Three Beck Center dance students will be traveling to Chicago the weekend of January 22 and 23 to compete in the Youth American Grand Prix.

Annie Gagen, Taylor Gerrasch, and Julia Horner will be dancing contemporary solos choreographed by former Beck dance instructor and Groundworks member Kelly Brunk, who is currently dancing with River North in Chicago. In addition, the students will be dancing a classical point piece in the ensemble category.

This is the third year that Beck Center dance students have participated in the YAGP.

How has the Beck Center influenced you and/or your family's lives? Now is your opportunity to tell the world about your involvement with the Beck Center or how it has changed your life.

GreatNonprofits is a website that allows people to find, review, and share information about nonprofits. It's like a "Zagat" for charitable organizations. Reviews help people unfamiliar with our organization find us and get involved...as a donor, a volunteer, a student, or a patron.

To share your review of and stories about the Beck Center, visit GreatNonprofits here.

A special message if you or a family member is age 70½ or older and has an IRA.

The IRA Charitable Rollover provision has been extended by Congress. When you take advantage of this  special opportunity to give an IRA rollover gift to the Beck Center, you may apply it to EITHER your 2010 or 2011 required minimum distribution!  If the transfer is made before January 31, 2011, you can still have a rollover gift to Beck Center count toward your 2010 required minimum distribution.

For additional information, contact Sally Weakley at 216.521.2540 x18 or sweakley@beckcenter.org

The website Walk Score has named Lakewood the most walkable city in the state of Ohio, exceeding the average Walk Score of 44 by 25 points! The Beck Center is fortunate to be surrounded by miles of pedestrian-friendly sidewalks.

Have some time before a show or while your student is in class? Take advantage of our town's walkability by visiting the retail and food establishments that have generously supported the Beck Center. They are:

• 56 West - 16300 Detroit Avenue
• Beck Café - onsite
• Breadsmith of Lakewood - 18101 Detroit Avenue
• Custom Picture Framing - 15723 Madison Avenue
• Designer Consignor - 17118 Detroit Avenue
• Donatos Pizzeria - 18100 Detroit Avenue
• Elmwood Bakery - 15204 Madison Avenue
• Geiger's Clothing & Sports - 14710 Detroit Avenue
• Giant Eagle - 14100 Detroit Avenue
• Heirloom Home - 18119 Detroit Avenue
• Hungry Howie’s - 16210 Detroit Avenue
• Italian Creations - 16104 Hilliard Road
• Lion and Blue - 15106 Detroit Avenue
• Melt Bar & Grilled - 14718 Detroit Avenue
• Nature's Bin - 18120 Sloane Avenue
• Nunzio’s Pizzeria - 17615 Detroit Avenue
• Ross Deli and Beverage - 15524 Detroit Avenue
• Rush Inn Bar & Grille - 17800 Detroit Avenue
• Sherwin Williams - 14711 Madison Avenue
• West End Tavern - 18514 Detroit Avenue

Thanks to the generous in-kind donations of two corporate donors, the Beck Center is more comfortable and greener.

You may have noticed the improved comfort and upgraded look in many of our lobby areas. Nordson Corporation has generously contributed several pieces of lobby furniture and greatly needed storage and office solutions in the administrative areas of Beck Center.

In an area you don’t see, we now have an EnergyStar-rated auditorium roof through the generous help of West Roofing Systems. West Roofing utilized their patented products - WDG 535 solvent-free silicone and WDG E-Versiblock - to prevent 1,000 pounds of carbon-based VOC’s into the environment and 300 square feet of old roofing materials from being deposited into landfills.

We would like to thank Nordson and West Roofing for their generous gifts and for their continued support of Beck Center.

We are also fortunate that members of the Lakewood/Rocky River Sunrise Rotary Club have adopted the Beck Center to provide landscaping and grounds maintenance around our buildings, under the direction of Matt Gaydos, owner of Gardens by Gaydos Landscaping Service. In addition to planting and mulching the grounds in the spring, a hard working volunteer crew from the Club spent most of November 13 on a fall cleaning up in time for the Mayor's Ball that night.

