No purchase necessary. Contest open to kids between the ages of 5 and 18. Limit one original entry per person. Contest begins 4/4/25 and ends 5/5/25. Submissions must be received by 11:59pm on 5/5/25.
Winners will be chosen on 5/6/25. ONE WINNER IN EACH CATEGORY: 5-9 10-14 15-18
A Celebration of Life will be held on May 10 at 10:00 am at the Skyline Forest Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1 Forest Knoll Road, Monterey, CA.
All are welcome.
In lieu of flowers, Diane’s family has requested that donations be made to ARIEL Theatrical, where Diane taught thousands of children and touched so many lives for nearly 40 years.
Our friends from the California Rodeo Salinas are hosting the 2025 Clem Albertoni Cowboy Gathering on Saturday, March 29 at 6:00 pm. This is the fourth time this event is being presented by the California Rodeo in honor of the great man and cowboy poet, Clem Albertoni.
Clem, along with his wife Phylis, were the beating heart behind this event for years, helping us all grow our love for cowboy stories and western music. Clem’s talent for entertaining as a poet was legendary in the Salinas Valley as the resident Master of Ceremonies, as well as at numerous other cowboy poetry events. His skill with words were sought by those celebrating their happiest days or their saddest. He was a man who filled a room with charisma and energy, but with the rare quality of making each person feel as if he were speaking directly to them. His ability to make people laugh, smile, cry and “feel” was a gift from above.
The evening will include performances from audience favorites, Trinity Seely and Andy Nelson, and partial proceeds from the event will support ARIEL Theatrical.
Tickets and more detailed event information can be found HERE.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Diane Chatwin on March 17, 2025. Through her unfailing cheerfulness, inexhaustible patience, unwavering dedication and indomitable spirit, she generously graced generations of young people with the joy of movement. The light she shared with all who knew her will forever shine at ARIEL. Information regarding a Celebration of Life will be forthcoming. Our hearts and thoughts are with her family and all who loved her.
To share any memories or loving thoughts of Diane please consider filling out this Google Form here.
If you love ARIEL and want to be part of its future, you won’t want to miss this special event! Join us as we travel back in time to the humble beginnings of ARIEL, dive into current programs and achievements, take a look “behind the scenes” to see what it takes to keep ARIEL going, and finally, focus on the future. The young people we serve need you to ensure that ARIEL has a bright future.
Get ready for a fun and informative evening, followed by light refreshments and conversation.
We’d love to see you! And you can make a difference at ARIEL!
Applications for The Heart of ARIEL Scholarship are now being accepted for the 2025 – 2026 school year. This year, the Heart of ARIEL Scholarship Program will be awarding two $500 scholarships!
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: APRIL 14, 2025 AT 11:59 PM
This scholarship has been established for current and former ARIEL Youth Leaders (previously known as youth volunteers, mentors or allies) who are seniors in high school or older and are currently attending or planning to attend full-time college or trade school.
It may be snowing all over America, but here on the Monterey Peninsula we are already preparing for summer! Registration for ARIEL’s 2025 Summer Camps are now open! Cast Members will explore lands from Norton Juster’s “The Kingdom of Wisdom” all the way to A.A. Milne’s “Hundred-Acre Wood.” Camps are filling fast so don’t wait to sign up forKIDS on Stage(One-week Camp),DISNEY Winnie the Pooh KIDS(Two-week Camp,waitlist only), andThe Phantom Tollbooth TYA (Three-week Camp, ages 12 & under waitlist only.) We look forward to spending summer with you!
Find out about each camp by clicking on their colored links!
This particular Tuesday comes only once a year. It’s the warm, fuzzy Tuesday that follows Black Friday and Cyber Monday. You guessed it – it’s Giving Tuesday.
We know you are busy. We understand busy. We’ll get right to the point. What you do today can make a difference at ARIEL for an entire year.
When you make a tax-deductible donation to ARIEL through Monterey County Gives!, you will see your support grow with matching funds. Any size donation, up to $75K, will become larger thanks to the magic of MC Gives!
If you are thinking about jumping in for ARIEL this Giving Tuesday, consider the following…
If you’ve ever come to a show at ARIEL and left feeling happier and more hopeful for the future, now is the time.
