CLEVELAND, Tenn. (April 8, 2009)—Make plans to attend Cleveland’s premiere social event benefiting children and the community at large.

The Allied Arts Council of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce will present Chair-ries Jubilee: “Reimagine!” on Friday, April 17, at 6 p.m. at the Museum Center at 5ive Points. This annual fundraiser, now in its 11th year, raises funds for Arts in Education and arts-related activities in our community each year.

“Chair-ries Jubilee has raised and invested over $195,000 into local schools in Teacher Grants and Visiting Artists since we began this event 11 years ago,” Nancy Casson, co-chair of the event, said.

In February the Hunt Family Fiddlers, a family of world-ranked Irish dancers and champion fiddlers, and Roger Day, who creates joyful children’s songs that exercise mind and muscle, body and brain, visited area schools as part of the Visiting Artist program.

The artists visited the following elementary/primary schools this year: Black Fox, Blue Springs, Charleston, Hopewell, Michigan Avenue, North Lee, Oak Grove, Prospect, Taylor, Valley View, Waterville, Arnold, Blythe-Bower, Mayfield, E.L. Ross, George R. Stuart and Donald Yates.

Ocoee, Lake Forest and Cleveland Middle Schools also enjoyed visiting artists, as did Bradley Central and Cleveland High Schools, Horizon School and Teen Learning Center. The artists also visited Tennessee Christian Preparatory School and Montessori Kinder.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to get high school students engaged in the performances, but this year we had the Hunt Family Fiddlers return to visit particularly our middle and high schools,” Wendy Benton, chairman of the Arts in Education subcommittee, said following the school presentations. “They were a huge hit at Cleveland and Bradley High. They sold a record number of CDs while they were here as well.”

The Hunts and their seven children involved audiences with their Celtic, bluegrass, inspirational and popular tunes performed with high-energy step dancing and fast fiddling, as well as with their other instrumental talents, including drums, accordion, keyboard and guitar.

“The younger children really enjoyed Roger Day,” Benton noted. “He was so likable and had all of our elementary school students singing ‘Mosquito Burrito’ for days after his visits to the schools. His music was fun, but his songs had meaning.”

Day, who plays over 200 concerts every year, writes and performs “smart, interactive music that encourages kids to sing loud, jump high and dream big.” He is a two-time Parents’ Choice Award recipient and an approved Dove Family Foundation artist.

Benton says it is a “privilege to work not only with such quality artists who are gifted beyond my imagination, but to work with principals, faculty and superintendents who seem to truly appreciate the efforts of the Allied Arts Council and the fact that we give to the schools in a way they may be limited to do. All of our principals are very supportive, and we appreciate their hospitality toward the artists who visit their schools.”

Benton continued, “Our visiting artists encourage the students and motivate them through their art. We are so blessed to provide such a tremendous opportunity for our schools and community, and I am thankful to all those who make Chair-ries Jubilee such a success. Without this fundraiser we would not have the resources to bring talented artists to our community for our schools or other community performances.”

Casson added, “The artists, craftsmen, corporate sponsors and donors help to make Chair-ries Jubilee such a huge success each year as do those individuals who attend the event and purchase the artwork. Our goal this year is to cross the $200,000 mark in fundraising for the arts in our community.”

Tickets, available at the Chamber of Commerce, The Red Ribbon and Orange Blossom Boutique, are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.

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