2002 IN REVIEW
Blaine fine arts association

By Leslee Smith

Blaine Fine Arts Association (BFAA) is an organization dedicated to promoting and providing enrichment in the fine arts for students enrolled in grades 7-12 in the Blaine school district. BFAA meets monthly. Meetings are held the first Monday of each month at 4 p.m. in the Blaine middle school library. We welcome anyone in the community who has an interest in promoting the arts for students in the schools.

This past year BFAA provided $1,200 in scholarships to five students Kasey Cockle, Jamie Fisher, Jake Hamburg, Jordan Riddle and Crystal Schamel. These were presented to students in May.

The BFAA has a monthly newsletter which features students, upcoming events and information regarding the fine arts in Blaine schools. It is distributed to local businesses, all Blaine schools and students at the high school and middle school.

We sponsor the middle and high school concerts as well as both of the community holiday concerts in December and the Evening of the Arts in May. Complimentary refreshments were served at the December and May concerts. We also provided a reception for the guests at the Whatcom Museum “Promising Futures” exhibit in March.

This past year has been both exciting and challenging for the Blaine Fine Arts Association. Fund raising has taken center stage as we needed to raise $30,000 for half of the funds required for the high school wind ensemble trip to Japan in February. This was over and above our usual fund raising goals.

This group is extremely proud of the students who are involved in the fine arts programs at Blaine schools. Our students are participants in many county and state select honors in choir, band and art. Over 30 students from our high school and several from our middle school were selected to perform or display their talents in events ranging from all state choir and band, San Juan Music Educators solo and ensemble choir and band, Puyallup fair art show, educational service district art show, state art show, Pacific Lutheran University honor band and all-northwest band. While we cannot take credit for the students being invited to participate in these events, the BFAA helps provide funds for the fees required for entry.

Some key events the BFAA has supported or participated in this past year included Arts and Jazz, a memorable evening which raised $5,529 with an annual community dance and auction. This event supports the jazz band trip to the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Moscow, Idaho. This year a jazz combo also performed at Idaho. Twenty-six students and six chaperons made the three-day trip.

In March BFAA hosted reception for Blaine high school students at the “Promising Future” art exhibit at Whatcom Museum and contributed $250 for a new sound system in the PAC.

In April choir performed with other choirs at the University of Washington and the high school Wind Ensemble was invited to perform in Japan.
In May choir members participated in “Music in May Festival” in Forest Grove, Oregon. BFAA also hosted the evening of the arts – a gallery evening featuring Blaine Art Students and music performances.

BFAA provided some assistance for the Pacific Arts Association sponsored Jazz for Teens workshops this summer.

In September Chiba Marimba group from Japan performed as a fund raiser for the band to Japan.

This year’s homecoming chili feed in October served over 360 people and raised over $1,200 for the BFAA general fund to support scholarships and trips for the students. The Fall Fair and band to Japan Golf Tournament continued fundraising for the Japan Trip.

In November Helge Pedersen presented “Iceland-a Photographers Journey” to raise over $1,200 for the band to Japan.

Fundraising for the trip continued with the “Rock the Generations” community dance featuring alumni groups Crystal Tricycle, Forty-Foot Fake Out and other local groups of alumni or current students.

We need to thank the people who have supported our organization this past year; everyone who attends our concerts, Blaine school district administrators, fine arts directors Andy Harmening, Bob Gray, Brian Smith and Shari Akers, Ruth Green, Blackberry House, Patrick Roulette and Dr. David Wallace of WWU, Mike Dodd, The Northern Light, Blaine Bouquet, Olasons Corkscrew Willow, Steamers Espresso, Pelican Press, Blaine Cost Cutter, Blaine Band Alumni and many others.

We hope you will continue to help us support the fine arts programs at Blaine schools. .
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