Volunteers
April is Volunteer Appreciation Month across the nation. At the Kauffman Center that means saying “thank you” more than 650 times. Those smiling faces greeting you in Brandmeyer Great Hall, showing you to your seat or answering your questions are volunteers. Yes, they work for free—and they love it.
“I feel good about myself, about Kansas City and about the arts when I step into the Kauffman Center,” says Alexis Martin who has earned her 1,000+ hour badge by working in the administrative offices once a week and ushering at performances with her husband, Don. “I feel like I’m really making something important happen here.”
President and CEO Paul Schofer can’t say enough positive things about the Center’s 650+ volunteers. “Yes, their contribution of time is significant and saves money for this nonprofit organization. But that’s not the most important thing. Volunteers are often the first contact point for patrons and guests. Their positive can-do attitudes, their anticipation of patron needs and their commitment to our mission are priceless.”
If you’d like to volunteer, or know of a friend who would find this of interest, please contact Jennifer Stapleton, Volunteer Supervisor at jstapleton@kauffmancenter.org or 816-994-7912.
National Volunteer Appreciation Week provides a wonderful opportunity for us to thank our large and diverse volunteer team. We are grateful for the unique set of talents and abilities each volunteer brings to the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
Kauffman Center relies on these exceptional people to serve as ushers, greeters, tour guides and gift shop attendants. They also provide crucial support for administration, marketing, and development.
Kauffman Center volunteers have gifted more than 25,000 hours to date!
The Kauffman Center’s vision to enrich the lives of everyone in the community through extraordinary and diverse performing arts experiences would not be possible without them. They truly make a difference.
Kauffman Center Holds Ambassador Celebration
More than 150 people participated in the Kauffman Center Ambassadors’ celebration on October 22, 2008. The event, which recognized their relaunch as a self-sustaining group, was held at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center and included a presentation — and sincere thank you — from Julia Irene Kauffman, president of the Kauffman Center Board of Directors. Julia is pictured to the left, along with Ambassador President-Elect Anne Peterson.
Ambassadors enjoyed a reception and met others interested in becoming members. The reception was followed by the short program that included an update on construction progress made by Jane Chu, president and CEO of the Kauffman Center and Ken Dworak, owner’s representative. Lisa Shubert Hickok, president of the Ambassadors, also addressed the group and explained the newly-formed membership structure.
Participants had the chance to sign up for a variety of volunteer activities and events being planned by this energetic membership group. Ambassadors Anne Peterson (to the left in the purple jacket) and David Renner visit with a person interested in joining the group.
The volunteer group called Kauffman Center Ambassadors is hardly a new concept. For more than two years, they have been all over town — literally — telling the Kauffman Center story to any interested party. Now they’ve reorganized as a membership organization that is self-sustaining and has a self-governing board of directors (pictured to the right). Board members shown: (from the left, front row): Kathy Peterson, Gary Maltbia, Nicolle Ratliff, Marilyn Salomon, Lisa Hickok, Anita Maltbia, Cheryl Spear. Back row: David Renner, Dick Fagerberg and Anne Peterson.
“We saw that the Ambassadors had the core of a membership organization that could have long-term impact for the Kauffman Center,” explains Lisa Hickok, pictured at the left, and who has been tapped as president of the new organization “As a self-sustaining, self-governing group, Ambassadors can take on roles beyond that of cheerleader and move into program support and fund raising. But we’ll remain boosters at our core.”
If you are interested in joining the Ambassadors, there is detailed information about membership categories, responsibilities and how to join on the Kauffman Center website.
Groundbreaking Kicks off on October First Friday
A traditional groundbreaking complete with hardhats and shovels will take place at 4 p.m. on the new performing arts center site on Oct. 6, 2006. The public and invited guests will gather at 17th and Wyandotte to watch the earth move. Guests will also hear brief remarks from Julia Irene Kauffman, Mayor Kay Barnes and design team leaders Moshe Safdie, Richard Pilbrow and Yasuhisa Toyota.
From 5 to 8 p.m. the action moves to the old fire station at 19th and Central (and a nearby parking lot) to become part of the First Friday festivities. You’re invited, and here’s what you can expect:
- A tenth-scale model of the concert hall is being built in the old fire station at 215 W. 18th Street. The public will be invited inside to take a sneak peek at this model under construction which will be used to test acoustics and perfect design concepts. The model is no tiny treasure: it will be 15 feet high and 18 feet wide.
- A stage will be erected in the parking lot at TakeTwo Productions at 1906 Wyandotte to accommodate the steady stream of entertainment that will take place throughout the evening. Enjoy musicians from the Kansas City Symphony, dancers from the Kansas City Ballet, a bit of drama from Lyric Opera performers. And that’s not all, as representatives of other arts groups are being lined up now.
- Meet the Ambassador volunteers and learn how you can become involved.
If you’re at First Friday on September 1st, keep your eye out for Ambassadors in special blue t-shirts. They’ll be drumming up interest in the groundbreaking activities, handing out invitations and showing some off-the-wall-video projections.
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