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Chautauquan takes steps to preserve Institution’s beauty, heart
7/23/2008 There’s a first time for everything — especially at Chautauqua. When Liz Scully enters those gates each summer, it’s her rule to do something she’s never done before. This year, that included receiving a facial, going on the House Tour sponsored by the Bird, Tree & Garden Club and cruising around the lake on the Chautauqua Belle. As is the Chautauqua way, a friend introduced Liz to the grounds approximately 16 years ago. “When (Sarah Nix) invited me, she didn’t tell me too much about it,” said Liz, of Boston. “I’ve come to understand why, because it really is indescribable. It has to be experienced. I really felt like a Chautauquan instantly. The place has a way of bringing you into the fold pretty quickly and pretty thoroughly.” Liz can still remember her first trip to the grounds. She wasn’t shy about delving into all Chautauqua has to offer. From golf to morning lectures to evening Amphitheater events to the ballet to the symphony, Liz did it all. And she continues to do it all each summer. Usually, her trips only last a week, but she had the luxury of staying two weeks this year. “A week really isn’t enough,” said Liz, who was in the investment business for 30 years. “You’re just in a frenzy running around trying to do all the things you want to do.” Liz’s time at Chautauqua has led her to become a CLS C graduate along with expanding her mind through Special Studies courses, including “Women Traveling Solo” and “Secular Humanism.” The latter course helped Liz appreciate Chautauqua’s goal of diversity of thought even more. “There’s no shortage of new ideas around here,” said Liz, adding she’s been able to think more deeply about issues during her stay on the grounds. Liz’s adoration for the Institution led her to take an immense step when she decided to include Chautauqua as a beneficiary of an IRA in her estate plans. Liz’s gift will be directed to the unspecified endowment, allowing the Institution to use the gift where it’s most needed. The Chautauquan recently started a Web site consulting business, so she’s currently not in a position to make a large gift. “It makes sense for me to name Chautauqua as a beneficiary of this retirement account so that I can be sure that a generous contribution can go to Chautauqua at some point,” said Liz, who is in her 50s. “It seemed important to me because I really love this place … this place is a part of me.” For over a century, people have generously given gifts so that Chautauqua can continue to thrive; Liz felt a personal responsibility to contribute “so that Chautauqua can maintain the beauty, the heart and excellence of what goes on here.” Chautauqua provides a home away from home for Liz. She admits that Boston is full of the arts, including the symphony, opera and theater. Yet, for her, it’s just not the same. “Here, everything is concentrated,” she said. “Everything is a five to 10 minute walk away. Here, I don’t have to think about anything other than doing things I want to do.” One of the things she always enjoys doing on the grounds is taking long walks with her 4 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Redford. In his couple of weeks on the grounds, he made quite a number of friends that were eager to pet him. Chautauqua’s a great place for dogs, too, explained Liz, laughing. Liz and Redford may have only spent two weeks out of the year at Chautauqua, but this beautiful, healthy place is never far from Liz’s mind — or dreams. “I think about Chautauqua all year long,” she said. “I look forward to it all year round. If I go to bed and have trouble sleeping, I say, ‘Well, let’s think about Chautauqua,’ and I’ll think about Chautauqua and be able to fall asleep.” Liz Scully’s designation of Chautauqua Foundation, Inc., as beneficiary of her IRA makes her a member of the Eleanor B. Daugherty Society, a special group of friends who have included Chautauqua in their estate plans. Chautauqua is pleased to offer Daugherty Society members many benefits during the season for their generosity. If you already have, or are considering such a gift for Chautauqua, please contact Karen Blozie at 357 6244 or email kblozie@chautauquafoundation.org.
Dedication of School of Dance facility marks important milestone for program
7/23/2008 It was described as “the little engine that could.” Saturday marked the dedication of Jean Pierre Bonnefoux Patricia McBride Hall, which includes The Joseph and Anna Gartner Foundation Photographic Gallery. As Chautauquans gathered to celebrate the fresh addition to the School of Dance, Geof Follansbee, CE O of the Chautauqua Foundation and vice president of development, couldn’t help but look at the past to truly embrace the present. “As I think about this project, it strikes me a little bit as the little engine that could,” Follansbee said. “It just sort of picked up steam along the way, thanks to a number of wonderful people. “Each gift made it possible for us to get to this point along this journey today,” he added. Dance students can continue to flourish and share their talent with future generations through the selfless and gracious donations of Chautauquans, such as Stewart and Donna Kohl, Ed Anderson, Carol Nobel Hirsh and others. When Hirsh’s husband, Dr. Michael Hirsh and older brother, Sanford Nobel, turned 70, she decided to celebrate the momentous occasion by donating a major gift to the School of Dance. “Nobel is both a name depicting a family and tradition,” President Thomas Becker said. “It’s also descriptive of the way this woman approached this project with a really noble sense of what she was trying to get done.” In 1973, Carol witnessed Jean Pierre Bonnefoux and Patti McBride dance together in the Amphitheater shortly after they were married. They were absolutely exquisite, Carol explained. That memory came back to Carol when she thought about a way to forever celebrate the lives of her husband and brother. “I guess I’ve always wanted to give something special and good for someone, and it just seemed to happen here at Chautauqua in the most natural way possible,” she said. “It wasn’t something that was forced; it just evolved — sort of like falling in love.” Artistic director Bonnefoux and McBride, master teacher of the School of Dance, could not be more grateful for the passion and dedication shown by donors. The new facility is “really a milestone in our dance program today,” Bonnefoux said. He feels honored to be able to tell people that not only are the levels of dancing, dancers and instructors great, but now the facilities are top of the line, as well. “There really are no words to thank you all for what you’ve done,” said McBride to all the people that made the new dance building possible. “This really is a triumph.” To Becker, Bonnefoux and McBride have served as the parents of dance at Chautauqua for over 25 years. “They bring to this set of facilities here a sense of family — a real caring about the humanity inside the arts,” he said. Chairman of the Board of Trustees George Snyder has also found that the two dance instructors have been truly inspiring for the Chautauqua community and the arts in general. “It’s wonderful to see the new buildings, but more importantly, to hear what these buildings really mean for our schools and for our programming,” Snyder said. “Jean Pierre and Patti have given so much to the Institution over these years. It’s really wonderful to have the facilities now to help them reach ever further.” Three student ballerinas, accompanied by a student violinist and pianist, floated and twirled in front of the audience that gathered for the dedication. The talent they exuded through their movement only furthered the reasons why the new dance facilities mean so much to Chautauqua. As a pediatrician for many years, Michael made it his life’s work to better the lives of children. Through the Jean Pierre Bonnefoux Patricia McBride Hall, he can further his dream and aspiration of changing children’s lives for the better. “It really is so important to give to the future,” Michael said “It’s very, very meaningful to us,” he said.
