Bethel Woods Receives Grant

TD CHARITABLE FOUNDATION DONATES $15,000 TO BETHEL WOODS Grant Awarded to Support Bethel Woods' Efforts to Offer Affordable Access to Programs BETHEL, NY (OCTOBER 30, 2013) -  The TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, recently donated a total of $15,000 to the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts as part of the bank’s commitment to giving back to the community for the fourth year in a row. The 2013 grant will enable Bethel Woods to consistently offer free transportation and admission to Museum field trips, World Stage Series concerts, Saturdays at the Woods, and Summer Stages programs for Sullivan County public school students, as well as Title 1 schools in the surrounding counties, including Orange, Ulster, and Delaware. A not-for-profit cultural organization in Sullivan County, N.Y. located at the site of the 1969 Woodstock festival, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is committed to inspiring expression, creativity and innovation through the arts. Darlene Fedun, Chief Executive Officer for Bethel Woods Center for the Arts adds, “We are so grateful to the TD Charitable Foundation for its support of our efforts to provide affordable access to programs. TD Bank and the TD Charitable Foundation have stellar reputations for service to the public and are strong supporters of the region’s communities.  We are delighted to have them as partners.” Funding from TD Bank Charitable Foundation will help make Bethel Woods’ culturally dynamic programming accessible to low-income families, providing a rich, educational resource for students in and outside of the classroom.  In 2013 alone, free transportation and scholarships funded by donations and grants provided 1,200 children, families and educators access to arts programs at Bethel Woods including cultural performances and educational field trips to The Museum at Bethel Woods. The museum, a unique, interactive educational resource for the exploration the history of America in the 1960s and decade’s iconic Woodstock festival, welcomed 430 students from southern New York and the tri-state area.  “We recognize the impact TD's donations can have, and our goal is to build successful partnerships that benefit our customers and their communities,” said Ed Blaskey, Market President for TD Bank. “Bethel Woods plays a significant role in introducing area youth to the positive influences of music and the arts, and we are proud to support these initiatives.” For more information about Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, please visit www.bethelwoodscenter.org.