Did you know that the nearest Center for the Puppet Arts is in Atlanta . . .?

. . .  with fabulous shows for children and adults, museum, workshops, special events and much more.

There is a Puppetry Arts Center in Palm Beach County - Established in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.  The Center is currently without a home.  

We are available to meet with anyone interested in learning more about the Puppetry Arts Center.  Call Jan anytime (almost)  (561) 243-4330.

  Definitely needed for ongoing expenses . . .
-  Make a TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION  -

or VOLUNTEER . . .

Are you good with SOCIAL MEDIA?  You are definitely needed to help with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
Are you a WRITER?  Help with posting content and PRs.
Have you done SPECIAL EVENTS or FUNDRAISING EVENTS? 
Are you knowledgeable MAIL LIST DATABASE?

Do you have an empty BUILDING? Can you help get one or the down payment for one?
     Build -out is not a problem and walk-bys are not needed. The Center is a destination facility.
        (finances are minimal)
Find more information at www.PuppetCenter.org  or  facebook.com/PuppetCenter or

Thank you for caring.

Jo Janeen Timmis, Founding Director
jjtimmis@puppetcenter.org
(561) 243-4330

The PUPPETRY ARTS CENTER’S QUEST FOR SURVIVAL!

WHAT is NEEDED FOR the CENTER to SURVIVE?  (Immediately) 
 . . . YOUR HELP to find an EMPTY SPACE (. . . or storage space)

. . . very reasonable lease or purchase (build-out no problem)
. . . a donated space or building, (off the beaten path just fine)
. . . or tax deductible financial donations to cover the down payment for a building. 
The size can vary, with offsite storage, from 2,200 sq.ft. to 5,000 sq.ft. anywhere in Palm Beach County.  (Click for 'Forever Home' details page.)

The Center established in 1993 . . .
          . . . has no debt,
          . . . has made modest payments,
          . . . has an excellent credit rating,
          . . . has done major build-outs,
         . . . worked with several code enforcements.

The children (and adults) are looking forward to a new theater that offers 200 performances annually with an attendance of 15,000-19,000, an eclectic museum of puppetry, workshops for all ages, and a storytelling school.

Call Jan for more information
or if you have information. Now is a critical decision time.
(561) 243-4330 or info@puppetcenter    

Is the Center “To Be, or Not To Be?”
That is a question YOU might be able to answer regarding
the ONLY facility for the art form of puppetry south of Atlanta.

www.puppetcenter.org   facebook.com/puppetcenter  facebook.com/jantimmis

 

CARIBBEAN DINNER and The AMAZING MR.'A' with MAGIC, COMEDY, & VENTRILOQUISM

As we are still looking for an empty building that is affordable, talking to municipalities and anyone that will listen we felt that a fundraiser would be in order. Costs do continue, especially storage fees.


YOU ARE INVITED ! ! !  We have a wonderful fun evening planned.  Really authentic Caribbean cuisine (curried chicken, jerk pork, or steak and peppers). Then the entertainment is the wonderful Amazing Mr. 'A' with magic, comedy, and ventriloquism.  How good is he, you ask - 4 times Florida State Magic Champion.

NOW IS THE TIME .TO. MARK YOUR CALENDAR 
Saturday, October 1st
Only $33.00 per person
(tax inc.) 
Tickets / Reservations / Information

CALL NOW TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE!

(561) 243-4330
Cash bar available.

Doors open 6:15 pm - Dinner 7:00 pm - Show 8:00 pm
Caribbean Teeze, 6295 Lake Worth Rd., Lake Worth, FL

Support the
Puppetry Arts Center of the Palm Beaches
and have some fun.

Consider a tax deductible donation.
Are you able to help the Center find an empty building or even a storage space?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

First - Please read this blog page "An Overview from the Founding Director"

Do you like a challenge?  
Would you like an opportunity to help bring into reality the Forever Home for the Puppetry Arts Center of the Palm Beaches, the only facility for the art form of puppetry in Florida?