If you believe teaching kids that incorporating Accountability, Respect, Integrity, Excellence and Leadership into their lives is important, now is the time.
If you think that young people have the power to positively impact the world, now is the time.
If you want to demonstrate your support for the ARIEL mission, our engaging programs, and our family-friendly entertainment, now is the time.
You have until midnight on December 31st, but why wait? It’s Giving Tuesday today. We hope you’ll make it a great one.
Our hearts are beyond full.
We are grateful, honored, and humbled to have received such incredible support in 2024 from so many wonderful individuals, businesses, and foundations. Investments of time, talent and treasure this year have reinforced our efforts as we provided character-building programs and family-friendly entertainment for the entire community. This list will grow as names are added before the clock strikes midnight on December 31st. To add your name to the list donate HERE to our Monterey County Gives! campaign.
Joyfully, we say “thank you” to the following:
DONORS:
Rose & John Aaron
Shay Albarran
Mandy & Ken Allen
Shawn & Nathan Anderson
Jen Anello
Joseph Ashby
Finley Asmuth
Karen Bauer
Sally Bennett
Tiffany Bierbaum
Richard Bishop
Matthew & Jennifer Borba
Mary & Dan Bowman
Janet Bradley
Teri Breschini & Stella Perea
Sonja Brisard
Angelee Brockmeyer
Mandy Brooks
Andrea Brown
Kelli & Chris Brown
Emily Brownfield
Chelsi Bunting
Jim & Lynda Campbell
Hector Cardenas
Jordynne Chacon
Carli & Mike Chasen
Diane Chatwin
Gabriela & Eric Chavez
Michelle Clark
Jay Cohen
Eva Cole
Matthew Conley
Jenny Contenza
Angela Corah
Elizabeth Cotsworth
Catherine Coughlin
Linda Coyne & Bill Deeb
Diane Creasey
Dawn Cricchio
Bruce Crist
Amber Crowe
Ediberto & Olga Cruz Cruz
Jean Cunha
Erica Da Motta
Sarah Dahlen
Rebeca De Dios
Caesar DiFranco
Mike DiFranco
William & Donna Diggons
Patricia Edge
Sarah Elias
Allison Elliott
Jill & Matt Ellis
Chelsea Emrey
Tina England
Dexter Farm
Miguel Felix
Larry Ferrari
David Finkelstein
Shannon Flaherty
Anna Flores
Sandy Fogarty
Philip Fogarty
Anna Foglia
Tom Folliard
Suzanna Forstell
Sheri & Brian Fox
Mary Gale
Carlie Gallegos
Rosalba Garcia
Terry Garibay
Robert B Gaskell Jr
Natalie & Seth Gibson
Jean & Ken Goebel
Jean Goebel
Wendy Grainger
Ben Groves
Barry & Ileen Groves
Tracy Groves-Loetz
Joyce Guerrero
Kyle Guthrie
Chuck Hackett
Amy Hanley
Tamara & Reuben Harris
Wendell Harry
Thomas & Lia Harty
Maile Harty
Andrea & Keith Hayes
Jason & Katie Hayward
Tristyn Hayward
Elliott & Lucie Hazen
Michael Head
Whitney Hegg
Enrique Hernandez
Amanda Hernandez Michalski
Selena & Adam Herrin
Brian Higginbotham
John and Heather Higginbotham
Allison & Lee Hinkle
Elizabeth Hofer
Stephen Hooper
Mimi Hoppas
Christina Hoppner
Clifford Hoskins
Georgia Hughes
Lanney Hulse
Rhonda & Octavio Hurtado
Brandi Irwin
John Ittelson & Bobbi Kamil
Alex & Jesse Jenner
Madeline Jewell
Robert Kasavan
Sharon Kasper
Franscioni Kathy
Cecilia & Jerry Kennedy
Jeanette Kern
Don & Carole King
Rebecca & Douglas Kinyo
David & Heather Kirk
Heather Kleinfeldt
Steve Korsgren & Lauren Karasek
Frank Kragh
Margaret Kylander
Scott Landis & Pippa Browne
Joy Langford
Jim Lash
Daniel Lash
Yvonne Lee Yu
Alan & Maia Liddle
Tasha & Barrett Lindstrom
Guadalupe Lopez
Juan Lopez
Belle Lozada
Hilda Macias
David and Alanna Mack
Bianca Madrid
Mary Magana
James Martin
Cristal Martinez
Ronald & Jane Massott
Patricia Mccabe
Hailey McDill
Harold McDill
Rebecca McDill
