Ashcroft resident Esther Darlington showed her love of the arts last week, when she donated $2,000 to the Winding Rivers Arts & Performance Society. While she hopes that it can go towards the group’s upcoming production of Arsenic and Old Lace, she says there are no strings attached to the funds.
“I can’t take it with me, and though I don’t have a lot of money by any means, I wanted to give what I think I can to my community,” says Darlington, who took part in the WRAPS production of A Midsummer Night’s Mid-term in 2013. “Those areas in the arts mean a lot to me.”
WRAPS treasurer Nancy Duchaine, who accepted the cheque, was grateful for the donation. “As a non-profit group we always seem to be begging for money.”
Heather Inglis, a WRAPS director, says “This generous donation—coupled with one earlier this year to the Ashcroft HUB—demonstrates Esther Darlington’s commitment to supporting quality of life initiatives in our community. The WRAPS Board is grateful for this gift, and for Esther’s support over the years.”
Musing on her experience acting in Midsummer Night’s Mid-term, Darlington laughs. “She was always changing the blocking!” she says of director Mavourneen Varcoe-Ryan. “But it was wonderful. And Mavourneen is an incredibly gifted director.
“I hope my donation encourages others to donate. Ashcroft has always been supportive of the theatre. I’m glad to put a little bit of the money I have into anything where art and education go together.”