Positive Note for Arts Center: Guilds Are Having a Good Year

I was deeply saddened by the very negative article “Orange County Arts Center Has Fallen On Hard Times” (Nov. 29). There are many supporters and volunteers who believe that the Center is the best thing that has happened to Orange County in a very long time.

The Guilds, all 2,800 of us, are having their best year in their 12-year history. We will give to the Center in 1990 about $620,000, which is $108,000 more than last year and $120,000 more than was budgeted. I might add that all that money was earned because of the loyalty, dedication and commitment of our members, who belong to 35 chapters located in every corner of this county.

Additionally, this money was raised via dozens of different types of fund-raising activities tailored to the capabilities and capacities of the broad spectrum of our membership.

I understand that you were given much of the above information but for some reason chose to ignore this extremely positive part of the Center’s story.

The Guilds are proud to have been instrumental in the building of the Center and continue to take pride in supporting the required subsidies that have brought and will continue to bring the best the world has to offer in the performing arts.

JANICE M. JOHNSON, Chairman, Guilds of the Orange County Performing Arts Center