Support the arts--no cost to you!

Alert! Alert! Alert! It has come to our shocked attention that not every PAF supporter, friend, and family member is funneling free money to the arts at every opportunity! Here are three great ways to support PAF without spending an extra cent yourself. Please take advantage!

Modernistic Carpet Cleaning has made a fabulous offer: When you place your residential or commercial cleaning or restoration order, just tell the scheduler that you'd like your order to benefit Gull Lake Schools. Modernistic will automatically donate 10 per cent of your order to the Performing Arts Foundation and the Gull Lake athletic boosters. Just call 629-4500 or 385-3377 to schedule your pre-holiday cleaning. Check their website here. Thanks to the Hitows for this wonderful gift!

Harding's Markets have a community donation program that couldn't be easier. Next time you're in Harding's, pick up one of their eScrip Community Cards at the checkout. Just phone the 800 number on the card to activate it, tell them what group you'd like your purchases to benefit (and that would be the GLCS Performing Arts Foundation!), and then show the card whenever you shop at Harding's. A percentage of your purchases go to PAF, no further effort required. More info at the eScrip website.

The Meijer Community Rewards program is slightly more complicated than it used to be, but if you use a Meijer credit card they will donate 1 per cent of your eligible purchases to your chosen organization(s); if you pay with cash, they'll donate 0.5 per cent. Check the details and sign up at their website. Again, no extra cost to you!

And just a mention of our pals at Katie & Christy's mid-Lakes Screen Printing, who created our great PAF-wear. In addition to printing, monogramming and personalization, they have a tanning salon and do lake rentals. They're at 121 E. Orchard in Delton, (269) 623-8340. E-mail midlakes@mei.net or check their website. Print this out as a $10 Reward Coupon to be used towards the purchase of a Gull Lake varsity jacket.

Happy Halloween to all, a great time of year for costumers, actors, and storytellers. Wednesday, October 31, events: The Scream Team, a squad of storytelling students from the high school, will be telling spooky stories to elementary school kids all day at the high school. And don't miss Halloween in the Park, 5:30 to 7:30 on Halloween on the Village Green in Richland, a great safe trick-or-treating event for kids, sponsored by the Richland Area Business Association. Wonder if that familiar-looking gorilla will be back this year? Boo, y'all!

Meeting August 9 . . . and much more!

You are invited to the regular monthly meeting of the Performing Arts Foundation on Thursday, August 9, at 6:30 p.m. at the Richland Area Community Center on CD Avenue. We'll hear what's coming up artswise this fall and make plans to help with all we can. Arts teachers, parents, alumni, community members, parents of alumni, arts supporters of all stripes--all are welcome to any meeting to offer ideas, ask for help, pitch in on a project, or just hear what's going on!

And now, a change of date, just as our newsletter goes out with the old info:

Saturday, September 8 (not August 11), 4 p.m. onwards, State Theatre, Kalamazoo
Bobbaroo! benefit concert featuring Combat Corduroy and other great bands. See post below--but note the change of date to September 8!

Don't miss this:

Sunday, August 12, 5 - 7 p.m.; and August 13 - 17, noon to 8 p.m.
Tour the new Gull Lake High School building, 7753 North 34th Street, Richland

And a reminder of three ways for you to support arts education in your everyday life:

Sign up for Harding's free eScrip Community Card. Just pick up a card at a Harding's store, phone the number on the car, and voila! Harding's will make a contribution to PAF whenever you shop.

Every time you call Modernistic Carpet Cleaning to clean at your home or office, just mention Gull Lake Community Schools to the operator. Ten per cent of your order will be donated--half to athletics and half to the Performing Arts Foundation. Thank you, Lee and Katie Hitow, for this wonderful gift to our schools!

Finally, if you pay cash at Meijer or use a Meijer credit card, please do sign up for Meijer Community Rewards. It's a little more complicated than it used to be, but PAF can still benefit!

Meeting and misc.

YOU are invited to PAF's regular meetings. This month's meeting will be held on Thursday, June 14, at 6:30 at the Richland Area Community Center. Please join us if you can.

Other items to remember:

Modernistic Carpet Cleaning and the Harding's Market in Richland are helping PAF with donations. Scroll down to see how your purchases can benefit PAF at no cost to you.

If you'd care to make your own much-appreciated AND tax-deductible donation to PAF, please send your check to PAF, P.O. Box 611, Richland, MI 49083.

For grant application forms, please write to the same address or e-mail us at PerformingArtsFoundation@gmail.com