The Center’s mission is to educate, inspire creativity and imagination, and to enchant the diverse populations.

Opportunities (a few hours a week - your schedule):

Help locate reasonably priced empty building-purchase or rent (realtor welcome)
Downloadable building options -  

http://www.puppetcenter.org/Downloads/BuildingOptions.pdf

http://puppetcenter.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

Chair or host a fundraiser – small or large 
Help inform the public with your social media skills
Manage the mail list (detail person)
Set up QuickBooks for the Center (bookkeeping knowledge/experience)

Call Jan anytime - (561) 243-4330 

jjtimmis@puppetcenter.org

DONATE - tax deductible 
http://www.puppetcenter.org/cmsms/index.php?page=donate

Looking, looking, looking. Lots of buildings. Good locations. Even reasonable prices.  The Center could afford payments on many.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM ? ? ?    Money!  Money for a down payment!  Maybe only $50,000 for a smaller building.  We still have some funds but not enough for a down payment.  If we have to be in storage much longer that will be gone and then, after more than 20 years, the Center will have to go. 

Safely  *** DONATE HERE ***  on the Center website with "Network for Good" or "PayPal".
Or, you can mail a check to Puppetry Arts Center, P.O. Box 19124, West Palm Beach, FL 33416.

We have been looking from Boca to Jupiter including - West Palm, Boynton, Greenacres, Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, Lake Worth, Palm Beach Gardens, and reached out to the PBC Office of Community Revitalization, and the Business Development Board.  They all want the Center in the county but no one has an empty building.

The most interested and only possibility at this time is Belle Glade next to the newly reopened Museum of the Glades.  This is a very nice town, very nice people, good support BUT so very far for all of our old friends.
Where, where, where ? ? ?

Would you like more information?  Can you help?  Do you have questions?  Do you have ideas?   Do you want to do a fundraiser?  Do you have a building?  Check our the Forever Home page above for options.
 *** DONATE HERE ***
CALL if you have a question, information, building, or money.
By telephone - (561) 243-4330   anytime 24/7
In your office, in my little office in Lake Worth, for coffee, or for lunch.
Your interest is so appreciated.
Jan Timmis, Founding Director

SHOWS-TO-GO , , , scores 85 in competitive grant!

SHOWS-TO-GO - The Center scores 85 in competitive grant!

“What to do next?”  We are not waiting around.  The Center applied for a cultural grant to bring shows to their audiences in schools and community centers with the DreamMaker Puppeteers and Executive Director Jan Timmis. 

The Center's score of 85 made the program eligible to receive the needed start-up funding to begin. Two shows will be available, One Heart, One Voice and Playing the Palace. In addition, Jan will be offering a Director’s Choice that consists of demonstrations and historic lectures with some of her personal favorites, shadow puppetry, marionettes, and a basic introduction to the many styles and types of puppets.
See this blogs SHOWS-TO-GO page listed above.
More info (561) 243-4330.

____________________________________________________

In Memory of Sally Leyenberger

It is with great sadness that I write that
we have lost another of the Puppetry Arts
Center's beloved performers. Sally Leyenberger
of Pretend Party Productions died unexpectedly
in her sleep earlier this May.
Sally was a great friend to the
Puppetry Arts Center of the Palm Beaches
and children of several counties.
We will miss her.

JUST FOR FUN and Info . . .

Still located in Lake Worth office/storage. Call if you are in the area, if you want to volunteer, or if you have a building available, or want to shop for puppets.
Call Jan (561) 243-4330 for more info. 
We are working on some things. More later.

JUST FOR FUN – Don’t be surprised if you see one of our DreamMaker Puppeteers, Alan, out and about in Delray Beach this summer with his marionette friends as he mingles with festival goers or waving to you on the corner. 
Please, take a picture and send it to us for our social media friends - you, Alan, the puppet, any combination.    Info@puppetcenter.org     info@puppetcenter.org www.facebook.com/puppetcenter       (561) 243-4330 for info.

