PRISMA Newsletter: Edition 23

Supporting our Symphony

PRISMA NEWSLETTER APRIL 15, 2015

"Volunteering with PRISMA has been an invaluable experience. I always feel very appreciated, and have been provided with several other opportunities that I may not have gained, had it not been for my work with PRISMA."

PRISMA Volunteer

In This Issue:

Message from the Executive Director

Noteworthy Libations

TELUS Fiber for Good

Become a Member

One Voices Community Choir

Stay Connected

#PRISMA

Spring has sprung, and so has PRISMA... into our new office space! Come visit, and check out the below Message from the Executive Director, Michelle Hignell, for exciting updates on all things PRISMA.

This season, PRISMA is thrilled to announce that we have received a total of 162 applications--our highest number yet. In other good news, our Comox Valley Wine & Cheese fundraiser tomorrow evening is sold out. We are very thankful to Balfe/Somers Wealth Management, 40 Knots Winery, Maestro Arnold and the generous donors of the Comox Valley for ensuring this event's success. Powell River's Noteworthy Libations fundraiser is coming up on April 23rd, please read on for some more details.

Finally, there is a musical event next month to raise awareness and proceeds for the Powell River iPod Project, which is personalized music therapy for people with dementia. Powell River elders will be well served in June as well, with daily PRISMA musical events in both the new Willingdon Creek Village and Kiwanis Village!

Ticket sales are now live on our website! Click here to purchase tickets or passes.

Message from the Executive Director

Greetings everyone,

As the planning weeks countdown to our big event in June, we are looking forward to hosting the most talented group of student musicians in PRISMA's short history. Over the past months we have been welcoming some new personnel, expanding the talented and enthusiastic crew who works hard behind the scenes of our academy and festival concerts. Did you know that volunteers are the back bone of arts organizations both big and small? PRISMA now has a dedicated volunteer recruiter, trainer, and coordinator, and we are developing a succinct Volunteer's Handbook to make sure all our festival volunteers have the tips and direction they need to enjoy their shifts. Below you will see postings for two of our planning positions, or please feel free to drop our recruiter Marlene Chamberlain a line if you would like to volunteer at the event in June. We are also looking for billeters who can take a student or two into their home. Everyone donating their time or home earns access to concerts and our utmost gratitude. What a difference this makes to the students!

Another piece of news I'm excited to share is that the new PRISMA office opened this week in the Town Centre Mall. In generously donated space near PRISMA Square at the Walmart entrance, we are setting up a lounge with free wireless internet from Telus and an information desk. Ticket and pass sales start in our office and Breakwater Books on Marine Avenue by April 27. Can't wait 'til then? They're available online now at http://orchestra-academy.ca/tickets. Many thanks to the Powell River Town Centre, RONA, Telus and our renovation and moving volunteers for the beautiful new work space. The kettle will be on, please stop in.

April 12-18 is Volunteer Week, and I'd like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the dedicated work of Sarah Barton-Bridges, who has been writing the PRISMA newsletter as a volunteer since 2013. I look forward to reading more of these issues that get us all excited about the musical repertoire and special guests coming to our shores very soon.

Michelle Hignell

Executive Director

PRISMA

Volunteer with PRISMA 2015

BOX OFFICE COORDINATOR (Volunteer Position)

A responsible volunteer with good communications, organization and numbers skills is needed. Computer skills and your own vehicle are required (mileage is reimbursed). Knowledge of spreadsheets and Dropbox would be an asset.

The Box Office Coordinator will work closely with PRISMA's Online Ticket Administrator and Executive Director. The main tasks are to track and deliver physical tickets for vendor locations and to help coordinate the ticket and info centre at the PRISMA office. This position will also work with on-site volunteers who sell tickets at the events.

Time commitment: 2-5 hours per week leading up the June festival plus shifts during the festival.

************

VOLUNTEER RECRUITER (Volunteer Position)

A person with good communication and organization skills is needed to partner with our existing recruiter. Email skills are required.

Volunteer Recruiters help PRISMA find willing volunteers with skills and availability to help out in event and planning areas, including front of house and office support. The position will help PRISMA advertise for volunteers through postings, contacting organizations and using computer/social media. Recruiters field responses, and consult with the PRISMA team on next steps.

Time commitment: 1-3 hours per week until the end of June.

************

Join the PRISMA team! Volunteers are the life blood of the organization, and work under the guidance of professional staff and a dedicated board of directors. Enjoy contributing to the arts in a fun environment while earning complimentary access to festival concert(s).

CONTACT:

Marlene Chamberlain

Volunteer Recruiter

[email protected]

tel. 604-414-0744

PRISMA 2015: June 15 - 27

If you have signed up for, or are considering, TELUS Optik TV, you should know about this TELUS initiative whereby certain charitable organizations can benefit from your enrolment.

About the program:

TELUS is partnering with local charitable organizations through TELUS Fibre for Good Powell River. When residents sign up for Optik TV on the fibre network, they select a participating charitable organization to receive a $25 grant on their behalf, courtesy of TELUS. PRISMA is one of the approved charities. The program ends on November 15, 2015, or once the program reaches a maximum of $10,000.

How do customers choose which organization will receive their $25 grant?

When a customer signs up for TELUS Optik TV services, they will receive an email invitation asking them to select a TELUS Fibre for Good program partner from a list. Once they have made their selection, that organization will receive a vote which equals a $25 grant from TELUS. The customer is responsible for making their choice and following instructions on the email by the program end date.

There are many wonderful participating charities in this program We hope you will consider voting for PRISMA when you sign up for Optik TV. Not only does PRISMA contribute to the world of fine music and cultural richness of our region, but it also benefits business and contributes to building an economically sound community. PRISMA is good for Powell River!

Thank you for supporting PRISMA through your vote.

Become a Member

PRISMA members enable the festival to provide special educational opportunities for the youth of Powell River and to try out new innovations in the program. Plus, we rely on members for ideas and suggestions to make the offerings better each year. PRISMA members really are the heart of the festival on which all other parts depend.

For more information on becoming a member, visit our website . Thank you for supporting our festival!