25 Million Smiles: The Clay Center Commitment 
A child’s smile is one of the most genuine things in the world. It emerges spontaneously – through the thrill of exploration or the excitement of learning. Curious eyes naturally widen with wonder as children see the athleticism of a dancer, create an instrument from a cardboard tube or make a polymer. This magic happens every day both inside the Clay Center or via distance learning technology connected to a small, remote school that is miles away.
The Clay Center has begun a fund-raising effort to raise $25 million to put more smiles on the faces of all West Virginians. We plan to do this by making the museum free for all West Virginia school children, by expanding our community outreach to take programs throughout the state, by enhancing our arts and science education programs, by continuing to attract award-winning performers and keeping ticket prices affordable, and by keeping our operations and facilities in tip-top shape. We plan to do all of this within the next two years through an endowment fund-raising initiative.
By the time the campaign concludes at the end of December 2009, we will have raised at least:
$12 million for free admission to the museum for WV school groups
$3 million to expand community outreach and enrichment programs
$3 million to sustain and expand arts and sciences education opportunities
$3 million for on-going engagement of award-winning
performers
$4 million for operations and building support
The campaign is led by Lloyd Jackson, former West Virginia senator from Lincoln County, with the support of many dedicated community members.
Why are we doing this?
We are moving ahead with this now to ensure that the Clay Center provides education, entertainment and economic development for generations to come. Here are a few reasons why we must do this now:
· More than 50,000 school children visit the Clay Center each year, but thousands more have not had that opportunity.
· The Clay Center provides lessons and workshops in rural areas throughout the state and wants to expand to every county.
· Half a million visitors have been entertained and educated at the Clay Center since opening in July 2003 and with local tourism on the rise, millions more will visit in the coming decades.
· More than 300 performances have been given on the Clay Center stages, yet hundreds of thousands of West Virginians have not had the opportunity to see one.
· The Clay Center is responsible directly or indirectly for more than 500 jobs, nearly $10 million in household income and almost $1.5 million in local and state government revenue annually, which makes the Clay Center one of the most successful non-profit organizations in the state.
This is the time to provide for permanent funding of Clay Center programs so that the Clay Center will be here for our children’s children and beyond. The facility has taken root and grown strong, the programs are solid and branching out across the region, and now our future is in your hands.
How can you help?
Your gift in any size or form will help give much needed hands-on educational experiences and generate millions of smiles for West Virginia’s youth. To learn more about gift options, click here.
Make a gift with your credit card now by clicking here or learn about naming opportunities and more by contacting Ron Huiatt, Clay Center Chief Development Officer at (304) 561-3588.
Photos courtsey of Jeff Gentner
A child’s smile is one of the most genuine things in the world. It emerges spontaneously – through the thrill of exploration or the excitement of learning. Curious eyes naturally widen with wonder as children see the athleticism of a dancer, create an instrument from a cardboard tube or make a polymer. This magic happens every day both inside the Clay Center or via distance learning technology connected to a small, remote school that is miles away.
The Clay Center has begun a fund-raising effort to raise $25 million to put more smiles on the faces of all West Virginians. We plan to do this by making the museum free for all West Virginia school children, by expanding our community outreach to take programs throughout the state, by enhancing our arts and science education programs, by continuing to attract award-winning performers and keeping ticket prices affordable, and by keeping our operations and facilities in tip-top shape. We plan to do all of this within the next two years through an endowment fund-raising initiative.
By the time the campaign concludes at the end of December 2009, we will have raised at least: $12 million for free admission to the museum for WV school groups
$3 million to expand community outreach and enrichment programs
$3 million to sustain and expand arts and sciences education opportunities
$3 million for on-going engagement of award-winning
performers
$4 million for operations and building support
The campaign is led by Lloyd Jackson, former West Virginia senator from Lincoln County, with the support of many dedicated community members.
Why are we doing this?
We are moving ahead with this now to ensure that the Clay Center provides education, entertainment and economic development for generations to come. Here are a few reasons why we must do this now:
· More than 50,000 school children visit the Clay Center each year, but thousands more have not had that opportunity.
· The Clay Center provides lessons and workshops in rural areas throughout the state and wants to expand to every county.
· Half a million visitors have been entertained and educated at the Clay Center since opening in July 2003 and with local tourism on the rise, millions more will visit in the coming decades.
· More than 300 performances have been given on the Clay Center stages, yet hundreds of thousands of West Virginians have not had the opportunity to see one.
· The Clay Center is responsible directly or indirectly for more than 500 jobs, nearly $10 million in household income and almost $1.5 million in local and state government revenue annually, which makes the Clay Center one of the most successful non-profit organizations in the state.
This is the time to provide for permanent funding of Clay Center programs so that the Clay Center will be here for our children’s children and beyond. The facility has taken root and grown strong, the programs are solid and branching out across the region, and now our future is in your hands.
How can you help?
Your gift in any size or form will help give much needed hands-on educational experiences and generate millions of smiles for West Virginia’s youth. To learn more about gift options, click here.
Make a gift with your credit card now by clicking here or learn about naming opportunities and more by contacting Ron Huiatt, Clay Center Chief Development Officer at (304) 561-3588.
Photos courtsey of Jeff Gentner
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Clay Center
for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia
One Clay Square
Charleston, WV 25301
304-561-3570