Celebrations abound at Literary Arts Center dedication
7/12/2008 Literary lovers and writers alike filled the Alumni Hall porch, with the majority of people pouring out onto the lawn Monday afternoon. The air was hot and muggy, but eyes and minds could focus on nothing but the big red ribbon that adorned the front porch. Members of the Chautauqua community came together to celebrate the dedication of the Literary Arts Center at the newly renovated Alumni Hall. That wasn’t the only reason why applause rang through the air. This summer also signifies the 20th anniversary of the Writers’ Center, celebrated by a reception in the Alumni Hall ballroom. Those in attendance were invited to tour the building and attend the reception following the dedication. “We are so pleased to have this opportunity for the literary arts to be together and grow in prominence here at Chautauqua,” said Sherra Babcock, director of education. “In bringing everyone together, we’re actually fulfilling the dream of the builders of this facility. “ Through the blood, sweat and tears of some of the first Chautauqua Literary & Scientific Circle classes, Alumni Hall was constructed in 1892. The building’s recent $1.5 million rejuvenation was made possible because of three dedicated, passionate donors: Georgia and John Court and Mary Anne Morefield. CLSC president Dick Karslake gave a special thanks to Virginia Carr, manager of Alumni Hall. “She had to clear out 115 years of accumulated stuff — no easy task if you are a ‘stuff’ collector,” said Karslake with a smile. Writers’ week could not have been scheduled at a better time, as authors Roger Rosenblatt and Billy Collins were present to partake in the writing and reading celebration. “Literature, you can actually do in your head, but just because it might not need a place doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve a place,” Collins said. “I think it’s terrific that this house is dedicated to a place where writers can get together with each other … writing is not always done alone. It often becomes a collaborative effort.” President Thomas Becker couldn’t help but be struck by the generosity of Morefield and the Courts and the earnestness they share with the building’s ingrained meaning to Chautauqua. “We have in the bones of this body the kind of earnestness that has always been the lifeblood of Chautauqua,” said Becker. “People gather here because they care about ideas and values and they are certain about that and aware that they’re not certain about anything else. I think that this building, as much or maybe more than any other place on the grounds, has been a gathering point for that kind of energy of earnestness.” “It’s one thing to give some money, and it’s another thing to have the money used well,” Georgia said. “And that’s what has happened here. We are very appreciative of the efforts of the Institution to do the job and do it right.” Throughout the entire renovation process, Morefield made a point to visit the building. She voiced many thanks to the workers and individuals involved in making the restoration such a success. The Courts’ and Morefield’s selfless acts touched and will continue to touch Chautauquans’ lives to come, but two in particular were evident at the Literary Arts Center dedication. Twenty years ago, Mary Jean and Paul Irion started the Chautauqua Writers’ Center. Mary Jean realized the need for Chautauqua to have a creative writing program. We had a program for works already written, but not the writing process, she explained. With her drive and vision, as well as the passion of donors, the grounds have been revolutionized in the literary arts area. “I always thought some day we’d be a part of the Institution and have our own place,” Mary Jean said. “I can’t tell you how exciting it is to see today.”
