Send a Letter to....
NDW has long been requesting a Presidential and Congressional Proclamation which would establish our annual celebration as a valid observation in America. These would also lend great credibility to our efforts in the view of the American public and the business world whereby we would gain increased recognition.
YOU can assist us in this endeavor by clicking on the "Contact Congress" link to send an email to both President George W. Bush and to your own Congresspersons. Join in with the thousands of others who have already sent their thoughts and wishes to these sources. Let our governmental leaders know of the power and presence of the dance community in America today!

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

The sample letter you will find enclosed is for your use in our continuing effort to obtain a Presidential and/or Congressional Proclamation for National Dance Week 2005. We are most hopeful you will join us in this ongoing campaign to gain official recognition of our worthy cause. Such proclamations would lend much-needed support and validation to all of our events and would also assist in obtaining the additional funding of which we are so in need.

With the issuance of President Bush’s Letter of Commendation for NDW 2002, we now know that all who had been writing did, at the very least, gain the attention of the White House. However, since it’s a Proclamation we are requesting, not merely “Presidential messages,” we do need to continue with our letter-writing campaign unabated. It will only be through a continuing stream of such petitions that the request finally not be dismissed for next year’s NDW! Should we eventually be granted our Presidential Proclamation, we would then ask that you send a letter of gratitude as a further show of support. Since we are approaching an election year, you might also consider sending copies of the letter sent to the White House to those politicians who are running for office. We suggest that you may use the enclosed sample letter as a guide for gaining the continued attention of the White House or, certainly, you may compose your own.

Since we have not received acknowledgement for this year, we would ask ALL to send an additional letter of petition TO BE MAILED ON DECEMBER 31, 2004. We cannot adequately stress the importance of what such a mass mailing and the impact it will have in emphasizing the total numbers of the dance community (who are also American voters) as well as the seriousness of our quest. You may also send an email by using the “Contact Congress” link on the NDW website (http://www.nationaldanceweek.org).

We thank you in advance for joining the ranks of those who have sent letters and want you to realize it will be only through YOUR efforts that we will gain the ultimate issuance of such a Proclamation.

Sincerely,
Patricia A. Goulding
Executive Director
National Dance Week

SAMPLE LETTERS

Sample Letter To Help NDW
Obtain Presidential Proclamation

President George W. Bush
White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, DC 20500
(Date)

Dear President Bush:

We would like to thank you for your kind letter of commendation sent in recognition of National Dance Week 2002. Your words are deeply appreciated and recognized by all from the American dance community.

We would, however, again like to present our continued request for the issuance of a Presidential Proclamation for the year 2005 observance of National Dance Week which will be observed April 22 through May 1, 2005. It would be beneficial for us to receive such an official validation since your esteemed office is, of course, the most highly respected in America. In our world today, I believe it is most important for us to celebrate all things American and, certainly, the art of Dance in America is a direct demonstration of our vivacity, freedom, independence and joy for living. Were you to issue a Presidential Proclamation, it would be a strong testament to the public as regards your own administration’s attitudes towards the arts and their place in our society and our educational forums.

We are hopeful you will be able to grant us the honor of such a proclamation as continuing proof of your administration's goals and philosophies as exemplified in your “Leave no child behind” program. I thank you iin advance for any time and consideration you may be able to give our humble request.

Respectfully yours,
(your signature)

SAMPLE LETTER TO SENATOR OR CONGRESSMAN

Senator or Congressmen’s name)
(above’s address)
(above’s address)
(Date)

Dear (Senator or Congressman/woman):

We would like to express our deep gratitude for the Letter of Commendation sent by President Bush in recognition of National Dance Week 2002.

We would, however, again like to present our continued request for a Congressional Proclamation for National Dance Week 2005 as an acknowledgement of our annual campaign to raise public awareness to the societal benefits inherent to our art form in America. With that thought in mind, we would respectfully ask that you give consideration to sponsoring and supporting such a Proclamation from Congress. Our dates for the next celebration are April 22 through May 1, 2005.

This would be most beneficial for us to receive such an official validation since it would greatly validate the presence of dance in the American education, medicine and entertainment worlds. A Congressional Proclamation would be a strong testament to the public as regards our government's attitudes towards the arts and their place in both our culture and educational forums. We are hopeful you will lend your support to this request.

With the inclusion of Dance in the Goals 2000 program for American education, witness is given to the importance of the movement arts in our society. This additional recognition from Congress would serve well to further emphasize that importance of dance as one of the integral arts in the United States and could well serve as an assurance to the people of the extent of your own interest in elevating the educational standards ever higher.

Sincerely,
(your signature)