by Marilyn Delk |
Truthfully, this column was originally going to tout the seasonal fun you could enjoy at Irish Wave, an annual fundraiser celebrating the Emerald Isle where musical trio “Sons O’ Blarney” will once again provide the music at this popular festive fun event which, appropriately, is scheduled for March 17 this year. What more fitting and easily accessible way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than going to Montage Cafe in downtown Greenville to enjoy Irish music, Irish food, and an assortment of beers available for the tasting, knowing that the good time would generate funds that will assist DCCA in its mission to culturally enrich our community through the arts!
While all that is still quite true, I am unable to encourage you to buy your tickets to attend the festive event this year–because Irish Wave is sold out. However, in another feature of the event, you CAN still participate in this celebration without attending the party by taking part in the “Off to the Isle” reverse raffle, a feature in which the luck of the Irish will bless a participant with the opportunity to take a trip to Ireland. And those raffle tickets are still available at $100 each.
To find out how much fun winning the “Off to the Isle” raffle might be, I talked with last year’s winner, Chrissy Cox—and discovered that she and her family went off to a different isle—Maui! Actually, the provider of the prize, AAA, offers a choice of destinations, and the Cox family chose the Hawaiian destination at the urging of their daughters, who also enjoyed the pleasure of the exotic vacation, albeit at additional cost. Chrissy’s description of the family’s experience validates the wisdom of their choice.
“It was wonderful!” Chrissy exclaimed, then went on to say that in the seven days she, her husband Ryan, and the girls spent on the island, they didn’t get to do half the things that they wanted to. However, they accomplished quite a bit of fun and adventure, spending time at the beach as well as hiking through the island’s eclectic terrain, including a bamboo forest. Snorkeling adventures included following a sea turtle, and whale-spotting occurred on a daily basis.
Chrissy and her family also enjoyed a unique experience at Mount Halekaleka, a dormant volcano that helped form the island. As the sun sets, a specter can sometimes occur creating a spectacular shadow with a rainbow effect; and that exotic event, lasting only a minute or so, happened as the Coxes watched in awe!
“There was so much to do; and it was so diverse,” Chrissy said. “The landscape was stunning—the black rock, the blue ocean, all the greenery—a true feast for the eyes!” she concluded. Her sincere enthusiasm when reminiscing about the truly memorable experience certainly inspires a desire to check out the many wonders that may await in spots not yet explored.
When you support DCCA and its programs, you are helping provide Arts In Education performances to students in every grade at all local public schools and assisting maintenance of the low, low ticket prices making DCCA’s Family Theatre Series available for families of all income levels. To get your tickets for the “Off to the Isle” raffle, contact DCCA at www.darkecountyarts.org, by calling 937-547-0908, or by stopping by the DCCA office located on the third floor of Greenville Public Library; office hours are 9:30 a.m. till 12 noon and 1 p.m. till 3:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
