CITIZEN JOURNALISTA
Jane Q Public: Bainbridge IslandArchive for July, 2009
Movies in the Park starts at/with Twilight!
Can’t sleep through this heat? August brings late outdoor movies to Waterfront Park. The Downtown Association presents the popular teen vampire film, “Twilight,” tomorrow night at dusk. Bring blankets and chairs and prepare to see your neighbors! Upcoming films also include “Roman Holiday” and “The Parent Trap” (1960s version).
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BIAHC says farewell to ED Zon Eastes
Zon Eastes, center, said farewell to BIAHC members at the tea room at Bloedel Reserve last Friday. In photo on left: Pam Christiansen, The Creativity Center; right: Stephanie Harris, Bainbridge Chorale
The latest high profile casualty for the island during slow economic times is the loss of Zon Eastes, the executive director of the Bainbridge Island Arts & Humanities Council (BIAHC).
Eastes’ position was eliminated after major cuts in Cultural Element funding from the city threatened to shut down the agency.
The BIAHC distributes city funds to 11 arts organizations and eight arts programs on the island. Those agencies receive as much as 15 percent of their funding through the city, whereas the BIAHC’s budget from the city is closer to 50 percent.
The loss of Eastes, who is relocating to his native Vermont, has been lamented across the arts community as the staff reorganizes to accommodate a greatly reduced budget.
While all of the arts and humanities organizations on the island now struggle to stay afloat, it is perceived that the biggest loss is that of Eastes, who has, in three short years, gained an activist’s reputation for his enthusiastic support for agency collaboration, his advocacy for the cultural and economic values of arts on Bainbridge Island, and his highly energetic devotion to the island’s rich cultural community.
Eastes came to Bainbridge Island three years ago from Brattleboro, VT, where he previously served as executive director of the Brattleboro Music Center.
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Island businesses contribute to ongoing Save Our Teachers effort
Eagle Harbor Book Company will join several island businesses in generating pledge money to help out local schools on Wednesday, July 22.
On Wednesday July 22, island businesses—Dana’s ShowHouse, Eagle Harbor Books (sales percentage donated from all sales between 5 and 7 pm), Esther’s Fabrics, Paper Products and Willows Naturally—will donate a percentage of sales during their last two hours before closing to the Save Our Teachers Fund.
The Save Our Teachers Fund (sponsored by the Bainbridge Schools Foundation, or BSF) benefits the Bainbridge Island School District (BISD) through the generation of allocations to cover teacher salaries, grants, and training needed by the district to achieve its standard of educational excellence when state and local funding comes up short.
BSF’s 2009-2010 fiscal year started July 1 and they continue to aim to achieve a pledge amount of $450,000 to fund district shortfalls that are the result of deep spending cuts. The BISD is already recipient of some of the lowest per-pupil funding in the state of Washington.
Residents who support the campaign may direct additional donations to American Marine Bank, the Save Our Teachers mailbox at 8489 Madison Ave, or paid through the website at www.bainbridgeschoolsfoundation.org.
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