BONJOUR! FRIENDS OF EAST COUNTY ARTS HOSTS “PARIS HOLIDAY” TEA DEC. 14
By Miriam Raftery
November 17, 2019 (El Cajon) – Friends of East County Arts, Inc. cordially invites you to “PARIS HOLIDAY,” the theme of this year’s annual holiday tea on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 11 a.m. at Holy Trinity Parish Hall (405 Ballard St. in El Cajon).
Don your fancy hat to enjoy champagne, tea, scones and desserts on fine holiday tableware. There will also be door prizes and opportunity drawings plus entertainment including a performance by the Valhalla High School Dance Program, one of the recipients of this year’s grants.
Through the years, the 501c3 nonprofit Friends of East County Arts, Inc. has raised over $875,000 in funds for growth and development of the live performing arts and to support fine arts and artists in San Diego’s East County.
The primary recipients of these funds have been local children through mini-grants to elementary grades through community colleges, and to community organizations that support arts education and appreciation. As funds for arts programs in public schools has diminished to minimal amounts, FRIENDS has strived to raise funds to help fill this gap.
Over 350 guests are expected at the Paris Holiday Tea, according to publicity chair Liz Taylor. “For the first time, we will be recognizing an Outstanding Visual and/or Performing Arts Teacher in the Grossmont Union High School District with a $1,000 award, which will be presented at the Tea. Also new this year will be three Grossmont Union High School District visual and performing arts student scholarships. Scholarships will be $1000.00 each and will be presented in the spring,” she says.
The organization hopes to make these awards an annual event and to expand the number of scholarships it is able to give each year.
For reservations and more information, visit https://www.friendsofecarts.org/ or contact Kristina Dendy at 619-884-8598 or kdendy@cox.net.
PHILANTHROPY GRANT RECIPIENTS FOR 2019
This year, Friends of East County Arts has been able to distribute $30,860 to the following East County schools and community associations:
EAST COUNTY YOUTH SYMPHONY
EL CAJON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
GROSSMONT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC FOUNDATION
MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE
OLAF WIEGHORST MUSEUM FOUNDATION
PETER OAN THEATER
HERITAGE OF THE AMERICAS MUSEUM
SANTANA HIGH SCHOOL BAND REGIMENT
ST. MADELEINE’S SOPHIE CENTER
BOULDER OAKS ELEMENTARY
CREST STEAM ACADEMY
FLYING HILLS ELEMENTARY
LA MESA ARTS ACADEMY
W.D. HALL ELEMENTARY
SAN MIGUEL ELEMENTARY
MONTOGOMERY MIDDLE SCHOOL
PARKWAY MIDDLE SCHOOL
TIERRA DEL SOL DANCE, DRAMA KTDS
GUHSD ART COUNCIL
EL CAPITAN HIGH SCHOOL
HELIX HIGH SCHOOL DANCE
GROSSMONT HIGH SCHOOL BAND
GROSSMONT HIGH SCHOOL 3-D ART
STEELE CANYON HIGH SCHOOL THEATER
STEELE CANYON HIGH SCHOOL BAND
VALHALLA HIGH SCHOOL DANCE
VALHALLA HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
VALHALLA HIGH SCHOOL THEATER
WEST HILLS HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA