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Show Art Center Starts Effort For Eumding "bgary r. blodgett BOUNTIFUL -- A fund-raising fund-raising campaign to save Bountiful-Davis Art Center was kicked off Tuesday night ) by an enthusiastic crew of J volunteers. ABOUT 40 volunteers agreed to contact businesses I and families throughout Davis County in an attempt to raise I $200,000 for an endowment fund for the center. Dr. Harris G. Bernhisel, drive chairman, said a permanent perma-nent endowment fund would be established and interest from the fund would be used to help pay operating expenses. "THE TIME has come when we can no longer depend on government assistance to J help sustain the center's operating oper-ating costs," he said. "The board of directors has agreed that a one-time drive to get contributions for an endowment endow-ment fund and then use in- i terest from the money to annually help pay expenses would be the best route to take." He explained that the responsibility re-sponsibility of maintaining and operating the Art Center must fall upon the people of the community, which is right, but at the same time it would be shortsighted to permit such an institution already established to limit services because of lack of funding. "THE CENTER is here to stay not only to serve this generation but other generations genera-tions to follow," said Tony Rasmussen, center director, who gave a review of the center cen-ter since its opening in 1974 and a preview of what might be planned for the future. He said the center was started when Bountiful donated don-ated the old Holbrook Home for remodeling into an art center. "WE HAD classes in the bedrooms and downstairs, wherever we could hold them," said Mr. Rasmussen. "In addition to art work we also offered pottery, photography, photogra-phy, jewelry making, weaving and arts and crafts." He said that after only four years the building was remodeled remod-eled to its present condition.- "NOW WE have so much local interest in arts and culture cul-ture that the center has expanded ex-panded to include performing arts of all kinds as well as vast expansion among our local artists," said Mr. Rasmussen. "We simply don't have enough room to display exhibits ex-hibits and to conduct classes and stage theatre shows." Dr. Bernhisel told the volunteers volun-teers and board members that most of the donations -- probably prob-ably up to 70 percent - will come from businesses and groups interested in maintaining maintain-ing arts and culture in Bountiful Bounti-ful and Davis County. |