Mike and Kay Olthoff "Challenge" West Michigan Symphony Supporters with Three-Year Matching Grant

MUSKEGON, MI, May 26, 2011

Longtime West Michigan Symphony supporters Mike and Kay Olthoff announced a three-year, $50,000 challenge grant to sustain Symphony programming and education.

Unveiled during the annual gala on Saturday, the Olthoff Challenge Match will match new and increased annual gifts up to $50,000 per year for each of the next three years. The 20-member board of directors has already accepted the challenge, pledging to increase its annual financial support of the West Michigan Symphony.

Michael Olthoff is the CEO of Nichols Paper, a Norton Shores-based distributor of paper and packaging materials. Nichols was the lead sponsor of this spring's "Sustainability: A West Michigan Journey," a multi-media series of concerts, lectures and presentations developed by the West Michigan Symphony.

The grant could bring as much as $300,000 into the Symphony budget at a critical time in the history of the organization, according to WMS President and CEO Carla Hill.

"We are deeply grateful for the commitment that Kay and Mike have made to the Symphony," she said. "They see the opportunity to ensure that the accomplishments of the past seven decades become the foundation of a Symphony with permanently greater depth, breadth and strength.

"Over the past decade, the West Michigan Symphony has seen enormous artistic growth. We reach more than 25,000 students and adults each year with performances and education program designed to bring classical music to life. The vision and support of the Olthoffs and other like-minded supporters is extremely critical as we continue to invest in artistic programming, music education and community engagement."

Hill and Music Director Scott Speck have worked diligently over the past five years to reduce operating expenses while maintaining the cultural integrity of the West Michigan Symphony. Ticket sales account for 37 percent of the current operating budget with sponsorships, contributions and grants required in order to maintain a balanced budget.

Highlights include:
• Annual presentation of a diverse series of eight Masterworks and Pops program
• Development of community-wide, regionally focused programs that celebrated sustainability and manufacturing
• Expansion of the Link Up program with Carnegie Hall, an exceptional music education program that touches more than 5,000 children in 50 schools across the region
• Ongoing financial and educational support for the West Michigan Youth Symphony

"We have developed this grant because we believe it is important for the Symphony to grow and to continue its artistic success," Mike Olthoff explained. "The Symphony is a vital part of the arts community of West Michigan, and the arts are vital to the vibrancy of our community."

Kay Olthoff agreed, noting: "We opted to establish a challenge match, rather than donating a single gift, because we feel it is important for as many people as possible to be supporters of the Symphony and to feel a part of its success. We have to step up as individuals. Every aspect of our community needs help right now, and if you are able to lend a hand, I think you should be doing so."

The Olthoffs received the 2010 Patricia B. Johnson Award for Community Leadership and Innovative Grant Making from the Community Foundation for Muskegon. The couple pledged the lead gift in the redevelopment of the downtown central business district. Both are active in the community, serving on numerous education, philanthropic and arts boards.

"We encourage those of you who have attended a concert, watched a child perform as part of the Youth Symphony or been otherwise touched by the outreach and programming of the Symphony to consider a new or increased gift to our annual fund," Hill said. "For the next three years, thanks to the generosity of the Olthoffs, your dollars will go twice as far to sustain our amazing orchestra. That's a guaranteed rate of return you won't be able to match anywhere else."

About West Michigan Symphony
As one of the few professional regional orchestras in Michigan, West Michigan Symphony has played a leading role in the region's cultural community for nearly 70 years. Founded as the West Shore Symphony Orchestra, WMS now serves a regional audience with eight pairs of concerts annually, along with dozens of educational and outreach activities for children and adults. WMS oversees operations for the West Michigan Youth Symphony. For more information, visit http://www.westmichigansymphony.org.

Sabo Public Relations is a full-service public relations company specializing in media relations, litigation communications and crisis management.