Thank You!

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

The FIPAP Board and I have been both overjoyed and overwhelmed by the community response to our groundbreaking 2009 season of events. Unprecedented support by FIPAP members, event sponsors, volunteers and hundreds of attendees have all made this season achieve extraordinary goals we didn't think possible.

We gratefully and very happily thank our friends at The Fund In The Sun Foundation for collaborating with us on this year's newest and most successful undertaking, the co-produced S.O.S, Shopping on Sunday sale (next summer: Shopping on Saturday, June 19). FITS also contributed as a sponsor of our enthusiastically-received inaugural Fire Island Pines International Film Festival.

Other season highlights included our co-production with FIPPOA of Naked Boys Singing; two standing-room-only performances, Christine Ebersole and Billy Stritch and All About Eve with Charles Busch; the 12th Biennial Art Show in its new home at Whyte Hall; Comic Jim David's Laughing Out Loud 2; our Labor Day production of Nunsense A-Men; a house tour; and our ongoing Pines Chefs Cook classes. Over 3,000 attendees enjoyed FIPAP events in 2009.

Our events, 2009 individual contributions, sponsorships and underwriting reached record high levels. And we continue to thank all our loyal contributors, program advertisers and the many new sponsors that joined us this year. It's gratifying to see FIPAP grow each year and continue to be able to return this generosity to the community through our annual gifts to other Pines charitable organizations and our continuing commitment to augment Whyte Hall operations and facilities.

Looking toward summer 2010 we are, of course, already busy and the season already promises to be an enticing mix of entertainers, film, music, theater, and a surprise or two.

Each year we program performers and events that our board, friends and neighbors recommend. If you have ideas for particular performers you'd like to see here in the Pines, or suggestions for other types of activities you think FIPAP might consider, now's the time to contact us. We'd particularly like to hear your opinions on this year's Film Festival – number of films, type, dates of festival, and schedule. Please email us at contact@fipap.org and let us know your thoughts and opinions.

The year was not without sadness. FIPAP suffered the loss of two remarkable founding members, Mary Cole and Susan Willis, both great ladies whose dedication formed our organization and will be long remembered by the Pines community.

Fire Island Pines Arts Project, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, is the performing arts and cultural organization of the Pines. For generations, FIPAP has presented various plays, musical events, juried art shows, cooking classes and other cultural events to enrich and enhance the lives of the Pines Community and its residents.

During the coming months keep up to date with us by visiting fipap.org, where we will be posting information on our 2010 season as it develops, including notification of ticket sales dates. You can also find sponsorship information and sign-up to become a much-needed and appreciated FIPAP Volunteer!

Best wishes,

Glen Wielgus, President
Fire Island Pines Arts Project