Centre In The Square Community Ticket Program
Kitchener, ON January 13, 2006 Centre In The Square’s new Community Ticket Program is proving to be a wonderful success! Launched in 2005, this innovative program donates tickets to people who would otherwise not be able to attend live performances at Kitchener’s world-class theatre. The Program will be donating at least $22,500 worth of tickets in 2006. The agencies chosen to distribute the tickets in 2006 are: KidsAbility, The Working Centre, The Independent Living Centre, The Multicultural Centre, and Heartwood Place. Stephen Swatridge, CEO of KidsAbility is delighted to be able to distribute tickets to their clients. “It is very gratifying to be able to provide a special evening event to our families at the Centre In The Square. Many would not have the financial means to attend such an event so this is an incredible opportunity for them. On their behalf, we are most appreciative and thankful.” Thanks to successful fundraising and the support of several local organizations and businesses such as the Musagetes Fund at the Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation, The Walter Fedy Partnership, Faith Life Financial and numerous individual supporters, the Centre In The Square has been able to offer this unique and innovative program again in 2006. The Centre’s General Manager, Jamie Grant, says that the program is one of the first of its kind in Canada, and he is pleased to be able to continue to offer it in 2006. “We have received a tremendous response from people who participated in it last year and we truly believe that this program helps to enhance self-esteem, make people feel more included in society as well as simply offering them a night out in a positive, fun and creative environment. The value of helping people to feel better about themselves is incalculable and all society benefits from that.” Grant added that, “We are tremendously appreciative to those organizations and individuals who have supported this program and hope that others will see its benefit and help us to expand it for next year.” Grant noted that we decided, “the best way to deliver the tickets to those who could best use them would be to partner with local social service agencies who then re-distribute the tickets to their clients.” The program was launched in 2005 and $33,000 worth of tickets were distributed to the partner agencies in that first year: House of Friendship, Catholic Family Counselling, Extend-A-Family, KW Counselling and Lutherwood. Grant added that, “our goal for the Community Ticket Program is to remove some of the barriers faced by select members of our community and to thereby increase accessibility to live theatre in our community. It is also important to note that many of the tickets we give away under this program are the best seats to high-profile shows like Tim Conway and Harvey Korman, Rich Little, Evita, Randy Bachman, Bruce Cockburn, etc.” Grant explained that the Community Ticket Program is entirely dependent on fundraising and he said that The Centre is currently fundraising to support it for 2006 and beyond. Grant encourages businesses and individuals to contact the Centre In The Square if they wish to donate. “All donations are welcome and important,” Grant stated. “This is a tremendous opportunity for people to support our community, the arts and to bring encouragement to people participating in the program. And all donations receive a tax receipt.” Grant noted that in addition to smaller donations, “We are also seeking a title sponsor for the program so as to be able to offer more stable funding for this program over the coming years. This is a great opportunity for a community minded individual or business to step forward and take leadership in this important program and to make a real difference in thousands of lives.” For more information or to make a donation, please contact: Endorsements for Community Ticket Program Letters of Thanks I wanted to let the people responsible for allowing myself and my friend John to go to The Centre In The Square to view the astounding comedic act, by Bowser and Blue, on Friday December 9 th, 2005, just how much it was appreciated. There are few events which I can afford; it was with your thoughtful gift of a pair of tickets that made that night somehow extraordinary. To see this wonderful performance live was to myself, and I’m sure John also, a brief outing form the everyday boring and mundane sanitary lifestyle that we don’t enjoy. John is a young man on disability, and I am a person on welfare. I wanted those responsible for this wonderful gift to know that it made us feel very good inside and came at a wonderful time, as we were both feeling very down at that particular time. The jocularity mixed with their unique musical abilities and the qualities to make laughter is, as always, a beautiful medicine and deeply appreciated. Thank you. D. N. P. (KW Counselling Services Client) I gave the mom with four kids the tickets this morning when she returned my cooler. She had been up all night in emergency because of severe pain, she found out her house needs a new roof and she was sick over her birthday weekend. When I gave her the tickets she was so thrilled and just awestruck. I told her I felt she needed a pick-me-up, something special. She gave me the look of "how did you know, and this is so amazing" I wish you could have seen her face! Thanks so much for helping to make her day a little brighter today and really bright the day of the show!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Read Record Arts Columnist Martin DeGroot's Comments on "The Community Ticket Program launched by Centre In The Square last April is an interesting example of how a major arts institution can respond to the challenge of poverty. The program donated $33,000 worth of tickets to five local social service agencies for distribution to people who normally can't afford such purchases. Testimonials on the results mention a sense of normality and inclusion, finding inspiration, enjoyment and delight, and a feeling of self-worth. This engagement with created works and with creativity can repair some of the kind of damage that Whitman talks about is perhaps the most significant point of intersection between a consideration of the arts and their role in our public and private lives on the one hand, and the stubbornly persistent problem of poverty in our communities on the other." -- Excerpted from Martin DeGroot, Arts should be available to all, The Record, December 20, 2005 The Community Ticket Program provides free tickets for disadvantaged members of our community to Centre In The Square-sponsored shows as well as to select Centre-presented, non-series performances.* Your donation to this program will assist those who otherwise cannot afford to attend the theatre to be able to experience the excitement and creativity of select live performances at the Centre In The Square. The Centre In The Square, as a registered charitable organization, can provide you with a full tax receipt for your donation. You will also be recognized in our house program. Thank you very much for helping to spread the positive experience of live theatre to others in our community.
To make a donation to The Community Ticket Program: Community Ticket Program Launched in 2005
Centre In The Square officially launched its new Community Ticket Program April 14, 2005 with the donation of $33,000 worth of tickets to five local social service agencies. Receiving a giant symbolic ticket from the Centre In The Square's Board Chair Dave Schnarr are (from left to right): Donna Buchan (Lutherwood), Jennifer Berry (Catholic Family Counselling Services), Maria de Boer (Extend-A-Family), Marilyn Cormier (KW Couselling Services), and Brian Hunsberger (House of Friendship). Tickets distributed to the groups included the following shows: Judy & David (Family Fun Series), Rich Little (Comedy Series), Jack Benny (Afternoon Series), The Operetta Extravaganza, and others. The funds for this year's Community Ticket Program were raised by last year's highly successful fundraising project, Kitchener-Waterloo On Board. The latter raised a total of $66,000 and half of the funds ($33,000) are being are being used to support The Community Ticket Program. The other half of the proceeds ($33,000) are being used to support The Centre's School Program (which presents special, day-time curriculum or school-issue based programming for elementary school children throughout Waterloo Region). Centre In The Square continues to fundraise for this important community program and hopes to be able to distribute even more free tickets in 2006. Each year a different set of social service agencies serving families and individuals within Waterloo Region will be chosen to receive tickets. If you would like to make a donation to help support this program, please contact Kevin Bradshaw, Director of Development & Marketing. Email: kbradshaw@centre-square.com or Tel: 519 578-5660 x 239. All donations are tax receiptable and 100% of your donation directly supports this program. Please mail donations to: Centre In The Square Community Ticket Program Additional Information: Please call Kevin Bradshaw, Director of Development & Marketing * Centre In The Square reserves the right to limit the quantity of tickets available under this program. |
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