In between searches for a building enjoy this work of excellent puppet performance.

Looking for a new home!

We have been looking and looking.

We either find ones that need a huge amount of work OR . . .
ones that are wwaaaaay out of our range OR . . .

. . . a 'maybe' possibility that needs work AND would really stretch the budget AND it would be another temporary space but at least we could continue with all of the Center's activities.

Do YOU have any other ideas, suggestions,
or an available reasonable building?  (Check 'Forever Home' above)
Call Jan anytime. (561) 243-4330     
OR help with a tax deductible  DONATION !

PUPPET GIFT SHOPPE AVAILABLE in Lake Worth by appointment

Call Jan at (562) 243-4330
for a puppet
shopping appointment
in the Center's Lake Worth
office/storage space. 

Not glamorous or fancy but
is still the only place
in south Florida where you can shop for a variety of puppets.

Ah, yes, the walk in closet office. Actually very workable but we don't want to unpack much because we are hopefully looking for a facility and then we would have to repack. Yuk!
There are a couple of things we are looking into and will post here as soon as something has better possibilities.  You can donate now at   DONATE  to help with ongoing expenses.

In the meantime I do need a volunteer that can set up a new bookkeeping/accounting program.
We do still have puppets for sale by appointment.
Call anytime for information or if you have information for facility.
More later.

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Here we are!     In storage, in Lake Worth.
Looking for a Forever Home (or temp space).
Check the Forever Home page above for details.
Call if you are interested in helping with this project.

Welcome to my HUGE office!

Contact information will
remain the same.

Telephone:  

(561) 243-4330     
Call Jan anytime
24/7 (almost)

Mail: 

PO Box 19124, 

W. Palm Beach, 33416


Facebook.com/puppetcenter
E-Mail: info@puppetcenter.org      Website:  www.PuppetCenter.org
Call for puppets to purchase by appointment.

Moving is done . . .

The move to storage is complete.

All of the museum in storage.

So thankful for all of the wonderful volunteers that helped.

All of the lobby in storage.

All of the theater in storage.

 We do have an office in Lake Worth and I am available by telephone almost 24/7.  The ole number will still be active for a long time but the new number is
(561) 383-2150.

Last day of moving - All in storage

They are moving the last items today and we will be completely out of the Delray Beach facility.
The telephone and internet will be connected today (I hope). The previous telephone number will be forwarded for quite a while. We will have a small office  in Lake Worth and will have puppets available for sale. Call for more information.
Updates and photos will follow soon.

Packing and loading in Delray all day today. Come on by and help. Info call Jan 561-243-4330.
             Packing and moving will continue through Saturday. 

Unloading in Lake Worth at 921 Barnett Dr. An individual office andstorage unit. and
                                          900 Barnett Dr. An inside space at AAAlpine Storage.
Call Bill for times the truck will be in Lake Worth at 561-312-3232.

Moving with the big truck Tuesday and Wednesday continuing with small trucks on Thurs., Fri. and Sat.
      If you have a truck call Bill to arrange times.  561-312-3232

Computer moving and hook-up helpful and help with taking apart desks and re attaching in new office.
Thank you for any help. 

Now we find out that our lease could have been extended until March of 2016. We were told that there were no more options and that the CRA had no help available.

 In the City meeting the commission was told by whoever that the Puppet Center wanted to leave and did not want to renew their lease.  Basically a lie. We did not even know of the option. Now the City Attorney left the message with his office, "that it is out of his hands", but did not explain what that means and has not answered an email asking for an explanation.
.
Moving ahead with the move to a storage space in Lake Worth. If you can help please call Bill at 561-243-4330. 

Looks like storage for now - VOLUNTEERS please.

Sunshine and Rafi are sad.

