News & Events

Cincinnati, OH-(September 7, 2007)-- Two local arts activists talking over coffee recently hit upon an idea to combine forces and synergize to benefit their respective organizations and two other non-profit organizations also serving Greater Cincinnati area communities--Enjoy the Arts/START (ETA) and The Thank You Foundation.

"I knew Jim Stump, President of the League of Cincinnati Theatres, was the guy to talk to about an idea I had," says Phil Paradis, President of Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative. "Jim's a make-things-happen guy, who just happens to know everybody in the Cinci arts scene. And when my friend and business associate John Guinn, President of the newly launched The Thank You Foundation, www.thethankyoufoundation.org told me about his organization, I knew their Tickets for Troops program was a great tie-in with what the League of Cincinnati Theatres (LCT) is about, so I contacted John about a partnership and he was excited. And I contacted Jim Stump and he too was enthusiastic. Jim then invited Myrita Craig of ETA to have coffee with us."

"It was a natural partnership," says Stump, "one that creates a win-win-win for all of us and our respective organizations." Stump notes that LCT will introduce the Thank You Foundation to the local performing arts community and LCT's member theatres in hopes they will participate in the Tickets For Troops programs directly or through ETA.

Describing the ETA-Thank You Foundation partnership, Craig says, "ETA has already donated four memberships to the Thank You Foundation to be given at their discretion to either military personnel or their families. To expand upon this donation, we are entering a partnership with The Thank You Foundation to launch a program that encourages people to purchase special discounted Enjoy the Arts gift memberships either for veterans, military personnel returning from active duty, or for the families of active duty personnel as 'thank-yous' for their service."

Adds Guinn, "This program has a similar function to the Tickets for Troops program, but it provides a full year's worth of arts and entertainment events with ETA memberships. Experiencing and enjoying the arts can be therapeutic to those who are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after active duty. Additionally, the memberships are useful for families of active duty personnel whose financial situations may not allow them to otherwise attend such events."

Anyone interested in purchasing gift memberships for service personnel, should contact Enjoy the Arts by calling 513-621-4700 or online at www.etastart.org . ETA will notify The Thank You Foundation of your gift and TTYF will distribute the membership appropriately.

Stump adds, "This is a wonderful partnership and way for our local arts organizations to build their audiences." Says Guinn, "At the same time local veterans and their families get to sample some local arts and entertainment venues and programming they might not otherwise experience. I love it-everybody wins."

(Top L-R) Jim Stump, Phil Paradis
(Bottom L-R) Myrita Craig, John Guinn

Enjoy The Arts

League of Cincinnati Theatres

Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative