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From working on the successful R.E. Lee Auditorium renovation project to promoting arts education in the schools, Ed Bell has consistently shown his support of the arts in his community.

On Feb. 4, the community and advocates of quality arts programs will have the opportunity to express appreciation to Bell for his effort and to provide financial support to the organization which promotes the arts in our area.

The Thomaston-Upson Arts Council is hosting the annual President's Dinner honoring Bell's service over the past year. The dinner is also an important fundraising event for TUAC, generating money to help bring quality arts programming into school classrooms and onto the community stage.

“Each year, TUAC sets aside the first Saturday in February to recognize and honor its president and to raise money for community arts programs,” said Carmen Ellerbee, TUAC's executive director. “Honoring Ed Bell for his service is a privilege, because he's been such an advocate and supporter of the arts and for quality programming for citizens of all ages in our community.

“As president, and during his service on the TUAC board prior to becoming president, Mr. Bell worked hard to raise money to bring artists and performances into our local schools, exposing students to aspects of the arts they may not have otherwise seen.

“He worked equally hard to ensure that TUAC's adult audiences were treated to talented and renowned artists on stage in our community's auditorium.”

Bell's support of the arts is tied to family and community. Bell supported his own children's artistic endeavors.

His son, Dr. Richard Bell, was notified a few days ago that he would receive the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation Teacher Award. Dr. Bell is the orchestra director at Grove Middle School in Henry County. The award will be presented in March to Dr. Bell, one of five winners from across the nation. The presentation will be made at Carnegie Hall in New York.

Even as Bell talks of the achievements of his son, which go beyond this recent honor, he mentions that one of his daughters, Debbie, plays the violin, which she converts to a fiddle to play for the elderly in her hometown in Alabama.

He has a grandson who plays the trumpet and another who sings in the Spivey Hall touring choir. Bell will sponsor a performance by the Spivey choir here in Upson County in February. The touring choir has two other connections to Thomaston, with a grandson of the late Dr. Norman Gardner and a granddaughter of Gary Cochran both as members.

“The arts have the power to touch every citizen, young and old,” Bell said. “It's so important that we bring the arts to children, and that's one of TUAC's primary commitments to our community.”

Bell has been a member of TUAC for two decades, but it was after he retired from his career with State Farm Insurance that he became truly involved.

Newly elected to the Thomaston City Council and already a supporter of the community arts program, Bell became involved in the renovation of the R.E. Lee Auditorium, succeeding the late Bobby Smith as the government representative on the project.

The Lee campus, at the time, was being renovated to become the Government Complex. Money was running short, and the auditorium was on the back burner. Some local citizens, led by the late Jimmy Fletcher and with the help of former TUAC Executive Director Cynthia Eichelberger, formed the Auditorium Advocates to raise money to help with the renovation. Bell worked with that group and with the city and county governments to generate the funds to complete the project.

In the process, he became even more committed to the goal of presenting quality arts to the community. He chaired TUAC's corporate sponsorship committee to raise money to pay for programming, and then he joined the board, ultimately being chosen as president.

While serving TUAC, Bell was instrumental in establishing a scholarship to be awarded annually to local students pursuing higher education in the arts.

Of his own contribution to TUAC, he says it's part of his desire to repay his community.

“We owe something for having the privilege of being part of this wonderful community,” Bell said. “I'm thankful to have had the chance to give something back.”

Bell encourages the community and its leaders to continue to support TUAC. Though he is leaving the office of president, Bell's enthusiasm for the organization remains strong.

“Where else in a town this size can you bring someone of the caliber of Elisabeth Von Trapp, the granddaughter of the family made famous by ‘The Sound of Music?'” he emphasized.

“Towns this size don't get groups like the New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band or the Southern Crescent Symphony, which have been brought here by TUAC and corporate sponsors.

“We bring nationally known artists and performers to our citizens, as well as talented artists to our schools for our children. I want to see that continue.”

The President's Dinner will be held at 118 South Center Street (formerly Molly Marle's). Some attending may choose to dress in keeping with the island theme. Tickets are available from the TUAC Gallery for $50 each. Ellerbee expressed appreciation to the corporate sponsors: Bostwick's, United Bank, Richard Bridges, Harvey Adams, Upson Regional Medical Center Rehab Services, Century 21, Toni and Norman Donati and Ace Cleaners. For ticket information, call 647-1605 or stop by the TUAC gallery.

The President's Dinner is also a fun social event, bringing together community and arts supporters for an evening of live music, dancing and conversation in a Key Largo setting, complete with an Island Food buffet. This year's event will feature a viewing of Dr. and Mrs. Johnny Deen's private art collection, loaned to TUAC for this special event.

Ellerbee urged TUAC's members and supporters to show their appreciation to Bell for his leadership and volunteerism by attending the event.

“In addition to honoring Mr. Bell, this event is an important fundraiser for TUAC,” Ellerbee said. “Presenting quality arts programs, like those presented by TUAC, requires funding. Showing appreciation to Mr. Bell by raising money to support programming so dear to him and so important to our community is a fitting tribute.”