/ en /news/2024-02/koko-h-beetle-honors-hylton-centers-community-contributions <span>Koko H. Beetle Honors the Hylton Center鈥檚 Community Contributions</span> <span><span>Zoe Harr</span></span> <span>Wed, 02/07/2024 - 12:26</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--70-30"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><div class="align-center"> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/extra_large_content_image/public/2024-02/191203001.jpg?itok=reQcFfLA" width="1480" height="777" alt="Hylton Performing Arts Center" loading="lazy" /></div> </div> <p><em>Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services/George Mason 麻豆国产.聽</em></p> <hr /><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Audiences at the Hylton Center will soon see a unique name adorning the halls of the <a href="https://hyltoncenter.org/about/education-and-rehearsal-wing">Education and Rehearsal Wing</a>. An anonymous donor has recently included the Hylton Center in their estate plans, and as such, the Hylton Center has recognized their outstanding generosity by naming the first of two classrooms in the Education and Rehearsal Wing the 鈥淜oko H. Beetle Classroom.鈥� </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>But <em>who</em> is Koko H. Beetle? 鈥淚t鈥檚 three names, really,鈥� shared the anonymous benefactor. 鈥�'Koko鈥� is a cat鈥攁n adopted stray named for the Kohala Coast in Hawaii. 鈥楬鈥� stands for Hobie, another adopted stray cat and short for Rehoboth, Delaware, a favorite place to visit. And 鈥楤eetle鈥� is one of my child鈥檚 nicknames since they were little.鈥�</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <figure class="quote"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>When asked what inspired them to remember the Hylton Center in their estate plans, the longtime donor and patron responded, 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 take it with you鈥� we are really happy with what we have鈥� and someone else can have the rest.鈥� </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></figure><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Having grown up in a city surrounded by world-class arts, they recognized the Hylton Center as a true asset to the people in the City of Manassas, Prince William County, and its surrounding community. This donor hopes that their gift will help the Hylton Center continue its mission to stimulate and transform the cultural and economic vitality of the region after their lifetime. Inviting others, especially children who may not otherwise attend, honors their own experience growing up and extends their lifelong tradition of volunteerism and helping others.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2024-02/191203036.jpeg?itok=vrzk8XMa" width="350" height="350" alt="Hylton Education Wing" loading="lazy" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services/George Mason 麻豆国产.聽</figcaption></figure><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>They shared that their own child (that same 鈥淏eetle!鈥�) practically grew up at the Hylton Center, attending performances and even performing on stage. That early introduction to the arts sparked a passion that is still alight today, manifested through continued participation as a performer and frequent audience member. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>The parent-child duo worked side by side in making decisions about how they would plan for the future. 鈥淲e live in a modest house, we live below our means鈥� we decided that we would leave the bulk of our estate to be put to good use in the community.鈥� They noted being inspired by others who have lived quietly and donated the majority of their wealth. Between a scholarship at 鈥淏eetle鈥檚鈥� alma mater鈥攁nd now this outstanding support of the Hylton Center鈥攖he Hylton Center team very much looks forward to honoring these donors and making good on their desire to 鈥減ut it to good use.鈥�</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://gmu.giftplans.org">George Mason 麻豆国产鈥檚 Office of Planned Giving</a> is here to answer any questions you may have about how you can make an impact on the Hylton Center through an estate gift鈥攏o matter the size.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="d2de4e59-6271-498d-a0b8-4273f00bb40f"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://gmu.giftplans.org"> <h4 class="cta__title">Learn more about Planned Giving <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"></span> </a> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="58469d62-c18c-425d-add9-973f1ba7f38f" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>For any additional questions about planned giving at the Hylton Center, contact our team at<strong>聽<a href="mailto:mylegacy@gmu.edu" title="Email to Aquanetta J. Betts, J.D.">mylegacy@gmu.edu</a></strong>.</p> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:news_list" data-inline-block-uuid="a301cc58-b144-4ebe-97ae-87ba3a80ec64" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocknews-list"> <h2>Related News</h2> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="view view-news view-id-news view-display-id-block_1 js-view-dom-id-284c81b48b2d28b1e8c55524896f274bf91809fd2d4d6b1aea5a001189b4b53d"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="news-list-wrapper"> <ul class="news-list"><li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2025-05/honors-college-course-uses-opera-explore-landmark-court-case" hreflang="en">Honors College course uses opera to explore landmark court case </a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">May 22, 2025</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2025-05/alumna-was-production-supervisor-oscar-winning-film-anora" hreflang="en">This alumna was a production supervisor for the Oscar-winning film "Anora"鈥� </a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">May 2, 2025</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2025-04/hylton-center-celebrates-successful-15th-anniversary-gala" hreflang="en">The Hylton Center Celebrates Successful 15th Anniversary Gala</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">May 2, 2025</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2025-04/graduate-student-uses-healing-power-art-help-other-veterans" hreflang="en">Graduate student uses the healing power of art to help other veterans </a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">April 29, 2025</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2025-04/podcast-ep-67-building-community-and-conversation-through-arts" hreflang="en">Podcast 鈥� EP 67: Building community and conversation through the arts</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">April 21, 2025</div></div></li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1481" hreflang="en">Hylton Center</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/116" hreflang="en">Campus News</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/146" hreflang="en">College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/5411" hreflang="en">philanthropy</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Wed, 07 Feb 2024 17:26:00 +0000 Zoe Harr 110591 at