Youth Theatre Northwest reaches a significant milestone this year: its 30th anniversary. For three decades, YTN has enriched the lives of tens of thousands of children and provided family entertainment to an audience of approximately 150,000. This astounding legacy would not have been possible without the generous support of many individuals and organizations that believe in our mission and programming. A true leader in our family of supporters is the Mercer Island Community Fund.

To kick off our anniversary season, our first production will be a unique outdoor staging of the Broadway hit musical “Godspell,” to be performed at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. We want to share our heartfelt gratitude to the Mercer Island Community Fund for supporting our production of “Godspell” and creating opportunities for our young people to learn, grow and create through the magic of live theater.

Recently, a student shared her reflections about her time at YTN: “Theater has shaped me into the person I am today. It’s made me more confident, open, creative and just generally happy. As stressful as middle and high school could get, I always knew that I could come to YTN and instantly feel better.”

From the middle school band to the farmers market, Island Youth Ballet to Summer Celebration and many more, the Mercer Island Community Fund creates opportunities for our community to come together, enhance our daily lives, celebrate the richness of our community and invest in the futures of our young people.

On behalf of our families and, most importantly, our aspiring young artists, thank you, Mercer Island Community Fund. We applaud your efforts and hard work and recognize the community you build every year through your vital support.

Manuel R. Cawaling