Dear Editor:

COVID-19 has significantly changed the landscape of our everyday lives. Things that we always took for granted must now be carefully considered for their safety. Social gatherings of all kinds are a potential breeding ground for the virus and everything from concerts to church services to funerals and weddings must be reorganized or avoided all together. It is a very bleak picture. Organizations and businesses have lost essential revenue and budgets are strained to the limit to stay afloat.

In spite of that, the Opera House has attempted within the State CDC guidelines to offer concerts this summer to a limited number of ticket holders --- 50 to be exact. These concerts have served to lift people’s spirits and to generate a very small income for Opera House. It is not enough to cover our costs. Through careful planning and prudent savings, however, the Opera House is weathering the storm for now but we need your help if we are to continue to offer the quality entertainment the community has come to expect.

The Opera House’s annual appeal letter has just been mailed out to community members. Our goal is to raise $115,000. This money will be used to continue operations through this COVID-19 period and to help insure that we are able to ramp back up as soon as allowable. The long- term economic health of the Opera House is our goal and this fund drive will help to that end.

When you receive your appeal letter, please give serious consideration to making a contribution to the Opera House. If you didn’t receive one, please consider a gift. We can’t imagine Boothbay Harbor without an Opera House. We hope that you can’t either. We need your support. Please help.

Gifts may be mailed to The Opera House, P.O. Box 800, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538, or donations may be made online at boothbayoperahouse.com

Ken F-Fitch

Opera House board member