Welcome to July! I hope you had a wonderful and safe holiday with plenty of fireworks - if you like them (strangely our dogs were not bothered by the loud noises as long as there was someone petting them).
In Texas, school ends in May and starts again in mid-August (which is just fine as it is far too hot to do anything else). But that means that the fourth of July is halfway through summer. However, here, since school just barely let out and will not start until after Labor Day, it feels like summer is just starting (that and the fact that I had a coat on the other day!) So, let’s look at some fun summer activities.
Thurston County’s nonprofit arts community has created several events, just for you.
Ready for some music?
Nothing says summer better than an outdoor concert!
Celebrate summer with local symphonic music on Saturday, July 23 at 2:00 pm with a free outdoor concert at Heritage Park on Capitol Lake in Olympia! Bring a lawn chair or blanket, and an umbrella for shade, and enjoy performances by the Olympia Symphony, as well as Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia (SOGO) and music students from Marrowstone Music Festival (by SYSO)
Major music news!
The Olympia Symphony Orchestra announced its new music director, Alexandra Arrieche, at a gala on June 24.
According to the Olympia Symphony Orchestra, “Arrieche has worked with the most important ensembles and figures in both classical and pop music, and she possesses an innate talent for moving adeptly between musical genres.
“Arrieche commands a wide range of musical leadership skills, engaging a variety of audiences and communities joyfully and with resounding success. These qualities distinguish her as one of the most unique and exciting conductors of her generation.”
For more information on how to can see Arrieche and our local orchestra perform in person go to https://www.olympiasymphony.org/
Don’t let this “parade” pass you by!
Olympia Film Society presents Wolf Parade on Tuesday, July 12. Doors open at 7:00 pm and the show begins at 8:00 pm.
According to the Olympia Film Society, every moment spent gazing at our screens that are oversaturated with content as well as an ever-accelerated news cycle results in conditioning our ever-decreasing attention spans. The struggle to stay present, and to foresee a clear, sustainable future, feels very real.
Wolf Parade address this phenomenon head-on with Thin Mind, the band’s 5th full-length album, the second to be produced by John Goodmanson (Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney, Unwound).
“Thin Mind refers to the way that being around too much tech has made our focus thin,” says keyboardist Spencer Krug. “It’s opening one more page, scrolling one more thing,” adds guitarist Dan Boeckner, “and the weird, sort-of hollow automaton feeling that you get from it.” “This record is very personal, but at the same time, we’re all coming from the same place of a general sense of anxiety,” says drummer Arlen Thompson. “How do you deal with the constant barrage of having your opinions swayed by all these different actors when you don’t know who they are or what their purpose is? There is no normal anymore.”
Thin Mind marks a return to the original power trio of Dan, Spencer, and Arlen, following multi-instrumentalist Dante DeCaro’s amicable departure from the group in 2018, after the conclusion of their world tour supporting Cry Cry Cry.
Click here for tickets and more details.
Spend time volunteering outdoors
Join Native Plant Salvage Project, Stream Team, and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on Monday, July 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. as they maintain the McLane Creek Nature Trail.
According to the Stream Team, volunteers mindfully trim back growth along the trail, remove leaf debris from boardwalks, and clear the paths of any large debris while appreciating the diversity in this wonderful example of a Puget lowland forest. These outings offer participants a chance to exercise their plant knowledge in the company of experienced volunteers and educators, and the efforts will help DNR keep the trails accessible to the public while keeping the habitat value as high as we can. Don't forget your Discover Pass!
Click here, on The JOLT's Calendar, for more details and to register.
Soliciting your ideas
If you know of a nonprofit that is doing something great, celebrating a success, needs some outstanding volunteers, or hosting an event, let me know! This column (aside from a little education) celebrates nonprofits!
Mary Beth Harrington, CVA (Certified Volunteer Administrator) lives in Tumwater. She travels the country speaking at conferences and to individual organizations articulating issues facing nonprofits. Send your ideas to her at MaryBeth@theJOLTnews.com
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