Raye Varney, the Executive Director for ArtWorks Gwinnett, spoke to the Rotary Club of Lawrenceville on July 21. The mission of her group is to “enhance cultural and economic capital and enrich the County’s residents and the business community.” She described the work of the group in all sixteen cities in Gwinnett County and mentioned such art outlets as the Aurora Theatre, the Hudgens Center, the Gwinnett Ballet Theatre, The Gwinnett Symphony, the New London Theatre, and Tannery Row artists’ studios. They sponsor annual awards programs like ArtsWorks Annual Award Program and the Student Art Awards for all levels in 28 public schools.   The group collaborates with Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity in sponsoring the Doors to Home and Hope project where 150 artists paint doors that are sold to the public. Funds support both groups. Future plans include offering creative activities for businesses to use in staff development and morale building. She referred the group to the website for more information: http://artworksgwinnett.org.

At the end of the meeting, President Art Kleve asked Col. Davis Stevenson (Ret.)  and MedShare representative Lane Conville-Canney to come up, and he presented a check for $18,000 to MedShare to finance a 40’ ocean container with medical supplies to a burn hospital in Paraquay.