Happy Spring to all! Camp Shakespeare will be celebrating its 13th year this summer with Campers taking on A Midsummer Night's Dream and As You Like It. We think we have two splendid groups. Half of them will be new to the Camp experience. First time for that. And we are also excited about having five former Campers serve as staff members: Austen Hyde, Malena Pennycook, Gabe Colombo, Gus Dexheimer, and Connor Simione. And so we have a lot of good reasons to be looking forward to a great summer.

But we also have special needs. This year we have more Campers requiring financial support than ever before. Our fee is only $1000 per Camper, the most reasonable fee of any two-week camp in the US (most are in the $3000 range) but it is for some a strain on the family budget. I am asking for your help with funding scholarships for these kids.

During the last three years, Former Shakespeare at Winedale students have been a major part of funding Camp Shakespeare, giving an average of $16,023 a year toward our operating expense. Without that support we could not have made it.

By the way, the proceeds from our special Twelfth Night Gala last year made it possible to place $20,000 in the Doc Ayres Endowment that Jayne and Rick Suhler founded. Currently, it has $55,382.52. It is beginning to yield interest. We may be doing another Gala in 16 to give it another boost.

Thanks for considering this request. I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at the Camp Shakespeare performances.

Cheers,

Doc

PS: Checks should be made "TO" The University of Texas and marked "for" Camp Shakespeare and sent to me at PO Box 202, Round Top, Tx. 78954.