Chautauquan helps her childhood ‘haven’ continue on
7/12/2008 She arrived on Saturday, July 5. Her UPS box full of herbs, spices and kitchen items (including her knives that she has professionally sharpened twice a year) arrived two days prior. Feelings of peacefulness and contentment rushed through lifelong Chautauquan Sally Wissel when she entered Chautauqua’s gates and came home last Saturday. Fifty three year old Wissel may be here to relax, but she doesn’t mind getting busy in the kitchen — something she intends on doing quite often during her three week stay. She couldn’t help but laugh when author Billy Collins read a poem about the lanyard at Monday’s lecture. “The biggest decision of the summer was what color my lanyard was going to be,” she said. “I can still remember a yellow and orange one I did (when I was a child) … two summers ago, I stumbled across a piece of a plastic lanyard (on the grounds), and I brought it home with me because it was so evocative.” For Sally, that piece of plastic lanyard symbolized her childhood at Chautauqua. Sally grew up in Pittsburgh, but her home was at Chautauqua. Her family began spending the entire summer on the grounds in the mid ’50s in a cottage with relatives. Many of Sally’s firsts took place at the Institution. As a little girl, she learned to swim in Chautauqua Lake. She did her first dive at the baby beach, Sally explained. “I feel very privileged to have grown up here because it really meant a lot to me,” said Sally. “It was very much a part of my formative years.” During her beginning years, Sally discovered interests and passions that developed and flourished on the Chautauqua grounds and still hold true in her life today. “I think my love of movies and my love of classical music all stem from here,” Sally said. “I remember I was 17 when I heard ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ for the first time, and now it’s one of my all time favorites.” After Sally’s Allegheny State College years, her career in risk management took off, and her visits to Chautauqua were put on hold. In 2006, Sally visited the grounds after 15 years — thanks to her college friend, Cindy Peterson. “It still smells the same,” Sally said. “What amazes me after a 15 year absence is how it’s changed but is still the same.” Sally may not have been able to visit the grounds as much as she would have liked, but the Wissel spirit continued to fill the Chautauqua air even when she was away. When Sally’s mother, Dorothy Wissel, passed away in 1997, Sally and her father, Roy, wanted to find a way to forever remember her life. “As soon as I saw the lecture sponsorship, I said, ‘That’s it,’” Sally said. “My mother lived for the lectures.” Thursday’s morning lecture with author Amy Tan and Roger Rosenblatt was co sponsored by Sally and her brother, Daniel, through an endowment in their mother’s honor. Sally commented on how coincidental the week on writers was since her mother loved to write and read. After Sally’s father passed away, she wanted to mothdo something to remember and honor the both of them. She and Daniel decided to give a gift to fund a garden, known as The Wissel Memorial Garden, near Heinz Beach, in their honor. Recently, Sally made the decision to include Chautauqua in her will. “It was just right … Chautauqua is my heart and soul, and I want to be able to give back,” she said. To Sally, Chautauqua can be compared to a little Brigadoon when it comes alive for nine weeks. Like the rest of the world, life may give Sally lemons at times, but Chautauqua is a place that’s been making her lemonade since she was a little girl. “It’s an oasis — a haven,” she said. Sally and the rest of the Wissel family will never need to worry about being too far away from their Chautauqua haven. Her parents are buried in Chautauqua Cemetery, and when Sally’s time comes, she will join her family in the cemetery, as well. “Chautauqua is as close to heaven as I can think,” she said. Sally Wissel’s plans to include Chautauqua in her will makes her a member of the Eleanor B. Daugherty Society, a group of friends who have considered Chautauqua in their estate plans. For more information on the Daugherty Society and its benefits, please contact Karen Blozie, director of campaigns and gift planning, at 716 357 6244 or e mail kblozie@chautauquafoundation.org.
New Fund volunteers continue Chautauqua tradition
7/12/2008 Boy grows up at Chautauqua. Girl visits Chautauqua as a young child. Boy and girl meet in Pittsburgh. Boy and girl get married. Boy and girl enjoy Chautauqua together. In the past eight years, James and Jamie Jamison, of Canfield, Ohio, have been visiting the grounds more and more with their three children, Kellyn, Elise and Matt. Ever since he was 4 years old, James’ summers were spent making crafts, singing, playing on the playground, swimming, sailing, making lanyards and playing Capture the Flag in the Children’s School and the Boys’ and Girls’ Club. “It was a huge part of my life,” James said. “Part of the allure for me about Chautauqua is that my friends were here every summer. You could pick right up in mid June wherever you left off in August from the year before … some of my best, lifelong friends are from here.” James also took advantage of the music school opportunities — whether he wanted to or not. “I took piano lessons up at Sherwood Studios and used to plunk away at a piano in the practice shacks with my mother sitting in the doorway so I couldn’t escape,” said the orthopedic surgeon, laughing. As he got older, the Asheboro, N.C., native took on summer jobs as a Daily delivery boy, and then later worked at the old William Baker Hotel and Main Gate. To this day, James still runs into old friends from Club. Growing up in nearby Franklin, Pa., Jamie had been to Chautauqua as a child. Her visits to the grounds became much more frequent when she met James. “My experience at Chautauqua is really that of an adult and a mom,” Jamie said. “I’ve enjoyed coming here and taking the classes — yoga, photography, art classes. It’s been a wonderful experience from that perspective, and it’s also been meaningful to share the experience with our kids and have our kids be a part of Club. As Jim said, he still runs into some of his friends, and then our children end up befriending their children. It’s nice to see it continue over the years.” Jamie said that her experience has been nothing less than a warm embrace from the Chautauqua community. Last summer, James and Jamie met a couple at a function who were first generation Chautauquans and gave of their time and talent as Chautauqua Fund volunteers. “They were truly inspirational,” Jamie said. James and Jamie agreed to be volunteers this past year, feeling it was the least they could do to give back. “I think when you believe in something, and you’ve had such a wonderful experience, it’s not hard to talk about Chautauqua and the importance in giving to Chautauqua,” Jamie said. “It’s really not a very big time commitment as far as what they’re asking us to do,” James added. By becoming Fund volunteers, the couple is even more aware of how essential the Chautauqua Fund is to making sure the community continues to prosper. The Chautauqua Fund is the “lifeblood” of the programs and scholarships offered on the grounds. “It’s more than just going to the beach and looking at the waves,” James said. “Chautauqua is attractive to folks who want more from their vacation time than just sitting … Programs are here for our enjoyment, consumption and to open our minds to things we would have maybe not thought about on a dayto day basis.” Casey and Marilyn Neuman couldn’t agree more. The Neumans, who have been visiting Chautauqua for 14 years, see the Institution as an all inclusive place where lectures, music and the arts come together to create a place they like to call “utopia.” “We love the dialogue between people,” Marilyn said. “We like the interfaith interaction. I happen to be ritual vice president of the Hebrew congregation, and we’ll be having our services at a Methodist church. I think that’s pretty cool.” Fund volunteers Liz and Jack Armstrong introduced the Neumans and their 11 year old Shitzu, Susie, to the Institution. Jack and Casey worked in law together for 46 years in the Pittsburgh area. When the Armstrongs asked the Neumans to become Fund volunteers, they were more than happy to help keep the grounds alive and running. “We feel privileged to be a part of it,” said Marilyn, who worked for 21 years as program director for a residential treatment facility for teenagers. While the couple, who split their time between Pittsburgh, Florida and Chautauqua, enjoys all the programs and activities that take place during the nineweek summer season, there’s another reason that sits close to their hearts and inspires them to come back summer after summer. “It’s wonderful to see kids riding their tricycles on the street,” Casey said. “It’s wonderful that people respect driving the 10 or so miles an hour. You don’t really need cars on the grounds, and you feel safe. People leave their doors unlocked or golf clubs on the porch.” “It’s sort of a throwback to gentler times,” Marilyn added. This will be one of the first summers Marilyn won’t be able to stay the entire nine weeks. On June 8, Marilyn and Casey celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. The Neumans, along with their three daughters, three sons in law and six grandchildren, will take a family trip to Alaska to celebrate. Even though they look forward to their Alaskan adventure, Chautauqua won’t be far from Casey and Marilyn’s mind. “No place is perfect, but Chautauqua is as close as it will ever get,” Marilyn said. “I think the people are wonderful. I think the programs are wonderful.”
