Harris Dusenbery has always enjoyed music and has attended Vancouver Symphony concerts since the orchestra was formed.
So when he heard that the symphony needed $20,000 to perform its May concerts, Dusenbery was willing to help.
Dusenbery, 96, gave the symphony a donation of $7,500, which requires a match of another $7,500 to take effect. Following Dusenbery’s gift, Vancouver’s RealVest Corp. provided $5,000 in matching funds.
The recent matching donation is the second time Dusenbery has helped the symphony just recently. He said when the organization needed money to move into offices provided by Vancouver’s First Independent Bank, he provided about $4,800 to cover related costs.
“I’ve been supporting the symphony for a long time and I’m interested in it continuing,” Dusenbery said.
The symphony is working to raise the $20,000 it needs by April 30. The May 29 and 30 concerts will feature the winners of the symphony’s Young Artists competition.
Vancouver company supports N.J. knit-in
News of the mystery graffiti artists who wrapped trees in knitted yarn at a Cape May, N.J., park piqued the interest of a Vancouver-based company, Knit Picks.
So employees were eager to respond to the Cape May parks and recreation department’s call for help. The department didn’t want to unravel the mystery knitters’ work, but support it, and asked for a donation. Angela Modzelewski, Knit Picks’ marketing project manager, and Marci Hansen, the company’s executive vice president, thought it was a great idea.
Knit Picks sent each of the mystery knitters, whose identities are being protected by local Cape May authorities, a nickel-plated Options knitting needle set.
“They’re our fastest needles,” said Modzelewski, 32, a Portland resident. “If you’re knitting enough to cover a tree, we figured it would help to be able to knit fast.”
“Knitting is not a crime,” added Hansen, a 41-year-old Vancouver resident. “As knitters ourselves, we’re impressed by the knit bombers’ creativity, and we’re glad that the town of Cape May is so supportive of its local knitting community.”
Bits ’n’ Pieces appears Mondays and Fridays. If you have a story you’d like to share, call Features Editor Elisa Williams, 360-735-4561, or e-mail elisa.williams@columbian.com.
