By RORYE O’CONNOR
rorye.oconnor@register-news.com
MT. VERNON— The Cedarhurst Center for the Arts is a true travel treasure, says the AAA Midwest Traveler.
Cedarhurst was named a Midwest Travel Treasure in the March/April 2010 issue of the AAA magazine.
“It’s just a huge benefit to be mentioned, not only for the exposure, but because the magazine is typically geared towards travel,” said Sarah Sledge, Cedarhurst Center for the Arts Communication Director.
The Midwest Traveler magazine is circulated to more than 500,000 homes in Missouri, Southern Illinois, eastern Kansas and southern Indiana, information states.
The article tells the story of how Eleanor and John Mitchell donated their estate to create the Mitchell Museum, as well as describing the expansion to the museum.
“We’re pleased to add Cedarhurst Center for the Arts to the growing list of ‘treasures’ in our region,” stated Michael Right, editor/publisher of AAA Midwest Traveler. “Our members recognize the Midwest has endless travel and recreational opportunities. We try to offer places like this to our readers to encourage more exploration of local sites and attractions.”
Sledge said it was exciting for Cedarhurst to be included, because the magazine also offers a section for interested readers to write to the center for more information.
“Any time we’re in a national magazine like this, we always get inquiries,” she said. “It’s more prevalent all the time.”
Being named a Midwest Travel Treasure is not the first time Cedarhurst Center for the Arts has received such an accolade.
In April 2006, Cedarhurst Center for the Arts was second in a list of 10 “Art-rageously Fun Parks,” in the Family Sun, Sledge said.
The Midwest Traveler article comes at a good time for Cedarhurst, Sledge said.
The Cedarhurst sculpture park will be renamed the Keuntz Sculpture Park June 12 after a St. Louis contributor, Bernard Keuntz, Sledge said.
“We started planning this last summer, but we were waiting for good weather,” she said. “We’re excited to have it come out this year.”
