News & Notes February 2014
From the SVA President
According to Webster’s Dictionary, volunteerism is the policy or practice of volunteering one’s time or services for nonprofit or community services. Perhaps the definition could be improved to say volunteerism gives people the opportunity to donate their time or services for nonprofit or community service.
In the SVA members are offered many opportunities to work. Volunteers are in full working mode at this time of year. Some jobs are harder than others, but all tasks are being completed with good spirit. When a job gets hard, there is a cadre in place to help. Along the way volunteers meet new friends, learn new life skills and enjoy music performed by one of the finest symphony orchestras in the world.
The SVA Nominating Committee, under the leadership of Chair Phyllis Traub, will soon be making phone calls to secure chair positions for next year. Try thinking of the upcoming calls requesting you to take or continue an SVA position as a compliment to your leadership potential and an opportunity to excel in volunteerism.
Regards,
Sara Fabick
President
St. Louis Symphony Volunteer Association
p: 314-822-1183
SVA BOARD NOTES
John Easley, VP of Development, was the guest speaker at the SVA Board Meeting on Thursday, January 23. John was complimentary and offered the staff’s appreciation for the work the SVA is doing. He gave a thorough and very understandable presentation of the STL Symphony’s financial picture. He explained how plans are being laid to ensure an improving and continued sound financial path for the STL Symphony.
MEMBERSHIP
Please join us on Saturday, March 1 for our Winter Membership Meeting at the St. Louis Marriott West (660 Maryville West Drive).
- 9:00am Coffee
- 9:30am Breakfast Buffet
- 10:15am Presentation by Jessica Ingraham, Youth Orchestra Manager & Education Program Coordinator
- 11:00am Conclude
Menu: fresh-sliced fruit & berries, scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, yogurt and granola parfaits, pastries and muffins; juice, coffee and tea.
Click here to purchase your reservation ($30/person).
Chair Helen Hume held an informative planning meeting for the Communications group on Thursday, January 16. KeyNotes will be published only once a year toward the end of summer in order to include information about Gypsy Caravan and a summary of the year’s accomplishments. It will be twelve pages this year, which allows room for many photos and stories that can personalize the SVA to its members and others. A KeyNotes meeting will be held in early March.
The Communications Committee determined that fewer Membership Directories will be printed next year, and personal labels will not be put on them. Members will be alerted to different locations where they can pick up directories.
Here’s how to get your printed 2013-2014 Membership Directory:
- Contact Amee Colvin and ask to have your copy left at the Boutique to be picked up at concert, or arrange to pick up a directory at the Centene Center
- Ask a friend who goes to the office frequently to pick up a copy for you
Click here to access the online version of the directory and you will be asked for a password. If you do not know the password, call any Board Member for the information or Amee Colvin.
Odile Tompkins will now be assisting Chair and Vice Chair of New & Prospective Members Margie Lazarus and Christy Adams by contacting members who have joined in the last three years to touch base with them and invite them to attend the New and Recent Member Orientation scheduled for Saturday, March 15. Odile can help members make choices about which committees they might like to join and answer any questions they may have.
The next New & Prospective Member Event will be held on Monday, March 31 at the home of Linda and Paul Lee. Members should be thinking of friends or family they might like to bring to the event. More details to follow.
Photography Chair Margaret Lahrmann will be scheduling photographers for many upcoming events to document the work of the SVA. The photographers are already at work and taking amazingly wonderful photos.
Jeff Kaplan will be assisting in the production of an annual PowerPoint presentation which will document the work of the SVA.
Chair Linda Seibert reports that One & Done has a total of 254 hours volunteered by 42 members at 11 events. O & D has never failed to complete an assignment yet. Chairs and team leaders take note that O & D is standing by to offer their assistance if you are finding you are short-handed for an event: contact Linda Seibert.
EDUCATION
Picture the Music and Express the Music have many important work parties scheduled in February, March and April. The hardworking chairs will need support and commitment from their full committees to bring these two major programs to completion.
The seasoned volunteers for these two committees really enjoy the work parties. If you have never been to the Awards Ceremony for PTM and/or ETM, mark your calendars. Families, friends, teachers, and administrators are thrilled to see their student honored on the stage of beautiful Powell Hall.
Chair of Powell Hall Opportunities Marilyn Gordon reports that Dan Wells continues to need more Bus Hosts for upcoming Education Concerts. Naturally, hosting in the colder months is a bit more challenging, but welcoming students and helping to secure their passage into Powell Hall will warm your heart on the coldest day. Contact Dan Wells if you can help out.
Instrument Playground is now beginning their annual work with Symphony in Your School (formerly known as Adopt-a-School). Visits to Litzsinger School and Des Lee Institute schools in Warrenton, MO, have been made with more upcoming visits to be scheduled.
Chairs Ellen and Dennis Brommelhorst report that the staffing for the Boutique is nearly complete through the June concert schedule.
Volunteers at Coffee Concerts, Tour Guides, Boutique Staff, Bus Hosts, and Instrument Playground volunteers serve as ambassadors for STL Symphony and their assistance is greatly appreciated by the staff.
FUNDRAISING
The secret is out—Gypsy Caravan is moving to The Family Arena in St Charles! New construction on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus has made logistics too difficult to remain. However, UMSL was a marvelous host to Gypsy for several years.
The Family Arena will accommodate Gypsy Caravan revenue growth well into the future with:
- More than 400 exterior booth spaces on a single flat lot
- More than 120 interior air-conditioned booth spaces
- On-site parking for roughly 3000 vehicles
- Shuttle service available and overflow parking at the St. Charles Convention Center
- Easy highway access from both Highway 70 and the Page Extension.
- A population-centered location that can pull shoppers from both St. Louis and St. Charles Counties
- A supplemental advertising budget to publicize the event and the new location
Another exciting event will be a Preview Party on Sunday evening. Look for more exciting news to follow. Needless to say the SVA will need all hands on deck to volunteer for the SVA’s largest fundraiser of the year.
Chair Anne von der Heydt is busily finalizing contracts, seeking underwriting for Parties of Note events in 2014-2015, and pulling together the new PON catalog. Linda Lee is laying plans for the Pick a Party! on Sunday, April 27.
While all the new plans are being wrapped up, parties are still happening that will really help PON meet its fundraising goals. Click here for more information and to purchase reservations for remaining 2013-2014 parties. (link to PON main page)
SVA OFFICE
SVA Office Location and Directions
Centene Center for Arts and Education
3547 Olive St., Suite 370
St. Louis, MO 63103
Office Hours: 9:00am-5:00pm
SVA committee meetings can be scheduled at the SVA office with Amee Colvin, Director of Volunteer Activities.
A member of your SVA committee should be available in the Centene Center lobby to let you into the building. If you arrive late and no one is there, use the call box at the street entrance. Scroll down to "Symphony Volunteer Association," hit the call button, and Amee will respond. You may also call the office directly at 314-289-4168 for building entrance.
