COLUMN: Fundraising for Weaver Center underway; Museum of Arts and Sciences hosting event
Summertime and the living is — hot, hot, hot.
But here’s a small sampling of a few things to take note of or get out and about and enjoy even in the sweltering heat where some thrive and others wilt.
As promised during its “hard hat” open house last summer and later grand opening, the new Jean Evans Weaver Center for Dance isn’t just a home, storage space or rehearsal hall for the Nutcracker of Middle Georgia. Its purpose is to be a year-round center for dance — particularly ballet instruction — and source for enriching programs for those in the community who rarely get to see, participate in or otherwise be inspired by dance.
That’s all happening this summer as officials continue their capital campaign to fund the nonprofit center.
“We’re still fundraising for the building, there are needs and things to complete, but it’s obviously in operation and that has been so great,” said Alice Sheridan, artistic director.
The center is finishing up summer ballet camps and intensive sessions for all ages and in July will provide an enrichment program as part of a summer literacy outreach for youth in low-income situations.
“This is the first time we’ve been able to do a project like this and we’re really excited,” Sheridan said. “That’s very much part of our vision for the Weaver Center as well as it being a classical ballet training center. What we’re doing is taking part and bringing dance to kids at the Appleton Free to Read Summer Program offered at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.”
Sheridan said plans are underway for fall ballet programs at the center.
The Weaver Center and Nutcracker of Middle Georgia can be reached through their site at www.midganutcracker.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NutcrackerofMiddleGeorgia. The Weaver Center has an Instagram page at www.instagram.com/theweavercenter.
If you want to be outdoors, but only briefly with the opportunity to jump indoors for more fun in air-conditioned comfort, weekend programs at both the Museum of Arts and Sciences and the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park have just the thing for families and adults.
A highlight at the Museum of Arts and Sciences is Saturday’s Native Plant Day from 10 a.m. until noon. It’s free for members and included in the regular museum admission price for non-members: Children under 3 are admitted free, children $5 and adults $10 with discounts for military, senior citizens and college students.
Master gardeners and members of the Georgia Native Plant Society will be on hand not only to point out natural vegetation along the museum’s Sweet Gum Trail but will have a tent where they will answers questions and examine plants brought in.
“Is my plant natural to Georgia? Where do I get plants native to Georgia? What are good pollinators or how can I attract butterflies? These are the kinds of questions our experts will be able to answer,” said Kimberly Novak, the museum’s curator of education. “My guess is the average person can spend 20 minutes or so on the trail and at the tent with experts – and the fan we’ll have there. Then they can come inside where we’ll have craft projects for kids and, of course, they can stroll through our regular kid’s area, art exhibits and other displays.”
For more information or to find out about the many programs and events the museum has going on for kids and adults, check their website at www.masmacon.org. The museum is at 4182 Forsyth Rd.
At the Ocmulgee Mounds, a weekend highlight is a demonstration of traditional Native American games Sunday at 2 p.m. Scheduled to last about 30 minutes, the event is free and will be in the green space at the visitor center parking lot.
“It’s a fun way to learn more about the Mississippians who lived and played around here 1,000 years ago,” said Ranger Drew Grice. “The program is geared toward children but is for everybody. It will include demonstrations of stickball, fairly well known, and of chunky, where a stone is rolled on the ground and opponents try to stop it with sticks and spears, and of a game called sneaky dear.
“It’s kind of like hide and seek but one person with their eyes open walks around and claps their hands and the other kids have their eyes closed and use their hearing to point to where they heard the clap. These two games are obviously great for hunting practice and building hunting skills.”
Grice said there is a bit of shade in the area and guests are welcome to come to the visitor’s center before or after to view displays, visit the gift shop, buy drinks or snacks or fill water bottles at refilling stations.
On Saturday, there is an Earth Lodge tour at 11 a.m. lasting about 30 minutes and a pottery kid’s craft program from 2-2:30 p.m. All are free. The park is located at 1207 Emery Hwy. and more information about it and its many programs is at www.nps.gov/ocmu.
If you’re looking for some cool jazz on a warm evening, there’s Jazz in the Courtyard presented by the Douglass Theatre at 355 Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd. It’s free Sunday at 7 p.m. Sandy Buckner and the Game is featured and organizers encourage bringing a favorite lawn chair and getting a bite to eat from Hank’s Food Truck. Information is at www.douglasstheatre.org.
If you need a few laughs, there’s “Funny How? An Abstract Comedy Happening” at Startup Studios Sunday at 1055 Riverside Dr., Suite A. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the show is billed as Middle Georgia’s avant-garde comedy happening testing comics’ craft against a veritable battery of trials and tribulations. Organizers say bring your thirst for comedy and craft brews and also browse works of art from artists and artisans from all over the world. Information is at www.facebook.com/maconstartup.
Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.
