Local business, Holmes for Her, has donated $800 to Cedartown Middle School's arts program.

The clothing store on Main Street in Cedartown sells women's clothing, jewelry, handbags and accessories.

Co-Owner of Holmes for Her, Alice Pittman said that the fundraiser this year was started by the jewelry and handbag company, Brighton, who created a program called “Brighton loves kids across America” that benefits arts programs in schools. These programs have been losing funding over the last few years, and some school systems have considered cutting them completely.

“Brighton's mission was to do something to keep that from happening,” said Pittman. “So they said 'let's help stores raise money to give back to their town'.”

Pittman said that they joined with Brighton by selling a bracelet called the “Americana”. Proceeds from the sale of the bracelets are donated to the store's school of choice.

She also mentioned that they teamed up with Vera Bradley, a handbag company, to raise even more money for the school. Vera Bradley and Holmes for Her donated many items, which they then raffled off to raise more money for their cause.

Holmes for Her raised the $800 from the first of July through mid-August.

“We chose Cedartown Middle School,” said Pittman. “We just thought it was really important at those ages that they have art programs.”

“We appreciate everything that the community does to help out the school and the students,” Dawn Williams, principal at Cedartown Middle School, said.

Williams said that she will be meeting with the leadership team to decide how to best spend the donation. She mentioned that the arts program includes both band and art, and that those programs have had their funding cut.

“They will be grateful to get some money,” said Williams.

Pittman said she plans to try to do another fundraiser next year.

“We do something most every year,” said Pittman. “We usually don't do the same thing year after year, we change it up.”