It is with much gratitude and excitement that I write this letter, thanking the Arlington School Board, Arlington Education Foundation and especially the Arts Alive! Committee for their dedication, perseverance, hard work and countless hours given toward making the Linda M. Byrnes Performing Arts Center a reality.
This past weekend was truly a remarkable four days filled with performances showcasing our talented students, alumni and supporters. Thank you for culminating the fundraising and construction of the PAC with free performances for the community to enjoy. My family attended every performance and I am thankful for the opportunity to attend the dynamite productions and to expose my young children to the variety of arts.
We typically drive to Everett or Seattle to partake in events such as the ones over the past weekend. How wonderful it was to drive only 10 minutes and feel like we were in a metropolitan locale. I literally was teary-eyed every time I stopped to think where we were sitting was really in our own back yard. Amazing opportunities await our children. I would also like to say a special, heart-felt thank you to the members of the above organizations that worked tirelessly to raise funds for this theater whose children have only a year or two left in high school or have already graduated, which is the majority of the volunteers. Thank you for your dedication. My four children will spend their entire school-age years attending and performing at this grand venue. They have no idea how blessed they are, but I do. Reflecting back to my childhood, I grew up in a town similar to Arlington, my family drove over an hour to a Performing Arts venue five times to watch various cultural performances. I remember each of those very distinctly and feel fortunate that my parents made the effort to attend those events. How extremely fortunate this community is to be able to attend and perform locally at the Linda M. Byrnes Performing Arts Center. Thank you again for your years of dedication and seeing this Impossible Dream become a reality.
Kimberly Meno
Arlington