To the Editor:
The 2014 Black Swamp Arts Festival Kiwanis Youth Arts Village was a great success! It was particularly
special considering it relies exclusively on the generosity of our community.
First and foremost thank you to everyone – from 0 to 99 – who came to youth arts and made a hat, painted
a tile, built an airplane, tie dyed a shirt, painted an egg, made a mosaic, spun some art, or listened
to music. Without you, there is no youth arts village.
Thank you to Bowling Green Kiwanis for an annual stipend of $6,000 and volunteers making it possible for
kids to take home so many free art projects.
Thank you to the youth arts committee, who gives so much time the festival weekend and the months before.
Monica Dietrick, Jane Vanden Eynden, Kyle Lowdermilk, Rob Morgan, Lisa Morgan, Wendy Murphy, Amanda
Fleming and Molly Thobe formed the ideas that became the youth arts village.
BGSU has to be thanked for so many reasons. The BGSU Construction Management Department under direction
of Travis Chapin and Lisa Schaller; Art Department through Jane Vanden Eynden; and English Department
guided by Erin Labbie and Abby Cloud. These departments and student volunteers provided new exciting
projects.
BGSU sports teams also made their mark on the festival with the men’s and women’s basketball teams, men’s
hockey, gymnastics, swimming and diving all volunteering.
Bowling Green High School teachers and students provided over 100 volunteers. Without them we could not
have done as much as we did.
Wood Lane, through the imagination and direction of Penny O’Connell, provided an exceptional adaptive art
project for all kids.
A special thanks to Tammy Ramey for her ideas and help in getting just the right supplies. Downtown
business owners Floyd Craft, Gary Bell and Amy Craft Ahrens provided help for youth arts.
For logistics in getting everything to the youth arts village I have to thank Alex Hann and Sean Brennan.

Thank you to Bowling Green Municipal Court probation department for providing community service workers.

Thank you to three people who came through at the last minute: Bob Fyfe, Lloyd Triggs and Madison
Bostleman all showed up to help without even being asked.
Finally, thank you to everyone else who volunteered and to Bowling Green for creating a community where
such a special event dedicated to kids art can flourish.
Matthew Reger
Chair, Black Swamp Arts Festival Youth Arts Village