New chair takes helm of Chautauqua Foundation in August
7/11/2008 The Chautauqua Foundation currently serves as the body responsible for the philanthropic funding on the grounds. Chautauquans have experienced the leadership and talent of several Foundation chairmen over the years, including Lowell Strohl. In August, Strohl will officially step down as chairman after six years of service. Chautauquan Steve Percy will assume the position of Foundation chairman. During the years Strohl has served, he has seen the Chautauqua community through a weak economy and the successful Idea Campaign. “The years of Lowell chairing the Foundation were remarkable both in terms of the growth in endowment and the growth in the culture of philanthropy at Chautauqua,” said Bill Goodell, chair of the Foundation’s Nominating and Governance Committee. Just as Strohl continues to leave an impact on Chautauqua, the community has done the same for him since 1959, when his wife’s mother bought a home on the grounds. For the Strohl family, the grounds became home to them in the ’70s and ’80s. “We lived overseas for quite a number of years,” said Strohl, who worked for the international oil company Exxon for 40 years. “This was the only place we had in the states. This is what the kids call home.” Strohl has been married to Rebecca Strohl for 52 years. His children, Lydia and Peter, have grown up on the grounds. Now Strohl gets to watch his six grandchildren embrace Chautauqua. Living in London, Athens and Tokyo at different times in his career, Strohl enjoyed the change of pace Chautauqua offered. “My family always came back for the whole summer,” said the Indiana native. “I came back whenever I could get away. (Chautauqua) was so different. Tokyo and London are not small towns. (Chautauqua) was such change of pace. It was great.” These days, Strohl splits his time between Chautauqua and his new home in Naples, Fla. While the grounds slow down drastically during the off-season, Strohl and his family can be found spending the Christmas holidays at their home on the lake. Personally, though, his favorite time of year is autumn. “I think the first two weeks of October, here, is probably the most beautiful place in the world,” Strohl said. “The weather is usually very nice, and the trees turning across the lake are spectacular.” Between vacations and job placement, Strohl has seen the world. And yet, he always faithfully returns to Chautauqua. “There are a lot of lovely places in the world, but they can get pretty boring,” Strohl said. “We’ve been spending a couple months in the Caribbean. You can sit on the beach only so long. You can read only so many books, but then after that, you say ‘Now what do I do?’ I don’t know of any other place that has the physical qualities of this place combined with the array of things to do. It just doesn’t exist.” Strohl, of 68 North Lake, initially served as a Foundation director for the Institution; when the opportunity arose to chair the Foundation, he felt the time was right for both himself and the Foundation. “There’s a strength about his views of the world and of Chautauqua and of the whole appropriate governance that allows him to be very effective across a whole stream of people because he greatly respects different points of view,” Goodell said. Strohl has seen Chautauqua through the good — and not so good — times. “Times right after 9/11 were pretty difficult,” he said. “The stock market dropped, and we had just started the campaign. On top of that, there was a leadership change so it was a rather difficult but interesting time.” Strohl credits many key people for continuing their efforts to keep Chautauqua stable and grounded — among them was President Thomas Becker. “Tom did a wonderful job of restoring some tranquility to the place,” Strohl said. With the Chautauqua community pulling together, the Institution made it through the rough times and flourished. The Idea Campaign ended this past December and left a transformed Grounds in its wake. “The grounds are probably physically in the best shape they’ve ever been in,” Strohl said. “I think facilities have a big impact on programming … I think it creates a whole new psychology. Standards go up. Audiences grow.” As his leadership as chairman comes to an end, Strohl said it’s been very satisfying to see and be a part of the process and experience. “The Foundation board is a very strategically strong board. Steve Percy is going to bring a whole new set of experiences to the Foundation, which will be good for it … I anticipate property values will continue to rise,” said Strohl with a smile. Percy may be new to the board, as he came on last August, but his experience is nothing less than impressive. Along with being the former chairman and CEO of BP America, Inc., Percy has been involved in several organizations including the Cleveland State University Foundation and Resources for the Future. “Steve brings a tremendous amount of experience in nonprofits,” Goodell said. “I think it was the combination of his experience in these other organizations, and the fact that he could bring wisdom and insight from those roles to Chautauqua and to our own governance, that was among the many compelling features of Steve’s candidacy.” Percy and his wife, Barbara, and his two daughters, Amy and Sarah, started coming to Chautauqua around 1990. Like Strohl, Percy’s career in the oil business took him abroad to London. When the Percys wanted to visit family in the United States, they found it was somewhat cumbersome. “Instead of (Barbara) coming back in the summer and bouncing back and forth between the relatives, we said, let’s find a place in between, and they can come visit us,” Percy said. Chautauqua came onto their radar screen, and they instantly liked what they saw in their initial visit. The next year, they bought a condo at the north end of the grounds and have been coming every summer since. Percy enjoys spending his Chautauqua days on the lake, whether it be on the sailboat, powerboat or in the family’s kayaks. A perfect day for him would also include fishing, tennis, golf, going to a restaurant by boat and a concert in the evening. “My day starts off with a run,” Percy said. “I religiously run two laps around the (grounds) … I always come down for a lecture if I can, and I make sure I get my newspapers read, including the Daily, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. “ This summer, however, will be a little different. Percy plans to meet one-on-one with each board member to get to know them better and understand what their hopes are for Chautauqua and the Foundation. “The Foundation is here to support the Institution in whatever it decides they want to do,” Percy said. “That’s the key.” Percy makes the point that a couple of the Foundation’s jobs are to be good stewards of the gifts that have been given and to continue to build philanthropy. “Philanthropy is so important to this place,” he said. “Twenty-five percent of the cost of running this place comes from people who give (gifts). In order to make this place more affordable and continue to serve the community, we’ve got to have even more philanthropy to make it easier for the average person to afford it.” With the Foundation board working together, Percy hopes to see Chautauqua grow from a local asset into a national asset in the future. “The people on the Foundation board are really highquality,” Percy said. “They have great ideas and commitment. I’m looking forward to the experience.”
