proud to sponsor Hillary's concert. We had the support of many to make this undertaking happen so successfully. We also sponsored the Messiah as an outreach to the whole community. We sponsored the MusicFest in the spring which included the popular band Playback, supporting the Tour de Georgia celebration. Our main focus is always on children and encouraging them in all avenues of art education. In that regard, we had over 200 children for an arts and crafts workshop during our annual ArtFest this past November, 2008.

Why donate to the Washington- Wilkes Arts Foundation?

All these accomplishments are only the beginning for us. The Washington-Wilkes Arts Foundation wants to achieve much in 2009, such as offering free public lectures, offering student art classes, bringing a variety of musical performances to our community, growing our membership, enhancing our new website, bringing back the high caliber of artists for our Fall ArtFest, and always seeking new ways of bringing art and the youth of our community together. Our sights are set high, and our determination knows few limits.

But we can't do it alone. With your help, we can take the next giant step, and move the W-WAF into truly uncharted territory. As a 501- c-3 your membership and donations are tax deductible.

We will hold our annual membership meeting on January 20 in the Mary Willis Library at 7 p.m.

On behalf of the Washington- Wilkes Arts Foundation's board; I am reaching out to ask for your support. We seek your membership in our organization. Yearly dues are: individual, $35; family, $60; gold $100 or more; corporate, $150. No gift is ever too small or too large! Please make your tax-deductible check out to: Washington Wilkes Arts Foundation; Post Office Box 428; Washington, GA 30673.

Your gift will have a huge impact!

DEBBIE WELLS