OUR HISTORY

OUR GROWTH

     Since its inception in 2008, key individuals and caring volunteers have contributed greatly at each stage of our growth.  The process started with a summer program and evolved into a 501 c 3 nonprofit foundation within a year.  During this time, our location changed from a small rented space in downtown Coquille to a shared space agreement in a much larger building, also in the center of downtown Coquille. 

     This was the old Barrow Drugs building, which is now named "The Downtown Studio".  This building houses our foundation and the Coquille Martial Arts program.  At each step, more activites, classes, events and programs were incorporated into our goals of providing  arts and education enhancement to our youth, adults and seniors.  

     This type of program is essential in our rural area, as it both exposes our youth to the beauty of various forms of art, music and dance and provides safe and healthy alternatives to juvenile delinquency and drug/acohol abuse, through our after school  and summer programs.

     In additon, we provide an opprotunity for educational enhancement with a growing list of enrichment programs that includes:  astronomy, CSI, The BIZ KIDS of Coquille, The Coquille Youth Technology Center and Community Gardening Programs.   We also have a very popular knitting class, beginning and advanced chess. (The Coquille chess team just placed 3rd place at the state level.)  There are also seasonal cake and gingerbread house decorating classes.

     In 2009, the foundation also provided free tansportation and free tickets for our local children to attend the Nutcracker Suite, held at the Marshfield Auditorium.  This was spectacular, with many local participants augmenting the professional Eugend Ballet Company.  A donation from the Coquille Rotary Club paid for all of the youth tickets; parents paid for their own tickets.  The Harmony Dance Studio, a partner, paid for the bus.  Earlier in the year, CAEEC organized a free night out to see the Oregon Symphony in Coos Bay.     

These events and activities are all made possible by generous donations by individuals, businesses, and local organizations.   This helps us meet our goal of providing low cost or no cost participation in activites, classes, events and programs.