Bellowes help visual arts facility become a Chautauqua reality
7/9/2008 Laughter and chatter sprinkled with the aroma of fresh flowers filled the air Thursday night. Members of the NOW Generation gathered at the President’s Cottage to share memories with old friends and get to know new members of the Chautauqua community. The NOW Generation consists of a group of people, primarily ages 21 to 45, who make Chautauqua a vital part of their lives, and show their dedication through taking on leadership positions and involving themselves in philanthropic events. The president’s back porch overflowed with approximately 150 people who shared a special fondness for the grounds. President Thomas Becker provided an update on the exciting facility improvements that have and are taking place. “There is an energy at Chautauqua right now that is really gratifying,” Becker said. “I think we’re doing not only quality work, but really important work through every venue we’re working on.” “We have great faculty,” Becker added. “We have great students. We had lousy facilities. Now we are absolutely at the cutting edge of facilities.” Chairman of the Board of Trustees George Snyder felt the gathering offered a unique opportunity for friends to come together and reconnect. “The enthusiasm of these gatherings and involvement already taking place is a sign that the NOW Generation is becoming more involved,” Snyder said. “It’s very important to us at the Board of Trustees to involve as many people as we can from the community and specifically from (the NOW Generation) as we look forward and try to chart the course over the next five, 10, 20 years,” he added. To aid in the Institution’s strategic planning for the future, eight study groups were formed to hone in on critical aspects pertaining to Chautauqua’s four pillars. The NOW Generation formed under the leadership of Jack and Marcia Connolly, the Chautauqua Fund co- chairs prior to Fred and Judy Gregory. Since then, the NOW Generation group has transformed and further evolved. “The NOW Generation initiative is truly about harnessing the creative talents and dedicated engagement of young Chautauquans in ways that support both the rich history inherent in this place, but also which speaks to the heart of Chautauqua’s potential,” said Tina Cordner, assistant director of the Chautauqua Fund. NOW Generation members Kyle Keogh and Laura Currie know firsthand the role Chautauqua plays in people’s lives, having experienced Chautauqua since they were youngsters. “It’s important to have people of all generations represented here,” said Keogh, a member of the youth and recreation study group. Currie truly is a lifelong Chautauquan — in fourth grade, she started living on the grounds with her family year-round until she graduated from high school. The grounds not only serve as a home for her, but for her two children, as well. “We need to think about coeverybody’s needs, and be making sure all voices are heard so we can make welleducated recommendations for Chautauqua’s future,” said Currie, the chair of the “Chautauqua movement in a digital world” study group. This past February, Cordner helped coordinate a first-of-its-kind off-season gathering in New York City for NOW Generation members. Newsweek senior editor and columnist Jonathan Alter spoke to the group about the upcoming election, focusing on the race between Obama and Clinton. The intimate setting allowed Alter to provide his personal reflections on the Democratic primary. Cordner found there was a genuine interest from the young Chautauquans to engage in conversations in a Chautauqua context about the issues at hand. A second NOW Generation gathering is tentatively planned for this fall in Pittsburgh. “We live in an age that we’re so connected,” Cordner said. “We shop online. We pick up our cell-phones and chat … In all that, there’s still the sense of the deeper questions, and where do we find the answers? I always find it very humbling to be on the grounds and have that sense that something deeper is going on here. Folks are learning about themselves and their value systems, connecting with other people and learning more about the world around them. I think that’s a great sense of place and experience that we’re all fortunate to be a part of.”
