JANUARY PRESS

TOTAL HOME SERVICES WINS 50/50

Total Home Services, Inc. has joined Project Rescue’s “Business In Support of the Art League” program in the community wide effort to save Marco’s Art League. David G. Rice, Jr., Total Home Services President stated, “We are proud to join the growing number of Marco Businesses to insure the Art League remains as the cultural jewel in the community. As we enter our 22nd year serving Marco Island property owners, we look forward to working with new clients to make a seamless transition into two of our most popular service programs. The program we have developed is designed to produce significant cash to the Art League while at the same time providing new clients the opportunity to receive the benefit of a tax deduction for their participation”.

Details of the program…All new lawn and pool clients are eligible beginning January through June of 2010. For new lawn clients a $100.00 donation will be made to the Art League by Total Home Services in the name of the client; for new pool clients a $50.00 donation will be made. In addition since the donations are made in the client’s name, the donation will be considered a tax deductible donation to the fullest extent of the law, by the client! Total Home Services encourages you to BEGIN TODAY IN SUPPORT OF YOUR ART LEAGUE today! Contact David Rice, Jr. at 642-0007 to schedule a personal visit at your property or schedule a meeting at Total Home Business offices located at 950 No.Collier Blvd, Suite 206 of the Sun Trust Building.

Businesses in Support of the Art League is one of the five ongoing programs to Save Marco’s Art League in an effort to eliminate the League’s $100,000 debt. The campaign has received support from over 50 Marco business owners to date. The Art League’s existence has a tremendous financial impact on property values and business. Property owners and business owners expect our city to have first class services such as police, fire, medical, shopping and culture. Take away any one from the equation and Marco is not the attractive destination we want it to be.

Business in Support of the Art League encourages businesses to provide financial assistance to the Art League as a partnership, with the business and the League both benefiting. The program encourages businesses to offer special shopping days whereby a percentage of sales would be donated to the Art League or the sale of special items. Service businesses are encouraged to become a partner by offering a donation to the Art League for every new customer they obtain in a given period of time. In addition to Total Home Services other participating businesses include Island Trends, Marco Island Florist and Makeup Scents at Prime Outlets

Shop Marco First is encouraged in support of all participating businesses. While there, purchase tickets for the Monthly 50 /50 Raffle to be drawn at the 1st Tuesday Art @ 5 Socials held at the Art League 1010 Winterberry Drive. Winning tickets in November and December averaged $545.00! The upcoming Art @ 5 Socials are on February 2nd and March 2nd. Admission is $5 for members and $10 for non members and features complimentary wine and snacks, art exhibit, entertainment, and the 50/50 Drawing selection. Business sponsoring the monthly events include: February and March, Island Trends;

Island Wide 50/50 participating businesses include: Iberia Bank, Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, Empire Bagel Factory, The Harbor Goldsmith & Richard’s Reef, Kay’s on the Beach, Modern Nails, Angel Nails, Chamber of Commerce, Video Store @ Town Center, Marco Island, Florist, Island Liquors, Sunshine Booksellers North & South, Curves for Women, House of Mozart, AutoCraft, Island Trends, Angelica’s Boutique, Amantea Gallery, Rick’s Island Salon & Spa Artist Colony @ the Esplanade, Artist Colony Waterfront Studio @ the Esplanade, Makeup Scents, Prime Outlets, and Old Marco Lodge, Goodland.

Businesses wishing to become Art League Business Partners or to become a location for the sale of 50/50 Drawing Tickets, please contact Chris Neal, Director, Marco Island Center for the Arts at 394-4221 or email at mail@marcoislandart.com.

FINE CRAFT SHOW

After a 4 year absence, KRAFTFAIRS.com and Pam Patullo bring back the Fine Craft Show to the Art League Marco Island’s Center for the Arts on Sat. & Sun., January 16-17, 2010 from 10am - 4pm.

This event is being hosted by KRAFTFAIRS.com as a fundraising event for the Art League. It is one of two shows that Pam Patullo will be leading for the season. The second show takes place April 2 & 3rd. As a fundraising event, the Board of Directors for the Art League will be welcoming guests at their 1010 Winterberry Drive location requesting a $2.00 donation at entry.

Karen Kurbanik Wins 50/50

Karen Urbanik, was the lucky winner of the January 5th Art League’s monthly Island Wide 50 /50 drawing. The winning ticket was drawn by David G. Rice, Jr., President of Total Home Services, Inc., sponsors of this month’s event. Mrs. Urbanik, who was in attendance, received $404.00 as her share of the winnings.

The next drawing will be held on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at the monthly “1st Tuesday Art @ Five Socials” at the Art League’s Center 1010 Winterberry Drive. The February social will be sponsored by Island Trends, an island favorite for men’s and women’s fashion. Each monthly event features art exhibits, complimentary wine, beer and snacks; entertainment and the opportunity to meet Marco’s Celebrity Artists. The After 5’s are open to the community and the admission fees are $5 for Art League members and $10 for non members.

