LAKEPORT— The Children’s Museum of Arts and Sciences (CMAS) held its annual Mardi Gras Fundraiser at the Soper Reese Theatre in Lakeport on Saturday beginning the festivities with a costumed parade down Main Street. Participants donned feather boas, masquerade masks, and of course plenty of beads, as they marched to the tune of a brass band playing “When the Saints go Marching In.”
The band led everyone down to the Soper Reese where beverages, snacks and desserts were offered alongside a raffle of differently themed donated baskets, with the proceeds all donated back to the CMAS. People mingled until the lights dimmed and host Jennifer Strong introduced the first act, 6-year-old Ula Mendonica who took the stage with her ukulele singing favorites like “Mardi Gras Mambo” and “Over the Rainbow.” Mendonica is a student at the CMAS and performed onstage while other students played instruments in the parade. As Strong introduced the next band she noted, “I don’t know about you but I think Ula should open for the Funky Dozen on a regular basis!” With that, all 12 members of the Funky Dozen arrived on stage and everyone danced the night away.
The CMAS is raising funds to build a new activity center in Clearlake and according to President Stephanie Figueroa, the annual event is a success for them, bringing them closer to their goal every year. Currently the CMAS offers an array of educational programs including music theory and instrumental lessons including an “instrument closet” where kids have access to a multitude of different instruments, allowing them to explore instruments at their own interest. CMAS also offers STEM classes with a curriculum focused on coding, robotics, and computer sciences. and other arts, music and sciences programs.
CMAS also prides itself on community involvement and holds a program called Community Outreach which gets children involved in their local communities. At the moment the community outreach project is creating murals to install around the county. CMAS Director Victor Hall shared that these programs are geared towards supplementing charter or homeschool programs, but are open to all kids and families. He further noted that they often see children switching programs as their own personal education changes going back and fourth from music, to art, to physical education.
Hall said, “The students and volunteers here are doing truly amazing things” explaining the importance of parent and family involvement in their programs. The CMAS was created in 2004 and shared via an informational pamphlet “is dedicated to providing exceptional educational programs that encourage creativity and critical thinking skills.” It further explains the CMAS mission of providing opportunities for all children, families and educators to learn about themselves and their environment in a creative, non commercial space.
Strong shared the importance of these programs during the event. He said, “Our community needs more arts and music” asking patrons to donate and volunteer as much as possible in order to help the CMAS reach their goal and build a new center. The CMAS is operated as a membership and is open by appointment only. More information is available by phone at 707-994-1716, via email at info@cmaslakecounty.org or on the website www.cmaslakecounty.org.