NOW Generation provides insight into Chautauqua’s future
7/9/2008 Lawn bowling wasn’t always this easy during the summer. It wasn’t always played on such a soft, smooth and spongy surface. The court wasn’t always surrounded by that black fence. The ball didn’t curve when you rolled it down the grass the way it does now. The problem wasn’t the bowlers, but the bowling surface. But after discussion, effort and money, lawn bowling may have changed forever in Chautauqua with the creation of the new lawn bowling court. On the first nice day of the week, the players are celebrating “White Wednesday” at the court, across from the Sports Club on South Lake Street. White Wednesday is a new tradition the bowlers started. In England, it is customary to wear white while lawn bowling every day, but this group decided one day was good enough. It’s only the third day many have played, and after two, they’ve already seen a change. “We had six new people out here bowling yesterday,” Warren Hickman said. It’s a very recognizable surface. The turf like bright green grass is the surface where the players play. A wooden gutter creates a border between this turf and tall grass, almost like a moat surrounding a castle. Along the sides is more natural grass. Today it needs to be mowed. A black fence protects three fourths of the court with a large gate on its northern side. Hedges surround the side closest to the street. There is no fence there because in the winter, the snowplow shovels the snow against those hedges that a fence couldn’t handle. Hedges used to cover the entire thing. The surface wasn’t up to quality, and the bowlers knew something had to be done. “When the tennis center was built, the tennis players were the major fundraisers,” Hickman said. “So the bowlers got together and raised $57,000 among us.” Then last fall, Trevor Burlingame, head green superintendent at the Chautauqua Golf Club, started working on the project. He filled the surface with sand and laser leveled it. After letting it sit all winter long, it was leveled again and over the past few months, the court became a reality. And in its first week, the new court has already made a huge difference. The bowlers play every day, 1 p.m. sharp, and hope to keep people around. “We hope it attracts more bowlers,” Clem Reiss said. “We would have people who bowled in other cities come down and play once but never come back because they were used to better conditions.” When he’s not in Chautauqua, Reiss plays at a large lawn bowling facility in Sarasota, Fla. He stayed around this year and helped lead the creation of the court. He said it wasn’t possible to model this surface after the one in Sarasota, because that one is very large, capable of 24 games at once, where this is only capable of two. “We aren’t at (Sarasota’s) level, but we are much better now than where we were the past 10 years,” he said. “We were limited to only a couple of places that we could play and we got worn in. “Now we’re starting off with a professional green that’s on par with any professional surface, but on a smaller scale,” he added. Playing on a professional surface means playing like professionals. Besides White Wednesday, there are other aspects of the game the bowlers can now focus on. “We’re also trying to get everyone now to play the way they would play any place else,” Hickman said. “We’re trying to get people to recognize signs instead of shouting, to realize balls must always be at the right rear so wherever you stand, you know you won’t break an ankle. “We never threw the jack down, and that’s suppose to be done,” he said. The jack is a smaller white ball rolled down the surface by the winning team. The goal is to get a larger, half symmetrical ball down closest to the jack. The court isn’t even completely done, as an awning will be put up atop the two sides, and a new chalkboard will go up. It all comes back to change for these lawn bowlers. They said the game was always fun, but they decided to raise the money for the new court so lawn bowling could actually be a recreation Chautauquans would want to participate in. “(Lawn bowling) should be more about the skill of the player than the condition of the greens,” Reiss said. “In the past, we’ve rolled the ball on the green only to have it roll off and into the street. Now the balls actually curve.”
Lawn bowlers celebrate new court
7/2/2008 Lawn bowling wasn’t always this easy during the summer. It wasn’t always played on such a soft, smooth and spongy surface. The court wasn’t always surrounded by that black fence. The ball didn’t curve when you rolled it down the grass the way it does now. The problem wasn’t the bowlers, but the bowling surface. But after discussion, effort and money, lawn bowling may have changed forever in Chautauqua with the creation of the new lawn bowling court. On the first nice day of the week, the players are celebrating “White Wednesday” at the court, across from the Sports Club on South Lake Street. White Wednesday is a new tradition the bowlers started. In England, it is customary to wear white while lawn bowling every day, but this group decided one day was good enough. It’s only the third day many have played, and after two, they’ve already seen a change. “We had six new people out here bowling yesterday,” Warren Hickman said. It’s a very recognizable surface. The turf like bright green grass is the surface where the players play. A wooden gutter creates a border between this turf and tall grass, almost like a moat surrounding a castle. Along the sides is more natural grass. Today it needs to be mowed. A black fence protects three fourths of the court with a large gate on its northern side. Hedges surround the side closest to the street. There is no fence there because in the winter, the snowplow shovels the snow against those hedges that a fence couldn’t handle. Hedges used to cover the entire thing. The surface wasn’t up to quality, and the bowlers knew something had to be done. “When the tennis center was built, the tennis players were the major fundraisers,” Hickman said. “So the bowlers got together and raised $57,000 among us.” Then last fall, Trevor Burlingame, head green superintendent at the Chautauqua Golf Club, started working on the project. He filled the surface with sand and laser leveled it. After letting it sit all winter long, it was leveled again and over the past few months, the court became a reality. And in its first week, the new court has already made a huge difference. The bowlers play every day, 1 p.m. sharp, and hope to keep people around. “We hope it attracts more bowlers,” Clem Reiss said. “We would have people who bowled in other cities come down and play once but never come back because they were used to better conditions.” When he’s not in Chautauqua, Reiss plays at a large lawn bowling facility in Sarasota, Fla. He stayed around this year and helped lead the creation of the court. He said it wasn’t possible to model this surface after the one in Sarasota, because that one is very large, capable of 24 games at once, where this is only capable of two. “We aren’t at (Sarasota’s) level, but we are much better now than where we were the past 10 years,” he said. “We were limited to only a couple of places that we could play and we got worn in. “Now we’re starting off with a professional green that’s on par with any professional surface, but on a smaller scale,” he added. Playing on a professional surface means playing like professionals. Besides White Wednesday, there are other aspects of the game the bowlers can now focus on. “We’re also trying to get everyone now to play the way they would play any place else,” Hickman said. “We’re trying to get people to recognize signs instead of shouting, to realize balls must always be at the right rear so wherever you stand, you know you won’t break an ankle. “We never threw the jack down, and that’s suppose to be done,” he said. The jack is a smaller white ball rolled down the surface by the winning team. The goal is to get a larger, half symmetrical ball down closest to the jack. The court isn’t even completely done, as an awning will be put up atop the two sides, and a new chalkboard will go up. It all comes back to change for these lawn bowlers. They said the game was always fun, but they decided to raise the money for the new court so lawn bowling could actually be a recreation Chautauquans would want to participate in. “(Lawn bowling) should be more about the skill of the player than the condition of the greens,” Reiss said. “In the past, we’ve rolled the ball on the green only to have it roll off and into the street. Now the balls actually curve.”
