ArtStart Message from Debbie Green
ArtStart was a Birthday Success!
This year was my first ArtStart as Executive Director at PIC. I can tell you the experience was VERY different from the many years I have attended as a guest. I had no idea what went into creating such a wonderful evening!
I was greatly impressed by the time and energy the event committee dedicated to this event. It showed in the amazing success we achieved. I am pleased to report that ArtStart had one of its best years yet, raising over $32,000 to help provide tuition assistance to families at PIC.
This year was extra special as we came together--families, alumni, staff, and friends--to celebrate PIC's 35th Birthday. Over 230 guests enjoyed champagne, cupcakes, classroom photos throughout the years, a wonderfully competitive silent auction, and one of the best exhibitions of children’s art in Philadelphia.
The evening featured a buffet dinner generously donated by our friends at Beijing. Additional goodies were provided by PIC families and other area businesses, including Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Blarney Stone, Café Renata, Chef's Table Catering, Fiesta Pizza, Green Line Café, Hummus Grill, Metropolitan Bakery, Novick Brothers, Pasqually’s Pizza, Rx the Farmacy, and Yards Brewing.
Our program book brought in strong support from area businesses and organizations and generated over $5,600 in revenue, making it a record year! We are especially grateful to the O'Connor Group's generous sponosorship of the program.
I would like to personally extend a special thank you to Event Co-Chairs Hien Lu and Leila Graham-Willis, who guided an amazing event committee made up of PIC parents and teachers: Robert Chaney, Kristen Feemster, Jennifer Feldman, Clara Flores, Marni Fogelson-Teel, Meghan Fraatz, and Maria Ottinger.
I also want to thank David Stotz who worked his magic with sound, lighting and a specatcular slide show. The evening would not have been the same without his extraordinary audio-visual support! I am especially grateful to event coordinator Andrea Imperatore for all of her behind-the-scenes assistance.
Thank you to everyone who came out before the event to help hang art work and set up auction tables, as well as those folks who helped at the event. Of course, we wouldn’t have had such a wonderful event without help from our dedicated staff. Everyone played an important part and we thank you all!