The local South Williamson-Maury County chapter of 100 Who Care handed out its first-ever donation on Thursday, Dec. 19, to the Midsouth Youth Theatre & Arts. The group presented Sarah Kennedy with $1,300 in donations from its members during a surprise presentation at Legacy Coffee in Spring Hill.
“Seeing the look on the face of Sarah was worth every penny,” local business owner Harmony Reeves said. “I am so proud we were able to bless this organization as they look into the new year.”
Kennedy said the average cost for one child to be part of the Midsouth Youth Theatre is $250.
“A donation like this means we have covered five kids to participate without having to put additional pressure on their families to do outside fundraising,” she said. “Especially this time of year when we’re looking at projections into 2020 and what kind of outreach we are going to be doing, it alleviates burdens and opens doors.”
The group of 13 local business owners, community support members and individuals each wrote a check for $100 for the total donation amount. Members of the group meet once each quarter and vote on a local nonprofit to receive those funds.
“Being voted on by the members of this group shows that somebody has done their research and thinks we are a worthy organization, and the attention we get from that is going to start sending more people our way. We’ve seen the last year that word of mouth is how people find out what we do and hear our message,” Kennedy said.
The theatre group hosts auditions every three months for a production, and cast members come 1-2 times per week in order to rehearse and create the production. Parents get involved as well.
“We are tuition-free, so parents donate 10-15 hours to putting things together like building sets or props, making costumes and promoting the show. Every parent is asked to sell 10 tickets to offset the financial expense. We ask businesses and local donors as well as now being able to apply for grants,” Kennedy added.
Two years ago, Kennedy branched off from another local production company and started Midsouth from the trunk of her car. Now she said they are looking to lease a facility, which would potentially triple their outreach. They are still dependent, however, on local individual and business support who just want to help.
“Many of our donors have experienced the type of disadvantaged situation some of our kids are in, like not being able to participate in something extracurricular due to a financial hardship,” she said. “Their families won’t have to deny their kids an opportunity to be creative because of having to just cover basic bills.
“We are trying to help kids feel complete as people and explore their creativity. We are turning a corner and looking forward to what we can offer Spring Hill in 2020.”
To donate to the Midsouth Youth Theatre, visit midsouthyouththeatre.org/support. If you are interested in joining the local chapter of 100 Who Care, visit their Facebook page Facebook.com/100peoplewmc.
