A mostly-monthly newsletter
for members of O’Hanlon Center for the Arts
REPORT ON RECENT MEMBERS’ MEETING:
Construction Updates & New Pledge Program
The Members’ Meeting on May 19 was attended by more than 20 members plus staff – nearly 10% of our membership (230). We started the evening by sharing the delicious food everyone contributed, then heard details of the Site Improvement Plan from Michael Heacock, our architect and project manager (and former board president). After the deck, new path between Loft and Gallery, and exterior staircase are built, we plan to add an accessible main entrance to the Loft, ADA restroom, and ADA parking space. The accessibility improvements are a choice as well as a requirement.
Our contractor, James Chenney, then answered questions about the timeline and scope of work. If all goes smoothly, the first phase will be completed by the beginning of September. There will be some inconvenience, noise, and limited access during construction, but all are committed to keeping the Center’s programs open and working throughout.
Board President Abby Wasserman announced that the amount we hope to raise from our members has been lowered from $150,000 to $75,000. The board has earmarked $150,000 from the organization’s endowment funds for up-front construction costs, and has pledged to match the Members’ $75,000 with an equal amount from outside sources in a community fund drive.
Kellan, our Center Director, enumerated some ways we can reach our pledge goal. Based on our current membership of 230, if every member pledged as little as $100 per year, in three years we would reach or exceed our goal. $100, $500, $3,000—every amount brings us closer to our goal! We are happy to report that pledges began coming in right away. By meeting time, $7,000 had been raised. To that, we added in a recent $5,000 grant from the Davis/Dauray Family Fund for site improvements, bringing the total to $12,000. Our top member pledge is from Cayen Robinson, who pledged $3,000 before the meeting! Thank you, Cayen!
Kellan passed around the SITE IMPROVEMENT PLEDGE FORM which we encourage members to use for their pledges. He also showed a graphic that will be up on our website and in the Loft, showing the progress toward our goal. Then Director of Programs and Outreach Erma announced an anonymous one-time matching pledge of $1000 – and within minutes, Zoe Borkowski had matched it! Thank you, Zoe! And Anonymous!
We will include a list of all pledges and donations in the next DIORAMA. Overall, more than $4,000 was pledged at the meeting, bringing the total that day to $16,000, lowering the balance of our 3 year goal to $59,000! Since then, several pledges have come into the office, so word is spreading. Everyone feeling the excitement about the improvements is stepping up to help make it a reality. The pledge form can be downloaded here. We look forward to receiving your pledge! Options are to donate over 3 years or all at one time.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS PLEDGED!
We know your donations come from the heart and every single one is warmly appreciated. In the future, all donors will be recognized and honored in a permanent way. Brainstorming is taking place right now about how we can do this.
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Erma also put a word out about the need for active committees to be formed and asked for members to come forward and volunteer their time. Two urgent needs are Fundraising and Facilities. We are also looking for knowledgeable volunteers to be involved in a landscaping plan. Dick Brown signed up to be on that committee at the meeting.
We would like to involve many more of you in volunteer work here at the Center. For a long time, a small number of loyal volunteers have been carrying a heavy load. We realize that to FEEL involved at the Center, we need to BE involved. And frankly, staff is overwhelmed.
SAVE THE DATE of November 14th for our 2015 Fundraiser!
If you have great ideas about how to make it memorable and worthwhile, please step forward to be part of the committee. Call Erma or Kellan, 415-388-4331.
NEXT FREE STUDIO DAY:
Monday June 8
Members may use the Loft Studios for free that day (normally a $15/day use fee.)
Our class schedule will be a bit lighter for the next few months, which means more days have open time for studio use. Check with the office about availability… and look for a schedule of open times, coming soon. We also have a supply of earplugs available upstairs in the Loft, in case construction noise interrupts your focus!
Free Studio day next month will be Monday, July 1.
COMING UP: The Member Summer Solstice Party
Saturday, June 20 from 2:30-5:00.
Enjoy a pot luck buffet and the company of other members. Join in a group art project headed up by Cayen Robertson and Elaine James. Hear live music by Mill Valley legend Dave Fromer! We will provide a birthday cake to remember Ann O’Hanlon. Please join us and bring a friend or family member!
CALLS FOR ENTRIES
“TEXTURE: Can You Feel It?” O’Hanlon Gallery – July
The official announcement for the July Gallery show was emailed out last weekend. If you missed it, a PDF copy is attached. Intake dates are June 26 & 27. You can always view the latest Call for Entries on the website: https://www.ohanloncenter.org/exhibits/call-for-entries/
Special Member Show at Whole Foods Market – July
Attention Members: We have the opportunity to exhibit 2D work in the Miller Ave. Whole Foods starting July 6. A proper call for entries will be sent separately, so please look for it early next week. This will be an online submission process with a deadline of June 25 (open to OHCA members only).
Since the show will be right in the heat of summer, the theme will be “Summertime and the Livin’ is Easy” and will celebrate the sights and sweet sensations of summer. Think lush and creamy, hot and sweet, food and fun, abundant and slow. Lets give the public an eyeful.
NEW & RENEWING MEMBERS:
Thank You and Welcome to these New and Renewing members!
New Members: Lee Haxton, Bea Benjamin, Teresa Harrison, Said Nuseibeh, Woodward Payne, Pamela Stefl Toki, Sue Warhaftig, Potter Wickware, Keith Wilson, Heidi Berrin Shonkoff, Renée Owen, Leanne Hansen, Lanny Mihardja, Lila Sparks-Daniels, Ani Jenkins, Julianne Langley family, Elizabeth Perry, Lauri Puchall, Patricia Marina, Joell Jones, Jennifer Potter family
Renewing Members: April Dawn Parker, Craig Coss, Gail Robertson, James Vogel, Patricia McCaron, Patricia Kelly, Jill Shira, Richard & Diana Shore
(Correction: new member Rhonda Dubin’s name was misspelled in our last newsletter… sorry Rhonda!)
Thanks everyone!
Kellan Christopher, Center Director kellan@ohanloncenter.org
Erma Murphy, Director of Programs & Outreach erma@ohanloncenter.org