With the approach of spring, many of us are looking to get out of the house and start a new adventure. Since 1974, National Volunteer Week celebrates the good works of hundreds of thousands of volunteers who find great satisfaction in contributing their time and talents to organizations they value.
This has been a tradition at the Chocolate Church Arts Center in Bath since 1977 when the Central Church was converted to a performing arts center, thanks to the volunteers of Sagadahoc Preservation, Inc., who also preserved the Winter Street Church.
Volunteers are key to all our musical and theatrical performances, whether it’s helping to build a set, hanging lights, finding props and costumes, or making video recordings. But those are just the basics. We depend upon volunteers to welcome people when they walk in the door, show them to their seats, make them some popcorn, and find them a cold drink.
Between shows we always need volunteers who can help spruce up the green room, deliver posters around town, and — especially this time of year, get the grounds in shape cutting branches back, raking, or planting flowers. Anyone with an urge to paint might be asked to put a new coat of paint on the back stairs, the front stairs, or the doors to the Annex and the scene shop. Speaking of the scene shop, that’s a place that needs to be cleaned out and re-arranged on a regular basis.
Then there are some opportunities that are outside the realm of the arts but needed in any organization: handwriting thank you notes to donors; helping with a fundraising event; or grant writing.
But getting back to all those people who volunteered back in the late ’70s and up through the early ’90s — wouldn’t it be great to reach out to those folks and make audio and video recordings of their memories?
There’s another volunteer opportunity.
For more information on upcoming shows or volunteering, call 442-8455 or stop by the office at 804 Washington St. in Bath, Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or log on to chocolatechurcharts.org.
Coming up:
• Sunday, April 16, 3 p.m. KindKids Family Concert.
• Saturday, April 22, 7:30 p.m. Being Petty: The Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Experience (Tribute).
• Thursdays, May 4, 11, 18 and 25, 10 a.m. KindKids Family Music & Movement Classes.
• Friday, May 5, 7:30 p.m., Eileen Ivers.
• Saturday, May 13, YellowHouse Blues Band.
Paula McKenney is a volunteer at the Chocolate Church Arts Center and a retired newspaper editor.
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