Artober Fest Celebrates Creativity of Moreno Valley’s Artists

Artists took over the Moreno Valley Conference and Recreation Center Saturday at the Annual Artober Fest. Visitors were welcomed to an array of booths, performers and exhibits honoring the beauty and magic of the arts. Ruth Van Hala, the Vice Chairperson for the Moreno Valley Arts Commission, said “[The Artober Fest] reminds me of the state fair, [with] so many new things I haven’t tried before.” Of the many booths displaying works of arts ranging from handmade necklaces to paintings and handcrafted items, there were many booths inviting youth to join their organizations and develop not only artistic, but also leadership skills. The Women Wonder Writers (WWW) is a nonprofit organization that empowers youth affected by abuse, trauma, and victimization. The organization teaches self-expression through art, writing, and public speaking. They hope that through programs such as The Write for Your Life—a 10-week program that teaches self-discovery, self-expression, empathy, tolerance, and team building—they can help “students write about their journeys, give them confidence to reach their full academic potential, and encourage them to give back to their community by spreading awareness on tough issues and practicing tolerance.” Job’s Daughters International is a Masonic organization for young women between the ages of 10 through 20, who have stated as their purpose to provide a “wholesome environment based on the foundation of high morals, love of country, love of family and friends, and respect for others throughout the world.” Ethel T. Wead Mick in Omaha, Nebraska founded the organization, which has established chapters in 31 states and four countries. The name Job’s Daughters originates from The Book of Job from a verse in chapter 42, “And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job.” The organization has established friendship, leadership, and charity as their pillars. Through friendship they hope that their members will become more than just lifelong friends, but rather become sisters. They hope to empower women to become leaders in their communities and take leadership positions in the future, making positive impacts on other women who seek membership into Job’s Daughters. The ladies of this organization are proud to have established their own charity, The Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment (HIKE). They provide hearing assistive devices for impaired children, which have inspired many members of the organization to learn sign language. Van Hala felt the event was a success, and that the participation for this year’s Artober Fest surpassed those from the past. She hopes that for next year the event will be twice as big, with hopes of obtaining a bigger venue, expanding the hours or doubling the days or a combination of all. Another goal for the future of the festival is to incorporate culinary arts, to embrace fully all areas of the arts. Van Hala hopes the Artober Fest will continue to grow each year and explained she wishes the best to the Arts Commission, as she will retire at the end of this year. She said she will continue to support the festival in the years to come.