Do you have a special product or talent you would like to donate? Contact the Development Department at 216.521.2540 x18.

BECOME A CORPORATE DONOR

Thanks to the support of people like you, the Beck Center’s Mackey Main Stage theater has witnessed many magical moments in its 35 years—from spectacular professional and youth theater productions to sparkling dance and music concerts and recitals. It has provided many special memories for patrons in the audience and given children and adult artists on the stage the opportunity to create memories for all of us.

Now is an opportunity to give back to this magical place. After 35 fabulous years, the seats in the theater need special attention. Although their structure is sound, they need to be refurbished with new upholstery. A contribution of just $75 will re-cover one of the 488 seats in the theater.

Please consider a donation to the S.O.S. - Save Our Seats campaign. The names of all donors will be listed in the lobby outside the theater, and there’s no better return of an investment of $75 than 35 years of magical moments.

DONATE NOW

Beck Center choir alum Ella Calleri, a fourth grader at Hayes Elementary School, won the 2010 4th Grade Essay Contest "Why I Love Lakewood," hosted by the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce. Ella's essay was chosen out of 135 heartwarming essays. Stop by Light Up Lakewood on Saturday, December 4 to cheer her on as she flips the switch with Santa.

Here is Ella's winning entry:

Why I Love Lakewood

by Ella Calleri

I love Lakewood far all the activities like sewing at Kathy's Creative Sewing Center and singing at the Beck Center.  I like Lakewood for the shops like Malley's, Walgreens and the Beer Engine because they're a short walk from my house and for the wonderful ice cream from Malley's, the trinkets from Walgreens and the giant french toast from the Beer Engine. I love Lakewood for all the schools like Hayes (my school), Harding, Garfield, Emerson, Grant and other ones.

I love if for the wonderful library that we go to every Sunday and I love it for the people that live here, my family. Lakewood is my home. I like it for the celebrations like Light Up Lakewood and the Street Walk. I love it for all of our big maple trees. I love it for all the public swimming pools with diving boards. I love it for the Metroparks that I ride my bike in. Last but not least I love it for the generous people. That is why I love Lakewood.

Give a gift that doesn’t end up at the bottom of a toy box or the returns counter. The Beck Center is the perfect place this holiday season - and throughout the year - to purchase unique items for loved ones.

The arts is a gift for a lifetime, and the Beck has something for everyone's taste. Beck Center gift cards are available for purchase at Customer Services. Cards may be used for tickets to professional and youth theater productions and for more than 140 classes in dance, music, theater, and visual arts.

Looking for something more personal? This month in the Jean Bulicek Gallery, our inaugural Holiday Art Show features seven outstanding regional artists who engage and inspire with their creativity.  Darrelle Centuori, Anizia Karmazyn, Liz Maugans, Lynn O’Brien, Patricia H. Sigmier, Marilyn Szalay, and Mark Yasenchack offer a visual feast of beautiful art for our patrons buying pleasure.  Come and see this wonderful show through January 5, and maybe you will find something to bring home or give to a loved one.

You can support local artists throughout the year. The Visual Arts Faculty has wonderful artwork for sale at the Women’s Board boutique in the Daniel’s Lounge, including pottery, jewelry, photos, watercolors, framed drawings, notecards, and holiday ornaments.

Thank you!

The Third Annual Mayor’s Charity Ball was a complete success, and it is all because of you! A record number of attendees meant that more funds than ever were raised to support the important arts programming that Beck Center provides. The radiant partygoers, delicious food, magnificent art, and superb entertainment all made for a dazzling evening benefitting a great cause.

Thanks again for supporting arts and cultural programming in our community.

Mark your calendars! Next year’s ball will be November 12, 2011. Keep an eye on the website for details in the coming months.