It's amazing!   There's exciting news . . . and then . . . nah!   Not what we thought was going to happen or not what someone else thought or just would not work. (Sigh)
Well, we will probably be getting a storage and office space in Lake Worth right off of I95.  We have started to break down the shelving so we can rebuild them in the storage space. Lots of work.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED THIS WEEKEND -
Are you available?
Call Bill (my husband) (561) 312-3232 if you can help.

                           Rafi said, "I'm old enough now and there are no more shows." 

Update & Need Moving Help

Countdown until completely out of Delray facility - 2 weeks & 2 days - totally out by January 31st.


We have some potential information on interim storage space while we continue our search for a Forever Home.
For sure we MUST move during the next 2 weeks.

We will need moving help in several different ways. 

Please call and let us know if  and when you can help with the move.
   . . . what days and times you might be available?
   . . . Do you have a truck that could be used?
   . . . Can you help with moving expenses?   (tax deductible donations)

Call Jan anytime to let her know when you can help. (561) 243-4330.

Is there a HERO for the Center?

Is there anyone or several people that will step up and save the Center?

From all the kids . . .

. . . to a quiet empty theater/

  We must be totally out by January 31st. 
That is just around the corner.

 Option 1:

. . . an affordable commercial building or
. . . have a building donated or
. . . have a tax deductible donation of $200,000 tot $300,000.

Option 2:

. . . find a temporary storage space (about 1,000 sq.ft.) plus office space right away

Option 3:

. . . Sell everything in the next week or two after 20 years in the county.
         It is looking more and more like this will be the option.

For information or to help call Jan at (561) 243-4330

And no, there was no success with a zoning variance for an affordable house in a residential area.

Here it is, another week has past.  Three weeks and one day until we have to be totally out of this facility.
Where, where, where will we go. Still don't know, BUT I was able to spend 3 hours with a real estate person yesterday.  Several possibilities but we are checking on zoning and zoning variances on several properties.  These are residential with at least an acre so we could add to the current building.

Of course it would be best if we could find an affordable commercial building or have one donated or have a tax deductible donation to help with the cost. (Don't forget we are looking ANYPLACE in PB County.)             Check out the forever home page at the top of this blog for detail information.

"Oh, no, the dreaded boxes."

STORAGE space will be needed in the interim.  We will need about 900 to 1000 sq.ft. and some office space for computers, printers, file cabinets, and office stuff to continue working for our forever home.

Don't forget to call if you have a lead on space for the Center and/or office or storage.
                            CALL Jan ANYTIME  (561) 243-4330 - 24/7
MOVING HELP will be needed in the next 2 weeks. Let me know if you are able to help or if you have a truck available.  

Donate online at www.puppetcenter.org or mail a check to:
         Puppetry Arts Center, PO Box 19124, West Palm Beach, FL 33416

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all that have found this blog and read it.

Well, here it is a new year and the Center is looking forward to a new start in a new facility.

Where? When? How?     

Those are great questions and cannot be answered right now because there are NO answers.

We thought we found a nice possibility in Lake Worth on Dixie but found out that it had been misrepresented.   An interesting possibility near Haverhill and Belvedere that we are checking on. We spent 4 or 5 hours on New Year's Day looking at properties in Loxahatchee. Nothing doable there either.

Still looking. 
Let us know if you find a bargain.  Call Jan anytime for information (561) 243-4330.

 WE NEED a HERO!
Someone that can help find and/or finance a new space, or raise the money for a space. 

Right now we are also looking for a temporary space to tide us over.

WHAT SIZES and other information? check out the Forever Home page at the top of this blog.

YOU can be a HERO!   Will YOU be a HERO!   Are YOU a HERO for the Center and the thousands of schools, camps, child care centers, and families that count on us as we use the art form of puppetry
to educate, inspire creativity and imagination, and enchant the diverse audiences of Palm Beach County.

NEEDED - A FOREVER HOME

After more than 20 years as a nonprofit serving schools, camps, child care centers, and families of 5 counties the Center is in a very precarious position.

