Did you know that Perkins had its start in volunteerism? Perkins Center for the Arts was born out of the all-volunteer group in 1977 who set out to create something special and serve their community. This year for Volunteer Appreciation Week, Perkins would like to highlight a few volunteers who have upheld those same values.

“I believe in volunteering as a way to give some of my time in service to others in the Perkins community.” -Bob Barbeau

If you find yourself at a lawn concert or artist reception in Moorestown, there’s a chance you’ll run into Bob, who will invite you to join in “seeing unique art and meeting new artists”.

If you’re over at our Collingswood location however, it may be Renee Winkler who is there to greet you. Renee is a major player in welcoming all to gather and celebrate artists.

“The limited time I give to volunteer for the artists’ receptions gives me an opportunity to see the new art, I would not otherwise be exposed to, meet some of the community and connect with the artists — who love to talk about their work. I should thank you for the opportunity. I’ve encouraged friends to attend. No one stops by for just one night. They return for the next reception, as do I.” -Winkler

Renee isn’t alone in this. Our volunteers’ love of the arts has just taken a big step, with our brand new Docent program kicking off this month! This team of volunteers is sharing their passion for art with their community at our Collingswood gallery every Saturday. Whether they are giving you behind-the-scenes facts about the artist or teaching you methods of art appreciation, they are dedicated to public engagement and cultivating curiosity in all.

Another volunteer that has displayed incredible commitment to his community is Shandon Willey. Shandon has recently joined us at Perkins, volunteering his time to teach our Veteran’s Guitar Chapter. Shandon is a veteran himself and a skilled guitarist who makes all feel welcome the moment they pick up their instrument.

“I think I’ve always sought places to volunteer wherever I was. Whether it was volunteering in the mail rooms in my prior service days, within the local communities or the occasional animal rescue.

It costs next to nothing to contribute and rarely does it ever lead to bad outcomes. With the Veteran’s Guitar Chapter, it allows me to share my outlet and create the opportunity for others to discover something for themselves.” -Willey

Of course, we couldn’t house any of our programs if we didn’t have a place to call home. Keeping a roof over our head, Dave Schill and Mike Zuber have been lending their expertise in carpentry and maintenance to care for our hundred-year-old buildings.

“I offer my services to Perkins because Moorestown is blessed to have Perkins here and I would very much like to see it continue offering the programs that it does. One way for that to happen is for volunteers to donate their time and talent.” -Schill

Thank you to these individuals, and many more, for co-creating another amazing year at Perkins with us! We are thrilled to be able to honor our volunteers by featuring a few of them here and gifting them a year-long membership to Perkins. Their stewardship of the arts and dedication to their community inspires us not just this week, but all year long.

If you want to join our volunteer community, check out our volunteer form today!

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