To the editor:
We are so glad to share that BETA (Brown County Enrichment for Teens Association) has had a great year of 2018-19 and is ready to open for the new school year of 2019-20 on Tuesday, Aug. 13 from 3 to 6:30 p.m. at 175 S. Jefferson St.
During 2018-19 school year, BETA served more than 200 junior high and high school students who visited the BETA Center on Tuesdays between 3 and 6:30 p.m., 19 junior-high students with free after-school tutoring (which does not count the free tutoring program for high school students in partnership with National Honor Society), and served 79 students from fifth through 12th grades with the free after-school music program. These numbers do not include the high school students BETA has served on Thursdays between 3 and 4 p.m. through the Mobile BETA program.
A total of more than 1,000 hours from the volunteer director alone and another total close to 1,000 hours from other volunteers and board members have been dedicated to run BETA for the 2018-19 year.
As of now, BETA owes its 90-percent financial sustainability to the Seung Han Foundation, which sends funds from South Korea and is ready to share our mission more actively with our community to help support the high operational costs of BETA since our move in October 2018.
As a hub and motherboard of many wonderful and critical programs and project like the Kids on Wheels Skate Park for our teens in Brown County, BETA is thrilled to share that the following individuals, businesses and organizations have made BETA possible for the 2018-19 school year:
BETA owes the Seung Han Foundation, Brown County Community Foundation, Kara Barnard (and her music students), M.K. Watkins, Bill Hastings, The August Fund, Shari Frank and Gene Elias, Carol and Al Drake from Touch of Silver, Ronald McDonald House Charitable Foundation, Nashville United Methodist Church, Nashville United Methodist Church Women’s Group, St. David’s Episcopal Church, Community Closet, Annie Hawk, Psi Iota Xi, Linda James, Alisha Gredy and Bright & Williamson Insurance as our main donors.
BETA also thank numerous individual donors who include Dick and Carol Routh, Christy McGinley, David and Catherine Martin, David and Janis Shaffer, Jefferey and Barbara Braun, Julia Rose, Karen Kirby, Ruth Ingraham, Deborah Bartes, William and Jennifer Gilles, Scott and Jan Mills, Jay and Ellen Carter, Pam Keffaber, Pat Rollings and Bob and Ellen Dedomenic.
BETA also gives our big thanks to Peg and Mark Lindenlaub for donating a piano and Nicole and Cory Shields, and the Brown County Art Guild for their generous donations of many items to BETA.
BETA also deeply thanks our school administration including Dr. Laura Hammack, Mr. Matt Stark and Mr. Brian Garman, Ms. Pam Bond, Ms. Kelly Morse, and Ms. Christy Pruitt for supporting BETA with school communication and weekly announcements.
BETA also thanks Mr. Trent Austin and Ms. Debbie Hilligoss and Ms. Christi Crimmins for their administrative support for the after-school music program and inviting sixth-graders to BETA’s field trip to the horse farm.
For BETA’s programs, we would like to thank Annie Hawk, Ms. Bridget Rinehimer, Jeff Foster, Amanda Webb, Nathan Dillon, Mr. Daniel Lyng and Carolyn Dutton for the After School Arts Committee (ASAC) free music program; Ms. Kaitlyn Christie and Mr. Erich Nolan and Mr. Eric Fohl for the junior high and high school tutoring program; Karen Scott for BETA’s community garden and science time; Donna Shields for sewing program; Emmy Champion, M.K Watkins, Bill Hastings, Anabel Hopkins, Carol Bell and Art Alliance Brown County for supporting art classes; Christy McGinley for soap making; Lisa Bowman and Hope for Hearts Horse Farm for field trips; Dr. Theresa Kang and the East Asia Studies Center for Korean Night at IU; Elizabeth Collier, Mr. Matt Stark, Dr. Laura Hammack, Rhea Murray and Turning Point, Jessica Miller and Bean Blossom Community Church for the BETA talk program; Nancy Crocker and Scott Mills for BETA outdoor sign support; Bill Hastings and Scott Mills for many repairs done at BETA; Jeff Foster for BETA’s new website program; and Pastor Cory Joy, Mr. David Phelps and Adrianne Spahr, Rachel Thompson and Pastor Kendall Yeaton for supporting Brown County Youth Group Connection.
BETA especially thanks Vicki Payne and BP, and Ryan Seward and Brozinni’s, and Ginger and John Knight of Johnny’s Grub To Go for donating food for BETA programs and events.
BETA also is deeply thankful to Don Harvey and Larry Griffin from SCORE and Bob Andrew for mentoring support for BETA.
BETA would also sincerely thank Sara Clifford, Suzannah Couch and Keith Fleener of the Brown County Democrat for their ongoing support with articles and advertisements; Shirley Boardman and the St. Agnes Grapevine magazine; Our Brown County and the Brown County Playhouse for advertising BETA’s information and annual fundraiser event.
Lastly and never the least, BETA would like to sincerely thank all the volunteers who have made BETA run: Pam Boer, Connie Casey, Carri Spires, Brenda Krieger, Carol Bell, Sue Lacy, Pastor Kenneth Alip and The Salvation Army, M.K. Watkins, Bill Hastings, Abby Smith, Nicole Shields, Emmy Champion, Tonya and Kyle Augsburger, Scott Mills, Logan Stoner, Sharon Bube, Ryan Byrd and Karen Scott.
Also BETA is proud of and deeply thank our amazing board: Jill Beck, Jonathan Buchholz, Jeff Foster, M.K. Watkins, Annie Hawk, Tori Norman, Mandy Wade and Shellie Landry.
For the 2019-20 school year, BETA will come back on Tuesdays starting Aug. 13 from 3 to 6:30 p.m. at 175 S. Jefferson St., and on Thursdays from 3 to 4 p.m. at Brown County High School with more and continued programs for our precious Brown County teens.
Also, BETA would like to sincerely ask our community to support our free music program of the After School Arts Committee (ASAC) that has received $1,900 in matching grants from Brown County Community Foundation. (Thank you, BCCF!) ASAC is currently striving to reach its goal with upcoming grants and fundraising events. Please send your donation to BETA, P.O. Box 1194, Nashville, IN 47448 so that this particular program can start in September to provide free after-school music programs to fifth- through 12th-grade students.
BETA also has an endowment fund set up with the Brown County Community Foundation (contact Maddison Miller, CEO, 812-988-4882) and always is looking for generous donors who can contribute to help BETA become financially sustainable.
BETA is also planning for its 1st annual fall fundraiser “Teen Band Concert,” on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. at high school auditorium, and please stay tuned for upcoming information.
BETA is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization with a mission of providing a safe and nourishing place and environment for our precious teens in Brown County, and our youth will rely on your continued care and support to become our better future. Please feel free to contact Clara Stanley, 312-310-3617 or email [email protected] to donate or volunteer or any information or questions.
We are so much looking forward to another exciting year of growth and success thanks to our amazing Brown County!
Respectfully submitted,
Clara Stanley and the BETA board
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