Charity Beneficiary announced for 2014 The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival

THE WOODLANDS, Texas--The Woodlands Waterway Arts Council has announced that The Friendship Center’s Meals On Wheels program is the 2014 and 2015 Community Art Charity Beneficiary for The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival. The festival is set for Saturday, April 12 from 10 am – 7 pm and Sunday, April 13 from 10 am – 5 pm along The Woodlands Waterway® and in Town Green Park. Greg Lawler’s Art Fair SourceBook (AFSB)TM, has ranked The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival #1 in Texas and #3 in the nation for fine art sales among more than 600 art fairs in the U.S. The juried art show features the original works of over 200 artists in a wide variety of mediums.

“We are pleased to select the Meals On Wheels program at The Friendship Center as the Community Art Charity Beneficiary for The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival,” said Jenny Wright, Festival Director. “Meals on Wheels is a vital community program that provides nutritious meals for senior adults.”

The Friendship Center is a community-centered organization dedicated to serving the needs of seniors throughout Montgomery County. With efficiency in mind, only a few staff members prepare meals for The Friendship Center’s Meals On Wheels program. Volunteers then hand-deliver these meals to homebound seniors residing in the county. The Woodlands Art League has undertaken the design and expertise of helping create a community art project, “Woodlands Alive”. The mural will serve as a thank you for the volunteers in the community that support Meals on Wheels. Once the mural is completed, it will be installed on the outside of The Friendship Center’s building at the Meals On Wheels pickup area on Lake Robbins Drive in The Woodlands.

The Charity Partners also play an integral part in providing volunteer support during the festival. The 2014 Charity Partners include The Woodlands Art League, The Woodlands Children’s Museum, The Conroe Art League, The Ann Marie Hopkins Foundation and The Pavilion Partners. The five nonprofit organizations each work a minimum of 250 operational hours.

“The Charity Partners help us to present an event that is enjoyed by thousands of visitors while enhancing the livelihood of our exhibiting artists,” stated Wright. “The festival requires hundreds of volunteers to run smoothly, from greeting patrons and taking care of the artists, to teaching children’s art projects. We thank our Charity Partners for helping us make The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival #1 in Texas and #3 in the country.”

The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival is an annual juried arts festival featuring over 200 national, regional and international fine artists in a wide variety of mediums displaying their original creations along The Woodlands Waterway®. The festival is presented annually by The Woodlands Waterway Arts Council, Inc., a 501 (c) (3) organization whose mission is to provide regional cultural enrichment opportunities that encourage, support and promote the visual and performing arts.

Major sponsors of the festival include The Woodlands Development Company, The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau, The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center and Stella Artois. To find out more about sponsorships, e-mail Jenny Wright, Festival Director.