Congratulations to the winners of the 2011-2012 volunteer awards. They were all very much deserved.
Best Performance by a Volunteer in a Leading Role
Judi Wilkinson
Charles V. York Distinguished Service Award:
Catherine Lambe
Glen A. Miller Technical Service Award:
Dan Eckert
Ed Bodell Rookie of the Year:
John Maruca
Al D. Wolfheimer Volunteer Award:
Adrienne Dyson
Ann Haigler
Carolyn La Rue
Jeff Miles
Elaine Petrone
David Watts
Best Performance by a Volunteer in a Leading Role, Judi Wilkinson
Charles V. York Distinguished Service Award, Catherine Lambe
Ed Bodell Rookie of the Year, John Maruca
Wolfheimer Award Winners, Adrienne Dyson, Elaine Petrone, Ann Haigler, Carolyn La Rue, David Watts
Best Performance by a Volunteer in a Leading Role: Judi Wilkinson
Presented by Charles Phaneuf
One thing that is different about this year’s Cantey Awards is someone who is here, but in the audience rather than backstage. Judi Wilkinson has stage managed every Cantey Awards for some 35 years. She was at RLT for the 50th anniversary, played a major role in the 75th and we hope she’s here for the 100th. She has done every possible job backstage, even once working in the costume shop, has played every role in front of house, served on the board, and was a charter member of the Fitz-Simons Society. She holds the title of Concessions Queen, though that doesn’t do full justice to all of the many areas in which she continues to contribute to Raleigh Little Theatre.
Additionally, Judi always is the one to do extra special things for people, remembering anniversaries, birthdays and who needs a get-well-soon card. She is simply and completely irreplaceable, though we hope she doesn’t go anywhere for many years to come.
Charles V. York Distinguished Service Award: Catherine Lambe
Presented by Lynn Freeman
The Charles V. York, Jr Distinguished Service Award recognizes those volunteer s whose work at RLT form “the backbone of the organization, instrumental to its success and without whom this theatre would be much diminished”. The recipient is chosen by the staff.
This year’s award winner has been extremely involved at RLT since the 1992-1993 season. Behind the scene she has worked in every role and in almost every show each season. These roles have included: costumes, dresser, crew chief, props, light and sound, usher and assistant stage manager. Other roles have included working on the volunteer appreciation committee(now the VRAC), serving as the Volunteer Representative to the Board of Directors, serving on the RLT Board of Directors as Secretary and Member-at-Large.
She once said, “The main reason I have remained involved at RLT, besides the friends I have made, is the welcoming attitude of staff and other volunteers. You are not made to feel as if you can’t do something, training is always provided and you are encouraged to grow and expand your comfort level. To me, that is one of the most important benefits which RLT offers to the Triangle community.” She listens, she is thoughtful and she offers well-thought out suggestions. And she always follows-through with commitments.
It is an honor for me to give this award to Catherine Lambe.
Al D. Wolfheimer Award: Adrienne Dyson
Presented by Tara Connolly
She’s been volunteering at RLT since the 80’s and she is most definitely one of the volunteers us new staff members go to for answers. She’s on the production side as Assistant Stage Manager. She is Assistant to the Director. She is crew member. She is on the Front-of-House side as coordinator of ushers and usher. She is long-time VAC committee member. She is former staff, former company news/Fanfare writer.
AND she can shoot rubber band through the pass through hole in the business office window through to the main desk. Yes, that is what your years at RLT get you! Ask her about the RLT Raspberry ghost, which, I’m told, involves raspberry Kool-Aid, a dark stage and a cool puff of air. I’m certainly going to ask her!
Always competent, quick to offer her thoughts AND her help. She is always there when committed. She has a steady and generous volunteer hand in much of what goes on here at RLT. This year, she has traveled through a broken arm and shingles in recent weeks, still playing a major role in making this night happen. Are you inspired by her or what? I am honored to present Adrienne Dyson with a Wolfheimer Volunteer Award in recognition of her impressively varied and long record of volunteer service at RLT.
