Combining travel and writing in Shelburne.
Slideshow kicks off Osprey’s endowment campaign
The Osprey Arts Centre in Shelburne will present a slideshow by Darcy Rhyno about his work as a travel writer Tuesday, July 24 starting at 7 p.m.
The slideshow and talk is more than just a presentation about travels in Canada and around the world by the awardwinning author and photographer.
With Rhyno’s presentation, the Osprey is launching the Osprey Arts Endowment Fund.
“I’m hoping that folks will come out and have an enjoyable even- ing,” says Rhyno. “And at the same time, as general manager of the Osprey, I’m hoping people will be interested to find out about our brand new endowment fund and donating to it.”
The event is free. “Anyone who just wants to enjoy photos from my travels and learn what it’s like to be a travel journalist, I very much encourage them to come out for the event,” says Rhyno.
Attendees will enjoy a complimentary surprise dessert that’s common in one of Rhyno’s favourite destinations. The bar will be open and selling a surprise drink from another of his favourite destinations.
“At the same time,” he says, “those who want to help establish this permanent fund to support the arts centre for as long as it exists, I’m hoping will take up the challenge of matching or beating our first donation.”
Rhyno is referring to an initial donation to the Osprey Arts Endowment Fund of $1,000 made by Louis and Genny Pugh on behalf of The Genevieve Group, a project management company in the Carolinas, made as a challenge to the community to help the Osprey meet its target. The couple became Osprey supporters because of their travels to Nova Scotia.
The Osprey has set a goal of tripling its endowment fund to $25,000 in a year, by June 30, 2019. This slideshow and talk is the first event to help reach that goal. Other events include a fundraising play produced by board and staff in the fall.
For many years, the Osprey has been trying to start a fund by the few means it has at its disposal. That amounted to saving tips at the bar and cashing in refundable containers. With these meagre means, the Osprey was able to establish its endowment fund last year with an initial deposit of just over $ 8,000.
All funds raised at this event and throughout the coming year will be deposited directly in the Osprey Arts Endowment Fund held and managed by the Community Foundation of Nova Scotia, a not-for-profit charity that specializes in endowment funds.
All donations to the Osprey’s fund are tax deductable because the arts centre is a charity.
Rhyno has some experience in establishing endowment funds. Working with the Shelburne County Arts Council, he headed efforts to establish two other arts-related funds. One supports the Joan and Peter Oliver Scholarship awarded annually to one or more Shelburne County students going on to post-secondary arts programs and the other helps fund arts activities in Shelburne County.
“The Osprey board agreed that offering an evening of photos and stories might be a good way to kick off the endowment fund campaign,” Rhyno said. “Our goal is to get it to a level where it can start giving back to the organization and therefore to the performing arts in Shelburne County.”