Through the graciousness of Malena Ruth, Gerrie Smith, and the African Millennium Foundation (click on invite, left) a team of Venice Arts' photographers will travel to Kenya for the second phase of our project, "The House is Small but the Welcome is Big." In Kenya, we are honored to work with 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Wangari Maathai (above) founder of Kenya's Green Belt Movement. We will also go to Mozambique to work with children orphaned from AIDS, working through the Office of the First Lady of Mozambique.

JAMES BEACH opened its doors again for our Annual Business Art Circle (BAC) Mixer attended by over 100 local business owners—art, entertainment, realty, and retail. This year's event honored Paula Lumbard (right with photo by Venice Arts' youth) for her $5,000 lead gift to this fall's BAC campaign. A special thanks to both renewing and new members and to the Abbot Kinney District Association, who presented a $2,500 check in support of A Closer Look at Youth (see story, right).

THE LIBRARY ALEHOUSE DONATES 15% OF ALL RECEIPTS on October 31st. Come in costume, they'll donate more!

Welcome and thank you to our new and returning funding partners: the California Consumer Protection Foundation, the California Technology Foundation of California, City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl, the Entertainment to Empowerment Foundation, and the Green Foundation.