Michael & Lisa McGirr
Jeff McGirr
Mary Melland
Lucy Merino
Lucia Merino
Sheryl Merrill
Jill Miller
Joe & Connie Mismas
Maci Mollring
Carolanne Moreno & James Goulart
José Morón
Sarah Mueller
Megan Murphy
William Darius Myers
Virginia Nadler
Larissa Najera Lavering
Tom & Mary Nelson
Kathleen & Robert Nelson
George & Mimi Niesen
Kelly O’Connell
Sandra & Ray Ortega
Raymond Parga
Nick Pasculli
Joe Pavek
Sharilyn Payne
Frank Pinedo
Mary Pommerich
Carmen Ponce
Karen Proctor
Adri Pura
Caroline Reber
Eva Regnier
Meg Reney
Neil Richman
Lillian Rico
Nicole Robinson
Carol Rodrigues
Tori & Nick Rodrigues
Josue Rodriguez
Manette & Steve Rogers
Cecilia & Victor Romero
Lucas Rose
Dolores Rosof
Jennilee Sabado
Gabriel Saldivar
Lorena Sanchez
Peter Schierling
Rose Scholl
Monika & Michael Scott
Ana Seid
Doris Semersky
Victoria Semersky
Carolyn Sharbatly
David Shipley
Bri Slama
Keith Slama
Terry Smith
Diana & Phillip Snell
Kris Sorgatz
Kelly Soriano
Phillip & Evelyn Soriano
Fran Spector Atkins & Roger Stewart
Kimberly & Marty St George
Nancy Stewart
Kyle Stewart
Linda & Robin Stoner
Andrea Strano
Erin Suyehara
Cary Swensen
Carrie & Aaron Tenney
Alisha Thompson
Gary & Linda Thompson
Roger & Linda Thompson
Eder Tostado
Sandra Uecker
Jacqueline Van Nes
Jennifer Walker & Eric Lee
Maureen Wallin
Amanda Wehling
Robert Westlund
Jennifer Williams
Paula Wilson
Christian Womack
Tanya Womack
Kelly & Kevin Young
BUSINESSES & FOUNDATIONS
Aladin Properties
Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Arts Council for Monterey County
Ausonio Family Fund of the CFMC
Bava & Associates PC
Best Shot Video
California Rodeo Salinas
Cardinale Moving & Storage
Community Foundation for Monterey County
Costco
Christopher M. Mulè DDS Inc.
Dataflow Business Systems
Harden Foundation
Hastie Financial Group
Heirloom Pizza
J.V. Smith Companies
John Torquido Photography
Kirk Kennedy
Martinelli’s
Mechanics Bank
Monterey Peninsula Foundation
Monterey Peninsula Quilters Guild
Nancy Buck Ransom Foundation
Oldtown Salinas Foundation
Pebble Beach Company Foundation
Precision Alarms
Rudi Schulte Family Foundation
Salinas Grocery Outlet
Sally Hughes Church Foundation, c/o Ottone & Leach LLP
For nearly four decades, ARIEL Theatrical has provided opportunities for young people to experience the thrill of live performance. Participants discover however, that there is much more to creating magic on stage than memorizing songs and learning lines.
At ARIEL, kids are taught the importance of accountability and respect among cast members. They are also encouraged to give their best efforts and lead with integrity, no matter what role they play in the production. The magic created at ARIEL doesn’t end when the curtain closes. It continues to inspire our young participants as they utilize lessons learned at ARIEL to impact the world in positive ways.
Josephine Swanson, ARIEL participant and Youth Leader, described the powerful influence that ARIEL has had in her life. In her words, “ARIEL has taught me so much, not just about who I am, but who I want to be…..I look forward to being an accountable, respectful, integrity filled, and excellent leader for the rest of my life and showing others how to do the same.”
Please consider supporting our efforts to teach and inspire the leaders of tomorrow by making a donation to ARIEL through the Monterey County Gives! campaign. Online donations are simple, secure, and will be increased with matching funds (up to $75,000) through December 31st.