Foundation provides update on ‘culture of philanthropy’ projects
7/2/2008 For more than 200 years, Chautauqua has operated and prospered because of the beliefs and passion of its inhabitants. More than 20 percent of operating revenues are the result of philanthropic activities — not including the millions of dollars Chautauquans graciously give to help the construction and renovation of buildings throughout the grounds. Chautauqua continues to exist because of Chautauquans. According to Chautauqua Foundation CEO Geof Follansbee, the Foundation started raising questions in 2005, such as, “How do we build a deeper sense of the role of philanthropy in this community? How do we create, inside this community, an understanding of why philanthropy is important and what difference it can make in the future of this place? How do we build a better Chautauqua for everybody?” “It will take greater philanthropy to do that,” Follansbee said. “There’s no doubt about that.” In January 2006, the “culture of philanthropy” project was born. The Chautauqua Foundation wanted to help better inform and build awareness among Chautauquans in regards to how much their philanthropic donations mean to the success and operation of the Institution. Focus groups and task force members met Saturday morning to hear President Thomas Becker and others, including John Brown, development consultant of John Brown Limited, Inc. and Susan Feagin, vice president of development and alumni relations at Columbia University, give an update on the issues of philanthropy. “There were really a lot of good recommendations that came out of these groups,” said Lowell Strohl, chairman of the Chautauqua Foundation. For almost three years, focus groups, task force members and study groups have worked intently in preparation of creating a strategic plan. “If you look at what we’re doing in the strategic planning and by creating these eight study groups, you can see that it’s a very different process than the Institution’s ever used before,” Follansbee said. “We are opening it up to the community and asking for input.” While Chautauquans’ love and excitement for the grounds and all they have to offer is evident, there’s still room for greater involvement and engagement. “The challenge for us is how do we take those folks who come for that one week experience and help them build a relationship with other people in the community that have been coming back year after year,” Follansbee said. “I think what you do find from the people who do come back year after year, if only for a week, they begin to fit into the community and make friends within the community.” According to Follansbee, the Foundation also wants people to truly understand the difference their gifts have made and then be able to convey that to other people. Throughout the meeting, Chautauquans gave input and feedback on how to further engage people in the value of philanthropy and be advocates for a place that many call home. “What we’re trying to do is to continue to invite people into a process of thinking about these issues and the building up of a core group of advocates for philanthropy at Chautauqua,” Follansbee said. “The trustees and the directors of the Foundation can’t be the only advocates. We need a whole group.” As the meeting wound down in the Athenaeum Hotel parlor, new ideas on how to continuously better Chautauqua through philanthropy filled the minds of those present. While Chautauqua is about friendships and relationships, it’s also about real, serious engagement, Becker explained. “It’s an experience of seeing a community of people who are not simply observing,” he said. “They are, in fact, caring and learning folks … learning is a lifelong experience. This is a community that’s involved in the development of the human being.”’
Strohl Art Center helps Chautauquans see the big picture
7/2/2008 The smell of freshly painted walls awaited gallery goers as they gathered in Strohl Art Center for the building dedication on Sunday. Chautauquans of all ages came together, greeting and sharing stories with one another while taking in the art exhibits that surrounded them. Applause filled the air as four families snipped the red ribbon to signify the official opening of Strohl Art Center. The new visual arts building includes the Gallo Family Gallery and the Arnold and Jill Bellowe Family Gallery. At the beginning of the Idea Campaign, Karin Johnson expressed her desire to commit to a gift for the visual arts. When her husband Mel died, she felt compelled to fund the sculpture garden. “(Mel) loved art and making art. And she loved him,” President Thomas Becker said. In honor of her husband, the Melvin Johnson Sculpture Garden provides a unique artistic touch to the grounds. “I’m very pleased and happy,” Karin said. “It was worth the wait.” For Jim and Mimi Gallo, their love for the visual arts led them to commit to a gift for a space on the second floor of the Strohl Art Center. “Our whole family is excited about this new facility … What we have planned for the future is an exciting opportunity for everyone here,” Jim said. With her passion for the arts, Mimi will serve as the president of the Visual Arts Council next year. Like the Gallo family, Arnold and Jill Bellowe felt drawn to the visual arts and the opportunities it provided the Chautauqua community. “Jill went through this building and absolutely fell in love with a space upstairs,” Becker said. “It’s very exciting to see a real art gallery on the grounds,” said Jill, a painter and photographer. “It’s thrilling to be a part of it.” When the Strohl family saw a funding need in the visual arts during the Idea Campaign, they were ready and willing to do what was needed to help the visual arts reach new heights in the Chautauqua community. “They make the profound statement about the importance of Chautauqua,” Becker said. “They make a great statement about their commitment to it.” On behalf of the Strohl family, Lowell Strohl, chairman of the Chautauqua Foundation, thanked the Institution for allowing their participation in the future of Chautauqua. “It has rewards for us beyond anything I could ever express,” Strohl said. The excitement for the new building and all it has to offer could be heard and felt when Don Kimes, VACI artistic director, addressed the audience. “We now have the opportunity to present art at a level at Chautauqua that we’ve never been able to do,” Kimes said. Art transcends time and history; for Kimes, the new visual arts facilities allow Chautauquans to experience this idea fully and completely. “I can go look at something that’s 2,000 years old and get goose bumps,” he said. “That’s the power of art. That’s something that this building, for the first time in the history of this Institution, gives us the opportunity to do at the level that needs to be done here so the visual arts are at the forefront of our cultural endeavors at Chautauqua.”
