END OF AN ERA FOR PAS

Yesterday was the final day for the Percussive Arts Society to occupy our headquarters and conduct business in Lawton, Oklahoma. PAS has opened its headquarters in temporary space in the Symphony Center building in Indianapolis while our permanent home in Indianapolis is being designed and built (we should be able to move into the new, permanent space in about one year).

The city of Lawton has been very good to PAS, and in particular Jim Lambert, the percussion professor at Cameron University there in Lawton, was the driving force in getting PAS to move to Lawton in the late 1980's. I also need to mention the strong support of the McMahon Foundation, especially Dr. Charles Graybill and his lovely wife Betty. Their support enabled the society to grow from about 3500 members to the nearly 9500 we have today.

Moving to Indianapolis will enable PAS to attain the next several levels in terms of programming, national and international impact and awareness. We already have forged several partnerships and potential partnerships with strong arts organizations in Indy and have plans to forge many more.

PAS has had a number of great staff members in Lawton, and I thank each and every one of them for their dedication and expertise.