WAIMEA — Kahilu Theatre is holding its annual fundraising event on Dec 4. Hosted by the board of directors, it will be the first holiday themed benefit the nonprofit has organized for more than three decades. ADVERTISING WAIMEA — Kahilu
WAIMEA — Kahilu Theatre is holding its annual fundraising event on Dec 4. Hosted by the board of directors, it will be the first holiday themed benefit the nonprofit has organized for more than three decades.
The 2016 Kahilu Holiday Party will begin at 5 p.m. with hosted libations, culinary delights, performances by Kahilu Performing Arts students, sing-along music, a live auction and dancing in the Mike Luce Studio. Proceeds will benefit Kahilu Theatre’s arts education programs, including shows, classes, camps and partnerships under the organization’s Arts Ed @ Kahilu brand.
“The event promises to be a festive occasion that will showcase our educational programs in the setting of our beautiful arts center,” said Mimi Kerley, president of the board of directors. “We want our guests to connect directly to our mission and meet the students who benefit from their generosity.”
Kahilu Theatre is the only full-season arts presenting organization on the island that also provides education programs year-round.
Kerley, who is also chairing the Holiday Party Committee, said, “In Kahilu’s current strategic plan, strengthening our education services is our top priority. We know that the arts encourage values of responsibility, purpose, belonging, tolerance, and inclusion. And, as is consistent statewide and across the nation, arts education continues to be under-funded in our schools. Kahilu is enlivened more and more by stewarding stronger alliances with artists, educators, schools and partner organizations on our island.”
The Kahilu wine bar will offer special selections hosted by David Ellis throughout the night, and board member and Pau restaurant proprietor Mike Bennett has enrolled several local farms and culinary artists to complement the activities.
“Our live auction will offer a dozen one-of-a-kind creative experiences,” Bennett said. “Board member Jon Staub has put together a package for six with Gold level tickets to the Russian River Jazz Festival along with a four-night stay at a private residence in Northern California. Another item is a North Hawaii Artists’ Studio Tour hosted by Kahilu Exhibits Coordinator Margo Ray. Your own Kahilu Theatre Movie Night for you and 12 of your best friends will also be on the auction block. There are several other creative experiences sponsored by my fellow Board members that can only be found at Kahilu.”
The budget for Kahilu Theatre’s 2016/17 education services is $285,000. One of the hallmark programs the event will support is youth shows, performances by season artists offering students ages 5-18 from public and private schools, as well as homeschoolers, the opportunity to experience live music, dance and theater of very high quality. In the past year, Kahilu increased its number of shows from 12 to 22, responding to community demand. The party will also benefit a scholarship fund for Kahilu Performing Arts classes and camps.
“’What are we building today that will last 1,000 years?’ was a question posed to me last summer,” said Kahilu Theatre’s Executive Director Deborah Goodwin. “The answer? Ideas that stand the test of time, push past conceived barriers and encourage us to dream big dreams. The arts are the birthplace of these kinds of ideas, and are vital, now more than ever, for creating a future filled with optimism.”
Tickets to the holiday fundraiser party are $180 for a pair, or $100 per person. They must be reserved in advance by calling the box office at 885-6868 or online at www.kahilutheatre.org.
