Jazz Festival gets infusion of cash

After several weeks of concern about the future of the Sisters Jazz Festival, good news came last week when the sponsors reached the threshold of contributions to match a $10,000 grant.

A donor who wished to remain anonymous put up the money three months ago to insure a continuation of the Sisters event.

"We are very pleased at the support we received from individuals and business leaders in our community to complete our funding efforts so that we can go ahead for next year," said Kent Thie, who serves as festival vice-president.

The Jazz Festival received the grant offer after its September weekend run, when it was short of funds to meet current expenses, much less to prepare for another program in 2004.

That gift had a "matching" clause which required the festival to raise another $10,000 in matching funds in order to receive the original grant.

Many individuals gave in order to reach that additional $10,000 goal as well as numerous businesses.

Among those who participated in reaching the matching goal was Wayne Scott, owner of the Comfort Inn on Highway 20 west of town, of which Tom Anderson is manager. Scott is a legislator from Canby.

Bill Reed, owner of the Ponderosa Lodge, now in the process of an extensive expansion program of its own and also on Highway 20 west of downtown, contributed "substantially" as did Jeff Robberson of Robberson Ford/Mazda in Bend.

Also supporting the Jazz Festival were Peter Storton of RE/MAX Town & Country Realty and Pine Meadow Village, Thie reported.

Bronco Billy's Ranch Grill and Saloon, already a sponsor, gave additional money as did more than a dozen individuals.

Some contributing businesses and individuals wished to remain anonymous.

The $20,000 total financial boost will help create stable long-term funding for the festival.

"With that $20,000 now in hand," said Thie, "we are in a position to start contracting with bands for our annual September weekend."

The Sisters Jazz Festival runs on the traditional second weekend after Labor Day, September 17-19.

In addition to the underwriting funding, Thie said that $4,000 was raised to continue the youth scholarship program the Jazz Festival supports.

"We already have two pianos that have been donated to us which we will use during the festival," he said, "and we then place them in the homes of local youngsters during the balance of the year."

The festival board is looking for at least one additional piano and other musical instruments to augment the scholarship program.

They call it "Keys for Kids" and part of the funds for this program go to refurbishing the pianos and other instruments and for musical lessons where needed.

In addition to Thie as vice-president, the Sisters Jazz Festival board is composed of Marianne Schrader, secretary; Jo Anne Heinz, treasurer; Sandy Boley, sponsorships; Tom Worcester, president; Don Sullivan, venue chairman; Jody Henderson, mini-venue chairman and Dorro Sokol, in charge of hospitality.

New members on the board are Saf Canja, special projects; Kelsey Collins, volunteers; and Phil Gerber, web manager and business planning.

Laurie O'Harra, who owns her own public relations firm in Bend, will be in charge of marketing and promotion for teh festival.

Tracy Anderson, owner of Attitude Graphics Design in Sisters, will do a new, "up-beat" poster for the 2004 festival.

"We want our scheme every year to be different than the year before," said Thie, "to show a fresh, and vibrant look to our festival."