Wellington based non-profit ArtStart set up shop at a Youth Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches July 20-21 at the So.Fla. Fairgrounds and greeted close to 2,000 summer campers who were more than happy to make their very own butterfly creations using a coffee filter, pipe cleaner and "Do-a-Dot" markers.
The fair was presented by Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida and attracted more than 4,000 visitors over the two-day period. The event featured a variety of sports clinics including table tennis, soccer, football and gymnastics; an Expo, a Midway filled with fun activities, team mascots, and sports celebrities and hands-on arts & crafts activities.
ArtStart, Inc. is a Florida 501 (c) (3) corporation with headquarters in Wellington. The organization was formed in November, 2004 by artist Jeannette Pomeroy Parssi. Ms. Parssi's vision for ArtStart was inspired by her earlier decision to establish a youth art scholarship through her consulting company, JPPARSSI, INC. ArtStart's mission is to provide educational opportunities in the arts, including visual arts, music, dance, theater and creative writing. ArtStart's goal is to cultivate the resources, leadership and partnerships that nurture and support arts and cultural programs, thereby enriching the quality of life for all. The organization hopes to accomplish this goal through a variety of initiatives, including art scholarships, artist-in-residence programs, teacher workshops, internship opportunities, creative writing programs and other initiatives. For more information, visit them on the web at
www.ArtStartInc.org.