“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times…”
Charles Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities”

Dear Friend,

The words of Charles Dickens ring true today. It is the best of times, it is the worst of times.

For your Blue Ridge Community Theater it is “the best of times” as we embark upon our eleventh year - a year of growth! We have moved into a new Theater home and are busy with the renovations necessary to turn it into a real, finished, Theater.

Much has been accomplished. Much remains to be accomplished.

Many have suggested it could be the “worst of times” to raise money for your new Theater home. Times are tough. Finances are tight. But, as always, the arts struggle on. You see, it is always the arts and culture that get us through the darkest of times.

We continue the build-out of your community theater. As you may know we have launched the $600,000 Cornerstone Capital Campaign to raise the funds necessary to complete the renovations and retire the mortgage on the Theater.

We have exciting news! We are writing today to tell you about a significant gift the Cornerstone Capital Campaign has just received. We have received a matching gift challenge of $125,000 !

YES… a donor has stepped up, and challenged us with a limited time gift of $125,000 on the condition we raise matching funds, dollar for dollar. To claim the gift we must raise an additional $125,000 in new capital donations — and time is short to do it!

That is why we are asking you for your help. Please make a gift today to the Cornerstone Capital Campaign. Our donor will match your gift dollar for dollar, and we can accelerate the work schedule to complete the Theater. The Theater simply can not afford to hibernate and lose valuable construction time this winter.

If you give today, it is just like doubling your money. Give a $1,000 donation; we receive $2,000! Give $250; we receive $500.

But it is a double or nothing offer. If we do not raise the $125,000 shortly, we forever forgo the ability to claim the matching gift.

So I do hope you will join us in supporting your Community Theater. Get that check book out and send as generous a contribution as you can today…make Charles Dickens proud!

And plan to attend your Community Theater production of Mr. Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” (playing Nov 6 – 29). Let us all make sure it is “the best of times” for live theater in the Blue Ridge Mountains Tri-State area.

This holiday season let us experience Scrooge on the stage and not in our hearts. Not to fully collect the matching gift would “hurt like the dickens!”

Sincerely yours,
Gene Ivey
Cornerstone Capital Campaign Director

P.S. Please make as generous contribution today as you can. Your gift today will be matched dollar for dollar - it’s like doubling your gift! Help us get the Theater renovations running full tilt again.