During this event, Christine Neal, Art League Director and President Keith Klipstein welcomed John Dougherty and Mack Chaudhry of the Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa as the newest sponsors of the Art League.

Marco Island Art League Schedules Press Conference

The Art League Marco Island’s Center for the Arts has scheduled a press conference for 5:30pm Monday, January 25th to provide an update on “Project Rescue”. The conference takes place at the Center located at 1010 Winterberry Drive and is open to Art League members and the citizens or Marco Island.

The update will include the first 3 months progress of Phase I, and the next programs to be unveiled as part of the Project Rescue campaign to “Save Marco’s Art League”.

PALs – Riverchase Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery
(formerly Island Dermatology)

Today the Art League Marco Island’s Center for the Arts, announced that Riverchase Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery (formerly Island Dermatology) is its newest “PAL”. Riverchase is the first medical practice to sponsor a gallery wall as part of the “Patrons of the Art League” program. Christine Neal, Art League Executive Director, commends local physicans, Dr. Andrew Jaffee, Dr. Ed Cohen, Dr. Mark Kagen, and Dr. Eshbaugh, Jr. for their commitment to the arts in Marco Island.

At a recent Riverchase “Meet and Greet” for local residents held in the Lauritzen/Rush Galleries of the Art League, Dr. Andrew T Jaffe stated that, “His practice is proud to support the Art League and be part of the Marco Island community. The physicians and staff of Riverchase believe in the importance of supporting the arts, especially on a local level. We believe that the Art League's programs benefit the entire community and we are pleased to be a part of the continuation of such a worthy organization.”

An evening with Author Karen Biery

The Art League Marco Island’s Center for the Arts proudly hosts newly published author Karen Biery on Tuesday, February 9th from 5:30pm – 7pm in the Center’s Lauritzen/Rush Galleries. Meet the author during a wine & coffee reception and enjoy a reading from her novel “believe”. The author is schedule to begin reading at 6pm. Books will be available for purchase through the Art League’s Gift Shop, where a portion of the sale proceeds benefit the Art League, while the author will be available for signings. Admission is $5 for members and $10 for guests.

Karen Biery is an artist and writer who has spent the majority of her life in the creative realm. She began her career in retail management with small entrepreneurs, grew through one of America’s leading corporations, and ultimately created her own retail environment, Olde English Garden Company, in Salem, Ohio. She attended Kent State University for creative writing and studied watercolors under the instruction of Tom McNickle. She has made “believe” her first collaborative effort by blending multiple facets for the cover and interior. Karen lives in northeast Ohio with her husband, Jeff when they are not at their home on Marco Island.

Saving Marco’s Art League on Track – But Plenty of Work to Go

A press conference convened at the Art League Marco Island Center for the Arts on Monday, January 25th, 5:30 PM in their Lauritzen/Rush Galleries located at 1010 Winterberry Drive for the purpose of updating the progress of Project RESCUE , a fundraising campaign to “Save Marco’s Art League” which began on November 1, 2009.

Christine Neal, Executive Director of the Art League welcomed the many interested Art League supporters and provided the agenda which included a recap on the purpose and need for Project Rescue, an overall update on the first three months of the project, unveiled upcoming programs and announced a timeline for Phase II.

Board President Keith Klipstein introduced the Project RESCUE team; Art League Board of Directors & Endowment Committee members, and stated the simple facts of the financial challenge facing the Art League which included: a financial loss of $62.00 for every hour of operation, a present debt of $100,000.00 and the need for a minimum of $318,000.00 to maintain the facility and current programming for the year. Addressing those challenges, beginning in May of 2009, the Board began positive remedial steps including limiting the hours of operation, cut back of staff hours, limiting utility expenditures, program cut backs, as well as listing for sale a lot owned by the Art League.

Recognizing the need for a definitive fund raising effort to address the present and future financial security of the Art League, the Board approved the recommendations by Endowment Committee Chair, Rose Patterson and member LaVonne Johnson to ask Dave Rice to get involved. Upon accepting the invitation, Dave researched the financial situation, developed a report identifying causes and solutions, recommended fundraising programs and procedures for implementation, and established time lines and financial goals. The Board approved all the recommendations and Project RESCUE was announced on October 20, 2009. The campaign is to be implemented in two phases. Phase I: to address the need to raise $100,000.00 to reduce the debt and keep the Art League operating and Phase II to develop a new business model for the future for the Art League to operate on a balanced budget.

Art League Marco Island’s Center for the Arts Receives Scripps Howard Foundation funding for Children’s Creative Dramatics Program

The Art League Marco Island’s Center for the Arts has been awarded a $1000.00 grant form the Scripps Howard Foundation Volunteer Grant Program. With this funding the Center may now offer this program at a reduced tuition of just $30.00 per student for a 4 week session!

Mary Quinton, Marketing Director for the Naples Media Group, in her efforts to continue support of the Art League, submitted the request to assist with funding of the Creative Dramatics after-school program.