It is with great trepidation and a small glimmer of hope that I reach out to you today.You see, I am a member of the…
It is with great trepidation and a small glimmer of hope that I reach out to you today.
You see, I am a member of the Geauga County Shutterbugs and have been for several years, and it seems that you have arbitrarily decided to withdraw the support of the Geauga Park District from the club.
Rumors abound, of course, which do not concern me. However, the facts of the matter do lend themselves to the attention of the Shutterbugs and to the Geauga County community at large.
First, it is well known that there is a large budget surplus for the parks, close to $9 million from my understanding, so the decision to withdraw support is clearly not a budget issue.
Most of this funding comes from a tax levy passed in 1986 and renewed most recently in 2012. This levy was promoted by the Shutterbugs in the meetings leading up to the election, and by several club members outside of the meetings via lawn signs, fliers and in conversations with friends living in the county.
Second, the Shutterbugs are proud to report that the monthly club meetings are regularly attended by 30 or more people, from Geauga and the surrounding counties, and boast a registered member list of over 80. Our members include current and former professional photographers, hobbyists with varying levels of experience behind the camera, and armatures ranging from retirees to high school and junior high school students looking to explore their creativity.
Therefore, it can be said that the decision to withdraw your support is not due to a lack of interest or attendance, or because the community does not support the club.
Third, in addition to the support for the park levies, the Shutterbug members have also provided mounted, matted and framed images to the parks for decorations in the conference rooms, to support events and promotions, and electronic images for use in the park’s publications and internet presence.
These works of art are provided cheerfully with only a mention of the photographer’s name as a photo credit in exchange.
Once again, it is evident that the Shutterbugs value their relationship with the parks so much that they support the district in many ways; clearly, this is not a case where apathy and poor partnership from the club is harming the relationship.
Given these clear and verifiable facts, it seems that the park commission has not taken a serious look at the benefits hosting this club provides. The club meetings and field trips are educational opportunities with insight into the arts and introduce the finer aspects of photography to the community, young and old, big and small. We welcome everyone without regard to their level of experience and invite them to explore and grow their creativity under the guidance of seasoned photographers.
The club members are passionate about their art and enjoy sharing their images for critique and, through the critique held in each meeting, help each other become better artists.
In addition to the art of photography, the club members are advocates for the environment and use their photos to share their passion for nature and promote conservation.
This partnership between the Geauga Park District and The Geauga Shutterbugs Photography Club has for the last several years provided an educational means for artists to learn, grow, and share their passion with the rest of the community. We have supported each other in our love for the outdoors and the arts, benefiting everyone that visits the parks throughout the county.
Why on Earth would you want to end that?
Theus is a member of Geauga County Shutterbugs and owner of Scott Michael Photography.
