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Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

Jardine: After devastating fire and two deaths, a party and $3,300

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FROM THE ASHES -- In just over two weeks, Grace Lieberman lost two of her best friends and endured a fire that destroyed three decades worth of records and memorabilia.

Now, rejuvenated by a surprise party Sunday for her 80th birthday, she's ready to put the Stanislaus Arts Council back together again.

What else do you do when you've put your heart and soul into an operation that's survived on hard work, a shoestring, arts grants and the graciousness of individual donors to keep artists' and musicians' dreams alive for so many years?

The council lost everything -- computers, databases, mailing lists, donor lists, all of its records and even a vintage upright grand piano -- when fire broke out Oct. 29 at its office at 1100 Kansas Ave. in Modesto. Also gone are the files containing a grant application to the state arts commission that is due Friday. Lieberman said commission officials told her they would take the application over the phone in light of what happened.

Stanislaus County officials are helping Lieberman, the arts council's executive director, search for new office space, she said. If you're on the mailing list -- as a current or former donor, artist or for any other reason -- contact Lieberman via e-mail at stanarts@att.net to help her rebuild her lists. You can learn more about the arts council by visiting www.artsway.org.

October was a month to forget for Lieberman. Barbara Painter, one of the first to befriend Lieberman upon her arrival in Modesto 33 years ago, died Oct. 12. Longtime friend and supporter of the arts, Don Vance, died four days later. Then, the fire destroyed not only the council's records, but also scores of arts books Lieberman kept there.

Since the fire, "I've been working off my kitchen table," she said.

Monday, she went to the bank to get new checks so that she could pay the artists for their works, since the checkbook was among the fire casualties.

The building was insured by its owner, but Lieberman carried only liability insurance. The council's contents were not insured.

Since the fire, she's received more than $3,300 in donations to begin rebuilding. A weeklong breakfast fund-raiser will be at the Mediterranean Market & Grill Nov. 12-16. More events will follow.

Friends and family members refused to let the fire add Lieberman's 80th birthday to the casualty list.

"My daughter said, 'What do you want for your birthday?' " Lieberman said.

She jokingly responded, "Pay my property taxes."

Her daughter did.

Sunday night, about 100 friends surprised Lieberman with a party at the Barkin' Dog Grill. Several musicians performed. She received tickets for movies and shows at the Gallo Center for the Arts.

"I almost had a stroke," she said. "It was a beautiful evening."

THE ENVELOPE, PLEASE ... The winner of Turlock Unified School District's slogan contest will be revealed at the board meeting at 6:30 tonight. The slogan will be used on professional, promotional and informational pieces, according to district officials.

The bigger winner, however, will be the company that gets paid to print the district's new stationery, slogan and all.

MAKING THEIR POINT -- Members of the Nu Alpha Kappa fraternity are spending this week camped out in the California State University, Stanislaus quad as part of Homeless Awareness Week. They are collecting money, canned food and clothing donations for the homeless. The week's events include a film, talks by homeless advocates from 11 a.m. to noon Wednesday and a candlelight vigil at 7 p.m. Thursday.

COMMONS VALOR -- Last year, Bill Reinman and other residents of the Dale Commons retirement community began baking persimmon cookies to send to the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. But their effort didn't end with the holiday shipment. In fact, they've packed and shipped more than 200 boxes of cookies overseas over 14 months, along with such items as socks, pens and paper. They also send soft toys for the troops to give to the children as a goodwill gesture in their respective areas of service.

Reinman includes a feedback letter in each box of cookies, asking the troops about the conditions of the boxes upon receipt and what else they might need or want.

In return, they've received numerous thank-you letters from the troops, including one from Daniel Hyde, a former Downey High student and sports star who died in Iraq in March.

The Dale Commons group is baking cookies again this week, shipping Wednesday.

Jeff Jardine's column appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays in Local News. He can be reached at jjardine@modbee.com or 578-2383.