Now taking nominations of people to serve on the board of directors for "The Arts Care, Inc." I need three brave souls in total. If you feel like this could be your calling, or want to volunteer some other "lucky" person, add your nominees' name in the comments section. I have to have a board of directors before I can proceed with forming a non-profit organization. Let the nominating begin.

Peace and Good Cheers,
Marty

P.S. I also need a Secretary and a Treasurer. Isn't this fun!

There is a new total for the Memorial Fund for the Arts. Drum roll please. The new total is.....wait for it.....wait for it.....the new total is $1435. Thanks to all that have contributed. We will do great things together.

Peace and Good Cheers,
Marty

I emailed David White yesterday. David manages The Missouri Theatre in Columbia. I shared with him my "Night Without Cancer"idea from "Plan B" and he sent me the following email in response:

Marty,

Whatever I can do to encourage this ministry - let me know. I can offer
complimentary pairs of tickets to subscription concerts throughout the
summer - that would be 9 concerts - I would just need to know how many in
advance so we can hold them for the patron - and if a wheelchair seat was
needed. I'm honored that you thought of me and the Missouri Theatre. I
look forward to helping you in your endeavors to offer comfort for those in
need.

Cheers,

David

The more I turn Plan B over and over in my head the more I like it. I like the fact that it would be an ongoing project. Any thoughts on the Plan B project are appreciated.

Peace and Good Cheers,
Marty

Introducing "Plan B" for the Memorial Fund. This is not to say that Plan A is off the table. I just want to float this idea by everyone to see what people think.

I am thinking about starting a non-profit organization called The Arts Care. This organization will two ways in which it attempts to make the live of cancer patients better.

First, I would like to give free art lessons, probably painting, to cancer patients. It would allow patients something to look forward to each week and it would give them an outlet for the roller coaster of emotions occur during the treatment process.

Second, I want to give cancer patients "A Night Out Without Cancer". My plan is to give patients tickets to some of the many shows that go on year round. My hope is to acquire these tickets either as donations or by buying them at a "wholesale" price.

Last spring Christa and I took the the kids to see Godspell at Mapelwood Barn Theater. It was a perfect spring evening and Christa really enjoyed the night out. I think she actually got to relax and not worry about all that was going on in her life, at least for an hour or two.

So this is Plan B in a nut shell. I would really like to hear what the people who knew and loved Christa think of this idea. Constructive criticism is always appreciated.

Peace and Good Cheers,
Marty

Drum roll please. The new total for the Memorial Fund is $1220.00. After Elizabeth's story ran in the Tulsa Tribune I received two checks from people who didn't know Christa, but were moved by the article and decided to contribute.

One person shared with me that she had lost her daughter to breast cancer. Her daughter was 42 and she left two daughters behind. I know that her loss is unmeasurable and my hope is that each day is a little easier to get through.

I'm going to be unveiling "Plan B" soon with the hope of getting some feedback, both positive and negative. I think that it is something that Christa would approve of, I hope everyone else will also. Please check back soon.

Peace and Good Cheers,
Marty