Al D. Wolfheimer Award: Ann Haigler
Presented by Jenny Mitchell
This has been a great year in the costume shop. We have welcomed several new volunteers into our fold and combined with our regular volunteers we have come through some very big costume shows.
Vicki and I would like to thank each and every one of our great costume shop volunteers as well as our dresser coordinator Marie Berry and all the dressers who have worked shows this year. We look forward to working with all of you in the 2012-2013 season.
This year we would like to present an Al Wolfheimer Volunteer Service Award to a special volunteer. She has been with us scarcely a year but it would be difficult to imagine getting a show done without her help.
Although she volunteers for several other great organizations she gives us at least two days a week. She has been volunteering with us since Ruthless and is now considered one of our costume shop “regulars”. It has been our good fortune that she is going to culinary school because we get to test lots of great baked goods.
And, we love her willingness to take on the more difficult and unpopular sewing tasks – Most recently she put together a fur cape which is not a wonderful project in the winter when it’s cool but in this summer heat wave she looked a little like she had been tarred and feathered when she finished. For that and much more it is our pleasure to award Ann Haigler with a Wolfie.
Al D. Wolfheimer Award: Carolyn La Rue
Presented by Tara Connolly
When she’s coming in from her volunteer shift, ask her how she is and she says, “I’m grateful.”
Another volunteer described to me how astounded when she saw this volunteer selling RLT raffle tickets! Come one, come all! She was brilliant. Working the room with style. You can tell she loves people and loves theatre.
She moved here 5 years ago and has been volunteering at RLT ever since! She volunteers as an usher, as a general spreader-of the RLT-word in the community and every Tuesday in the business office, she cheerfully and greets guests and assists callers, among many helpful tasks, while sipping her chai tea.
Preparing and filing receipts, greeting and orienting patrons to their seats or hawking raffle tickets to benefit RLT. She has volunteered at institutions around the nation – the Kennedy Center – and in Philadelphia, Chicago and probably several others I missed!
Even her email signature says, “Be Blessed, Stay Blessed, and Always Bless Someone Else” – RLT is SO VERY blessed AND grateful to call Carolyn La Rue part of the RLT volunteer family and to award her the Wolfheimer Volunteer Award tonight in honor of her service!
Al D. Wolfheimer Award: Elaine Petrone
Presented by Linda O’Day Young
This recipient of the Al Wolfheimer Volunteer Award has been a constant volunteer with RLT for many years serving in just about every volunteer position possible: House Manager, Usher, Audition crew, Stage Manager, Assistant Stage Manager, Deck Crew, Board Operator, etc. And there has hardly been a light hang where she wasn’t in attendance.
Especially for Kathleen and me, she has been a constant enthusiastic supporter of the Youth Theatre and Education Program. Constant – that’s a pretty amazing quality. You know when you are on overload and you say, “If only there was somebody to help with this.” Or when you are planning an event or fundraiser and you say, “Somebody will have to do this or we’re gonna need somebody to do this.” Well this person is that somebody for us.
She recently finished her term on the Board as VP for the Youth Programming. She’s been a member of our Youth Parent Committee for years. Last year accompanied the Storytellers to Go! Trouping Ensemble to performance sites serving as House Manager and promoting RLT by putting out RLT flyers and talking to families about our Education Program. She even entertained the children in the audience with a puppet as they waited for the house to open each weekend. Last year she was my Stage Manager for Merry Christmas, Strega Nona. I am honored to present this Al Wolfheimer Volunteer Award to the Youth Program’s very special somebody, Elaine Petrone.
Al D. Wolfheimer Award: David Watts
Presented by Kathleen Rudolph
This Wolfie goes to someone very special to RLT. We first met 12 years ago when he ventured into stage managing during our production of The Velveteen Rabbit, and he has been volunteering madly ever since! This fine gentleman shows up at work calls and strikes, is on the RLT Board, takes all the youth show archive photos, manages our fabulous website, has a name recognizable to everyone at RLT and is eager to help us in any way at any time of day or night. We certainly could not get along without him. This remarkable guy is extremely dear to MY heart, because we played husband and wife in our 2001 production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever! This Wolfie goes to David Watts.