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Happy Arts in Education Week!

In July, Congress designated the week beginning the second Sunday of September--that's this week!--as Arts in Education Week. The declaration recognizes that "arts education, comprising a rich array of disciplines including dance, music, theatre, media arts, literature, design, and visual arts, is a core academic subject and an essential element of a complete and balanced education
for all students" and goes on to quote Albert Einstein, "After a certain high
level of technical skill is achieved, science and art tend to coalesce in esthetics, plasticity, and form. The greatest scientists are artists as well."

Not to be outdone, in addition to recognizing Arts in Education Week, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm also proclaimed this Youth Arts Week in Michigan, saying, "The involvement of young people in the arts helps them to understand and respect people of diverse populations and cultures as well as help them to communicate through different forms of expression," and that "education in the arts contributes to the overall education of our students by helping them to develop and explore their own creative problem-solving and critical thinking abilities."

So . . . let's celebrate! You can start by joining us at the regular meeting of the GLCS Performing Arts Foundation, Tuesday, September 14, at 6:30 p.m. at the Richland Area Community Center!

Seen and heard at the Kalamazoo Scottish Festival

Erica Holcomb, Gull Lake High School Performing Arts Company '05, playing a most intriguing musical instrument, the hurdy-gurdy.

We All Scream for Ice Cream on August 18

Come one, come all, to the second annual Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social fundraiser for the Performing Arts Foundation! This year, we'll be scooping ice cream during the Richland Farmers' Market, 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 18, at the Richland Area Community Center. Come into the cool of RACC's kitchen/sunroom area to enjoy delicious Plainwell Ice Cream, hand dipped by your faithful PAF volunteers, and to hear the amazing Leslie Gogel (PAC '02) play her beautiful harp. There may be other surprise musical guests dropping in as well . . . you'll have to be there to hear for yourself! Suggested donation for ice cream is $2 per person or $5 per family. So come out this Wednesday for a great afternoon of fresh fruits and vegetables, gorgeous just-picked flowers, AND ice cream and music!

More on These United States

Update: Check out this recent issue of the New York Times for a review of the most recent album from These United States, "What Lasts." It includes a nice mention of the band's bass player, Gull Lake grad Colin Kellogg.

By the way, the band is on tour right now. Within striking distance of Kalamazoo, you could spot them in Chicago at House of Blues on August 5 and as part of Lollapalooza on August 6.

Richland Art Fair

Okay, this is it! The 38th annual Richland Art Fair happens this Saturday, July 17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the village green in the center of Richland. It's an art extravaganza put on yearly by the Gull Lake Area Community Volunteers, who use the proceeds to provide educational, medical, dental, and emergency help to folks within the Gull Lake Community School district.

Be sure to check out special events at many local galleries and stores that day, too, including the Blue Water Gallery and Fabrications.

Happy Fourth of July . . .

. . . and all the nearby dates, too! There's a lot to do, so get your running shoes on.

Friday, July 2, you have a chance to hear Richland lads Jordan Lunardini and Matt Reinhardt with the old gang, Frankie Ballard and Eddie Robinson, at the Stagecoach Barn (8940 N. 32nd Street at M-89/C Avenue), in their Funkberry Jam mode. Starts at 9 p.m., costs $7.

But don't stay out too late if you're planning to run or walk in the Pace for Poverty at 8 a.m. The event, organized by Gull Lake grad Adam Simon and PAF stalwart Jeff Brown, starts by the athletic fields behind Gull Lake Middle School on M-89. If you took my advice about Friday night, you should be done in plenty of time for the 11 a.m. step-off of the Richland 4th of July Parade--note that this year it's on Saturday, July 3. You wouldn't want to miss it, or any of the surrounding fun and food, like the Lions Club chicken barbecue and Richland Presbyterian's pie tent.

Then keep supporting great local music and have fun, too, at the Boiling Pot Music Festival at Arcadia Festival Place downtown, noon to midnight on Saturday and Sunday, July 3 and 4. Cost is $10 each day at the gate, or $15 for both days if you buy in advance.

Happy Second, Third, and Fourth!