Art fair funds used to benefit Spring Green

The Spring Green Arts and Crafts Fair  has been making charitable contributions since it began 34 years ago. More than $170,000 has been donated by the fair to community organizations in that time.

Recipients of grants totallying $5,000 in 2002 were the River Valley Players, the Spring Green Community Library, St. John’s School, River Valley High School Music Department and Marching Band, and the River Valley elementary third grade classes.

The fair made donations of $4,800 in 2001. Recipients were the Gard Theater Association, the Spring Green Community Library, the River Valley High School Music Department, River Valley Players, the Spring Green Literary Festival and Rural Musicians Forum.

The Spring Green Taste of the Town and Street Dance Committee received $1,000 in 2000 for the purchase of street light banners. A series of enrichment grants for students in the River Valley School District focusing on art, music and literature was underwritten with $1,000 and the Spring Green Community Library received $600 to be used for the purchase of Frank Lloyd Wright books for the archives room.

The fair donated money to the River Valley High School literary magazine, the Uplands Children's Theater, the Spring Green Community Library, the Spring Green Street Dance Committee for holiday decorations and to the Rural Musicians Forum in 1999.

In 1998 the committee donated money to the Community Theater Association for a new roof, and the Taliesin Preservation Commission received money to fund tours and assemblies for River Valley elementary students. Money for construction of a historical display case at the Spring Green Community Library was donated to the local historical society.

American Players Theatre, Rural Musicians Forum and the Bloomin' Buddies Garden Club were among recipients of funds in 1997. St. John's School, the Spring Green Area Chamber of Commerce and the Spring Green Community Library also benefited from funds raised by the art fair.

In 1996 the art fair sponsored the Rural Musicians performances of "Amahl and the Night Visitors" as part of the Country Christmas celebration. 

The Spring Green Community Library has been a recent beneficiary as the art fair was able to contribute $15,000 toward the building fund. In other years, the library has received over $9,000 in donations from the committee.

The Community Theater Association, the non-profit organization that runs the Gard Theater, has been the recipient of more than $22,000 over the years. The money has been spent on improvements at the Gard which include having the seats re-upholstered, installing a new facade and awnings, new projection and sound systems and revamping the cooling and heating systems.

A scholarship was established in 1971 to help River Valley High School seniors pay tuition for college. Through the years over $30,000 has gone to deserving area students.

The Spring Green parks have received funds over the years for a number of improvements including the purchase in 1986 of two of Dennis Pearson's "beasties" for area children to enjoy. 

River Valley Schools have received donations a number of years, most recently nearly $500 in 1993 for the high school art department.

Many other charitable community organizations and individuals have benefited from the Spring Green Arts and Crafts Fair since the first year, when it began funding special projects with a $350 donation to the Spring Green Pool.

Service groups in the area have served refreshments at the fair since its beginning. The fair is a major fundraisier for these groups which has included over the years the Spring Green Lions Club, the Spring Green Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, 4-H clubs and many others.

The fair was started in 1969 to support the arts in the River Valley area. Several of the original founders remain on the committee as well as others who find volunteering their time for such a worthwhile cause very fulfilling. New members are needed to carry on this tradition. Call Michelle Orcutt at 588-7398 or Diane Baryenbruch at 588-2307 for information on joining the committee and being a part of one of the area’s best traditions.