Performing arts center program honors the late Harry Kiesendahl

BUSHKILL - To honor a man who truly loved the arts, the Mountain Laurel Center for the Performing Arts has named its membership program after its founding chairman, the late Harry Kiesendahl. “Harry’s Club” will continue to offer the membership benefits including advance notice of upcoming events, a 10% savings on ticket purchases, and other perks relevant to the various levels of membership. “Harry’s Club” memberships are on sale now and can be ordered Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. by phone at 570-426-2080 x5007, or anytime online at www.mountainlaurelcenter.com. “Harry Kiesendhal fervently believed in the power of the arts and in the Mountain Laurel Center’s potential to transform the region,” said Richard T. Bryant, center President & CEO. “His love for this place and his faith in its future inspired us all. We all miss Harry terribly,” he added, “and pledge to remain vigilant in our drive to assure that his vision for a major performing arts center at the heart of the Pocono Mountains is secured for generations to come.” As founding chairman of the Mountain Laurel Center’s board of directors, Kiesendahl was instrumental in developing the center in its earliest days. He nurtured the involvement of then-governor Tom Ridge, for whom the center’s Tom Ridge Pavilion is named. As president of the Pennsylvania Travel Council, an organization he also founded, he coined the now-famous slogan “You’ve got a friend in Pennsylvania.” All members of Harry’s Club will receive a Mountain Laurel Center membership card and decal, a semi-annual newsletter, a 10% discount on ticket purchases, and will be notified in advance of general advertising for select center performances. Other benefits, including invitations to special events, listings in the season’s program books, and access to a special donor hospitality area and VIP parking, are available commensurate to the membership level. Annual memberships range from $50 to $1,000. This year Mountain Laurel Center’s 2007 summer season will open in June and will be announced this month. Mountain Laurel Center for the Performing Arts (MLCPA) is a nonprofit performing arts center serving the Pocono Mountains and beyond. Its principal venue, the Tom Ridge Pavilion, offers 2,500 covered seats and room under the stars for up to 3,000 more on its comfortable lawn. For additional information about the Mountain Laurel Center, please call 570.426.2084 or visit mountainlaurelcenter.com .