Time is passing swiftly. Ten weeks and 4 days until we will be out of this facility.
Where to?  Unknown at this time. 

Do you have a building?
Any empty building.
We can make it work.
We have done 6 build out/remodels
including sewer lines, bathrooms, and all new electric.
Can you help us buy a building?

Any place in Palm Beach County.
Minimum 2,900 sq.ft.
Much more would be better.
No Teepees please.

 Do you have an empty lot that you do not want to pay taxes on any longer?  
If we had a lot a steel building would work very well and be very affordable, too.

Maybe
a bank owned
bargain . . .

 Call Jan anytime . . .
(561) 243-4330

Tax deductible donations appreciated anytime.  www.puppetcenter.org

Or double your donation right now and help complete our "Very Happy Puppet Holidays" project at
http://power2give.org/PalmBeachCounty/Project/Detail?projectId=8610

Update and stuff!

 Are you good with social media, e-mail blasts, or fundraising events? Do you have a few hours a week to help?  Call me, Jan Timmis - (561) 243-4330


Our time here in Delray is rapidly coming to an end as we have to be totally out by the end of January.  If you are counting, that is just 12 weeks.  We are scheduling performances through the holiday season - January 3, 2015. 
Check out the "SOS - Time running out! Click here to read about it." page for information on matching gifts to help with shows through January 3rd.

If you would like more information about what kind of facility we need you can check out the previous blog post and the "Forever Home" flyer with details of options. Storage space will be needed as well.


Visit our website, www.puppetcenter.org, for performance information, to donate (thank you), volunteer information, and more or call me, Jan Timmis, for information. (561) 243-4330

Can you believe that the Puppetry Arts Center has been in the County as a nonprofit for over 20 years, since 1993.  In that time the Center has been in 8 locations, done 6 build-outs - 3 major including gutting, putting in sewer lines, bathrooms, all new electric wiring, fire walls, etc.  These things could not have been done without the help of all of our wonderful volunteers and great donations.
The Center is a 501(c)(3) corporation and all gifts are tax deductible.
Donate now at www.puppetcenter.org.

THIS time, we do NOT have a leaky roof causing our insurance to be cancelled, the building is NOT scheduled for demolition, or any of the other causes for the moves. THIS time, after the most expensive build-out of all, the lease is up, January 31, 2015, and we are faced with another move.

 (Check the options list below.) Anywhere in Palm Beach County
North / South / East / or West county

 Call Jan 24/7 (243) 4330 if you have any ideas, prospects, buildings, 

funds, or questions of any kind.  Donate at www.puppetcenter.org

We have scheduled performances through January 3, 2015.
Check the calendar at www.puppetcenter.org

Call if you are interested in volunteering in any way
2 to 4 hours a week - (561) 243-4330
Office, greeter, mail list, special event planner, computer IT,
performance (we teach you),  and much more.

The NEW GOAL is a FOREVER HOME!

It has been a veeeerrrrrry long time between posts.  More coming very soon.

A brief overview . . .
So very much has happened and the Center is on the brink of an even greater adventure!
    ·   2011 - Major build-out in the great space in Delray, with 140 seat black box theater, museum of puppetry, puppet reference library, puppet gift shop, lobby, offices, and storage:
    ·   Scheduling puppet performances with professionals from across the US and locally,
    ·   The museum open with 150 -200 puppets of many styles for people to enjoy and learn,
    ·   Ten thousand walk-in visitors a year in addition to those attending the performances,
    ·   Fabulous volunteers that helped keep things working,
    ·   2013 & 2014 - A couple of lease renewal problems,
    ·   And now the fall and holiday performance schedule through January 3, 2015 with a GREAT selection of performance to finish the Center's time in Delray Beach.
    ·   January 2015 - Time to pack and move again
Whew! What a time.    What is next?   More to come - very SOON!

There is a lot more detail and back information but this is enough. Thanks for reading.
I am available 24/7 if you would like additional information. 
Jan Timmis, Founding Director - (561) 243-4330