Riverside Children’s Theater is presented with a check
The late Aaron Norris once noted that if you’re going to serve, you’re going to give something—“your time, talent, and treasure, and all three are equal.” Now, the resilient Riverside change agent’s words are being brought to life to honor his outstanding legacy.
A few years ago, after being diagnosed with Stage 4 Intimal Sarcoma, a very rare form of cancer, Norris created The Aaron Norris Creative Fund to support arts programs in the Inland Empire. The fund was established in 2022. After battling cancer for 18 months, Aaron Norris passed away on July 1 of that year.
A valued community member and successful businessman, the fund, made possible via Inland Empire Community Foundation, befits Norris’s affinity with the arts, most notably his fierce dedication to the Give Big Riverside Campaign, raising almost $1M for charities in Riverside County.
“Aaron would always be presenting or hosting,” says Joey Romero, who oversees the fund. “He would always present marketing for nonprofits because he was in the public relations space, too. He wanted to teach nonprofits how to get their message out and how to market themselves better. When he passed, just like how he lived, he wanted to give back, and continue making an impact even when he was gone.”
From dream to reality
The fund has grown considerably in two years, and Romero says, “It’s time to start putting Aaron’s dream into action.”
On July 1 of this year, Romero and other supporters of the fund held a kick-off event for the inaugural Aaron Norris Creative Fund Grants and Scholarship Awards, hosted by Riverside Arts Academy at the Cesar Chavez Community Center.
Joey Romero presents check to Adam Karelin, Executive and Artistic Director at Riverside Arts AcademyChavez Community Center.
“We actually lost Aaron on July 1, 2022,” Romero shares. “I wanted to change the tone of that day to something great emerging from his vision and his desires.”
The event kicked off with the announcement of two $1,500 scholarships offered to Riverside Poly High School students pursuing the arts in college.
Riverside Children’s Theater performs at the Aaron Norris Creative Fund inaugural grants and scholarship program at the Cesar Chavez Community Center
“We did that at Poly because that’s where Aaron graduated from,” Romero says. “After those scholarships were awarded, Riverside Children’s Theater came out and performed three songs from their production this year, ‘Mary Poppins.’ It was great to experience 6 to 13-year-olds singing memorable tunes from the show.” Following the performance, the theater company was presented with a check for $5,000. But there were more scholarships to be handed out. Twelve scholarships were awarded to students at Riverside Arts Academy.
“Riverside Arts Academy has an endowment that for every $25,000, they can guarantee one scholarship in perpetuity,” Romero points out. “So rather than just put all the eggs in one basket by saying, ‘OK, we can give this much money,’ I thought, ‘What if we just donate 12 of those?’ That would be almost like the equivalent of an endowment of $300,000.”
“So, we decided to do six scholarships for students from Alvord Unified School District and six from Riverside Unified School District,” he adds. “Now, because of the Aaron Norris Creative Fund, 12 kids will be attending school on full scholarship.”Romero’s ties to Norris run deep, having worked side by side with him for many years, either volunteering together or collaborating or working on Give Big Riverside.
“It seemed like any time there was a big event that he wanted help, I’d help,” he says “Our friendship grew from there. I knew Aaron probably better than anybody.”
For a look at Norris’s unwavering spirit, his 2020 TEDx Talk, dubbed “The Story of My Life,” should offer an inspiring kick. The man created a unique legacy of positivity, love, and light. Fittingly, Romero is quick to note that thanks to the great response to this year’s inaugural event, plans for a larger committee are being considered. The goal: to distribute more scholarships in the years to come.
Learn more about The Aaron Norris Creative Fund at iegives.org/funds/aaron-norris-creative-fund/.
This story originally appeared in the Press Enterprise, July 2024.
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