“Adventure Ride for
the Arts”
Mark
Ballock, President of the San Ramon Arts Foundation, will undertake a bicycle
ride from
Mark is
passionate about the effect of arts in everyone’s life, whether they
participate as actors, performers, artists or passive appreciators of the arts.
Mark
understands that art education in the schools is critical for children as an
alternative way of expressing themselves when they do not have the skills to
articulate feelings verbally. He knows that many people often turn to the arts
to help heal life’s ailments through musical therapy or the expressions of
visual art. He is thankful that we live
in such a culturally diverse community where the arts enrich our lives each and
every day. He is proud of the public art that exists in the parks, corporate
centers, shopping centers, street pole banners in the fall, and hears music
that fills the air at the summer concerts in the park. He enjoys the stunning
visual art in the Lindsay Dirkx Brown Gallery as well as in corporate offices,
and community businesses and feels blessed to live in a community that has
developed performing arts for all ages from the Community Theater, Symphonic
Band, Youth Symphony, Children’s Chorus, to the Community Chorus.
Mark is
convinced that people who actively participate in the arts are more likely to
volunteer in the community, which leads to a healthy, vibrant, and productive community.
The San
Ramon Arts Foundation “Encourages,
Supports, and Promotes” the Arts in San Ramon by providing critical funding
for these very important cultural programs, as well as working to establish San
Ramon as a cultural hub in Southern Contra Costa County. Mark wants to do more. Money raised from this
ride will support the San Ramon Arts Community through the San Ramon Arts
Foundation grant program and scholarship fund for higher education in the arts.
Please
consider a contribution to “Adventure Ride for the Arts” and support the
cultural arts in San Ramon. Mark is asking for a donation of any amount as long
as it has a FIVE and a ZERO in it. This
way the whole family can take participate and have, fun helping Mark achieve
his goal of $50,000 by the end of the ride on approximately July 14 or 15. You can log on to San Ramon Arts Foundation
website www.sanramonarts.org for
more information about the San Ramon Arts Foundation, and complete the simple
form to donate online or print out the form and mail it with your check to SRAF
231 Market Place #378, San Ramon, CA 94583.
During the
ride, Mark will post his travel adventures on the website every couple of days showing
the rides highlights and interesting facts of the bicycle adventure. Helping to
make this an adventure, Mark has decided to only know the starting point and
ending point, and will ride 75 miles per day until he completes his quest.