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Michigan Classical Repertory Theatre

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Some of our friends and colleagues:

Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority

Ypsilanti Convention and Visitors Bureau

Ypsilanti Heritage Foundation

Ann Arbor Area
Community Foundation

Riverside Arts Center, Winter, 2006, Newsletter

October’s fundraiser brought out Ypsilanti’s supporters of the arts
Folksinger Matt Watroba said it best: “Look at us! Sitting in a brewery, singing folksongs to benefit the local arts center. What a radical concept.”

RAC Foundation Board chair Bill Kinley asked the October 1 crowd if this should become an annual event, and received an enthustically positive response. Supporters included U.S. Congressman John Dingell, State Representives Liz Brater and Alma Wheeler-Smith, County Commissioner Ronnie Peterson, and Ypsilanti mayor-elect Paul Schreiber.

David Mosher and Katie Geddes backed up Matt Watroba and RFD Boys’ Charlie Roerhig sat in for some of his favorite tunes at Matt and Rene Greff’s popular Corner Brewery on Forest Avenue.

Corporate sponsors included Phoenix Contractors, TCF Bank, Bank of Ann Arbor, Orchard-Hiltz- McCliment, Charles Reinhart Company Realtors, Beckett & Raeder, and Michigan Ladder. Food for the benefit was supplied by Corner Brewery, Aubree’s, Cady’s, Queen of Hearts Pastries, Zingerman’s and RAC Foundation Board members.

Neighbors help neighbors
For the last two years, the Rotary Club of Ypsilanti has been maintaining the plaza garden area between the RAC and the parking lot. They weed and plant flowers on Ypsilanti’s annual PRIDE Day. After that huge community event, each week a member of the club has the responsibility for cleaning the grounds. In mid-summer a Saturday morning work session was held with extensive weeding, shrub pruning, and general cleaning of the parking lot.

Rotary has also been responsible for keeping the grass mowed the past two summers. Christine Uthoff, editor of the Ann Arbor News Community News section is president of the Ypsilanti Rotary Club.

Next door neighbors, Bonnie and Ed Penet, brought a team of volunteers from the Riverside Neighborhood Association over to clean up the plaza gardens on a Sunday in October when the rest of the neighborhood was partying at the fundraiser at the Corner Brewery.