SOUPSTOCK 2013 Lineup announced!
We're proud to announce our initial lineup of bands for SOUPSTOCK 2013. Click HERE to visit our Facebook page and Like us!
WHAT IS THE TURTLE SHELL FUND?
The Mary A. Schmecker Turtle Shell Fund is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) public charity which seeks to promote the education of young people in art, music, theater, skilled craft and other creative pursuits in order to create a rich cultural heritage for tomorrow.
Who was Mary A. Schmecker?
That's Mary Anne Schmecker (or "Gram" as we refer to her) in these photos, surrounded by kids at the current Boys and Girls Club in Shelton. She is the inspiration for our efforts to provide a pathway for kids and young adults to access the kinds of creative tools and guidance that they won't otherwise encounter in our creative education starved schools today. She taught her craft to kids (and adults) in the area for 35 years starting in 1970 at the old Community Center Boys' Club. She stayed with the club as it changed through the years (in 1980 it became The Boys and Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley when girls were invited to join, to Mary's delight), even through a fire that destroyed the old club building in 1991 and subsequent moves to temporary homes to it's current location. She provided her spare time and materials, and was able to rely on the tireless assistance of her husband Lou Schmecker to ensure that the kids had a consistent experience and place to explore their creativity.
In 2007 the Club inducted Gram into the inaugural class of their Hall of Fame, a moment she relished. As she looked back on all the years in which she had been at the Club, she said that the hugs were the best part. To Mary they were all her kids, and if you ask anyone who went to her classes, she was everyone's Gram.
When she passed in 2008 the community lost a valuable champion of artistic expression, and we, her family and friends, lost a beacon of light in our lives. We (Gram's actual grandkids) initially created the Mary A. Schmecker Turtle Shell Fund, a charity fund managed by the Valley Community Foundation in 2009 to honor Gram and her ideals. Our annual fundraising event, The SOUPSTOCK Music and Arts Festival, has raised over twenty thousand dollars for charity since its start in 2010. Since then, we have created The MAS Turtle Shell Fund Inc., a federally recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity incorporated in the state of Connecticut. Donations made to the MAS Turtle Shell Fund are tax-deductible.
In 2007 the Club inducted Gram into the inaugural class of their Hall of Fame, a moment she relished. As she looked back on all the years in which she had been at the Club, she said that the hugs were the best part. To Mary they were all her kids, and if you ask anyone who went to her classes, she was everyone's Gram.
When she passed in 2008 the community lost a valuable champion of artistic expression, and we, her family and friends, lost a beacon of light in our lives. We (Gram's actual grandkids) initially created the Mary A. Schmecker Turtle Shell Fund, a charity fund managed by the Valley Community Foundation in 2009 to honor Gram and her ideals. Our annual fundraising event, The SOUPSTOCK Music and Arts Festival, has raised over twenty thousand dollars for charity since its start in 2010. Since then, we have created The MAS Turtle Shell Fund Inc., a federally recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity incorporated in the state of Connecticut. Donations made to the MAS Turtle Shell Fund are tax-deductible.
OUR MISSION
We at the Turtle Shell Fund want to make more kids able to express themselves through art, music, theater and skilled craft. We feel that not enough people know how to create with the union of their minds and bodies and the tools they use. Through our efforts we hope to bring these values to prominence again in our society in our own humble way. With the aid of local craftsmen, artists, and musicians (not to mention the gracious donations of our sponsors and the public), we hope to provide bridges to creative expression with scholarships, internships, apprenticeship programs, and classroom instruction.
As a start, we have worked with schools in the Lower Naugatuck Valley and surrounding areas of CT to hold an annual art competition which is proudly exhibited at our annual SOUPSTOCK festival. We have recently made a $3,000 donation to the Lower Naugatuck Valley Boys and Girls Club to fund programs in art, photography and robotics, which we are anxious to see come to fruition.
As a start, we have worked with schools in the Lower Naugatuck Valley and surrounding areas of CT to hold an annual art competition which is proudly exhibited at our annual SOUPSTOCK festival. We have recently made a $3,000 donation to the Lower Naugatuck Valley Boys and Girls Club to fund programs in art, photography and robotics, which we are anxious to see come to fruition.
We need your help
The MAS Turtle Shell Fund operates on donations made by the public and with sponsorships from local businesses and corporations. You can help by making a tax-deductible donation using the PayPal link below.
Contact Us
The Turtle Shell Fund can be reached at
MAS Turtle Shell Fund Inc.
6 Research Drive
Suite 120
Shelton, CT 06484
or by email at info@turtleshellfund.com
MAS Turtle Shell Fund Inc.
6 Research Drive
Suite 120
Shelton, CT 06484
or by email at info@turtleshellfund.com
