SAINT PETERSBURG, Fla. - eTradeWire -- On August 28, the founding members of the Mahaffey Leading Ladies gathered in the VIP Lounge of the Mahaffey Theater for their first meeting. This newly established affinity group comprises distinguished business and public service leaders dedicated to setting strategic goals and celebrating foundation programming and fundraising milestones. They will meet quarterly to report on their progress and recruit new members by inviting them to observe performances, festivals, and summer camps.

The founding members of the Mahaffey Leading Ladies include a distinguished group of women: Celene Brink, Donna Cothron, Trish Duggan, Sabrina Griffin, Angela Hawkins, Melissa Haskins, Denise Javens, Connie Koons, Carole Merritt, Amy Miller, Christina Noordstar, Janna Ranney, Dixie Rogers, Carol Russell, Stacey Steinke, and Brenda Tate.

The Mahaffey Leading Ladies' mission is to support arts education for youth through the Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts. Their efforts will focus on creating a sustainable revenue stream to fund the Foundation's acclaimed Class Acts Program, which offers free educational programming to more than 25,000 schoolchildren from Pinellas County and beyond each year.

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The Class Acts Program provides two enriching field trip experiences and a series of summer theater camps that offer students opportunities for creative expression outside the traditional classroom. The field trips include live performances where children learn theater etiquette and enjoy a show. BAM!Fest—an interactive, outdoor arts festival featuring Books, Art, and Music. BAM!Fest offers Pre-K to 12th-grade students various activities, including book giveaways, hands-on art projects, musical instruction, acting workshops, painting, improv, dancing, singing, costume making, and safety lessons. The program also provides transportation scholarships to ensure accessibility for all students.

"Given the current gap in arts education in schools, it's essential that we unite to ensure that every child in our community has access to the arts," said Amy Miller, President of Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts. "Exposure to the performing arts offers many benefits, including improved academic performance, mental health, and overall well-being along with higher graduation rates."

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The Mahaffey Leading Ladies have committed to several key initiatives:

• Expand the financial support base for the Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts.
• Engage the community in supporting youth performing arts programming through financial contributions.
• Secure scholarship and transportation sponsors to increase accessibility.
• Build partnerships with other like-minded organizations to amplify their impact.
• Serve as ambassadors for the Foundation and the Mahaffey Theater.

About Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts:
Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts supports performing arts programming at the Duke Energy Center for the Arts—Mahaffey Theater. Our mission is to educate, engage, and entertain everyone in our community through culturally diverse performances. We present inspiring arts education programs, community outreach initiatives, live mainstage performances, concerts, and special events for the enjoyment of the entire community. For more information, visit: BillEdwardsFoundationfortheArts.org