Chimento family’s contribution to help preserve ‘Chautauqua magic’ they love
6/30/2008 You don’t have to be a human to be a true Chautauquan; 7 year old Dickens and 6 year old Pepin can vouch (or bark) for that. The two Coton de Tulears are the rambunctious children of proud parents Jim and Carol Chimento of 20 Center Ave. Dickens and Pepin have been coming to Chautauqua since they were only a few months old. “They love it here,” Carol said. “We’ve made friends with people because our dogs have made friends with other people’s dogs. Dickens came here his first summer when he was 3 months old and virtually went to everything with us. He went to the symphony and ballet. He knew he had to be quiet and never barked when we were down in the Amphitheater. He just somehow knows that’s not Chautauqua behavior.” Just as Dickens and Pepin have a strong tie to the Chautauqua community, their owners have an even stronger one. Carol has memories of swimming in the lake and making crafts in the Girls’ Club as a young girl. Carol’s family was close friends with Jared Jacobsen’s family. In the early 1980s, Jacobsen, who is a Chautauqua organist and coordinator of worship and sacred music, reconnected with Carol. “He said, ‘You need to come back to Chautauqua,’” Carol said. “So we did.” For Jim, a Colorado native, Chautauqua was a completely new experience. It took him no time at all, though, to feel right at home. “I thought it was heaven,” he said. “I was immediately attracted as soon as I got to the place.” As world travelers, the couple, married for 39 years in September, have been to a number of places and met a plethora of people. “Since we’ve discovered Chautauqua, I think our travel has gotten less every year because this, for me, satisfies all the reasons I travel,” said Jim, an orthopedic surgeon. “Travel is broadening and educational. It’s entertaining and relaxing. All those things are right here.” Jim and Carol agree that Chautauqua is full of role models that share common interests as well as embrace each other’s differences. They view the common denominator between people as being Chautauqua itself. “You’ll never find a Chautauquan who’s not tolerant and kind,” Jim said. “That’s what struck me. I believe I’ve been made a better person since I’ve been here. I also think I’ve taken so much out of Chautauqua that I don’t think I could ever pay it back.” Jim may not think he can pay it back, but he and his wife are making a tremendous gesture as they have decided to plan a gift by including Chautauqua in their will. “Chautauqua is the one place that we’re both passionate about,” Carol said. “We’ve gotten so much from it that we feel it’s the right thing to do. This way, too, we will always be a part of Chautauqua even after we’re gone.” Jim and Carol’s heartfelt contribution helps ensure that Chautauqua will continue to grow and prosper for years to come. Carol knows the difference entering Chautauqua’s gates makes in her life, and hopes to keep that feeling alive and thriving for future generations. “It’s magic,” she said. “It’s one of those things that you cannot explain. You can be on the outside of the gate and feel totally exhausted and totally stressed out from your outside Chautauqua life, but when you come through those gates, it’s like you leave all that outside.” For years, Carol managed her husband’s orthopedic practice; the couple can remember how stressful life could get at times. On particularly bad days, they would remind each other that visiting Chautauqua was only so many weeks away. “You can’t have a bad day in Chautauqua,” Carol said, smiling. As Dickens and Pepin tumble and play on the floor with tongues flapping and tails swooshing through the air on the Chimentos’ spring green colored living room carpet, it appears they couldn’t agree more.
Strohl Art Center to be dedicated Sunday
6/28/2008 The blue gray building sits serenely on Wythe Avenue, its precise garden facing the street, glass entryway shining in the sun, giving little indication of the bustling changes within its walls. But during the past nine months, the building has been completely renovated and remodeled to form the new Strohl Art Center. The center has a formal dedication ceremony 2 p.m. Sunday followed by the 3 p.m. opening receptions for the “51st Chautauqua National Exhibition of American Art,” “Contemporary Prints” and “Works by Garry Trudeau,” with a performance from the Summer Strummers. The center includes the Arnold and Jill Bellowe Family Gallery and the Gallo Family Gallery. “We now really are a firstclass facility, and that goes hand in hand with bringing in better work from artists that are nationally recognized,” said Judy Barie, Visual Arts at Chautauqua Institution (VACI) director of galleries. The center replaces the former Chautauqua Center for the Visual Arts Galleries on Wythe Avenue. Part of the back of the existing building was torn down and rebuilt while the rest was renovated. But most importantly, air conditioning cools and dehumidifies the whole building. This is a significant improvement for the galleries, as they can completely control the temperature and humidity, ensuring the proper storage and display environment for art works. Many artists only loan their works to climate controlled galleries, so this move to add air conditioning will allow VACI to show more prestigious and expensive works. “Artists will want to show their work in this space,” Barie said, noting that the high walls and the space itself will display the works in their best element. Already, VACI has taken advantage of this humidity control, with its inclusion of delicate papers in the print show. “It’s critical to have a topquality gallery,” said Don Kimes, VACI artistic director, adding that he has wanted this since he first came to Chautauqua in 1986. The new building is also creating a buzz outside Chautauqua, as many of the artists in the exhibits are coming to the opening receptions. Kimes said this ability to bring works and artists to the grounds is especially important to students, as they pull from their teachers, peers and other art they are exposed to when forming their own unique style. The Visual Arts program at the Institution has been better known beyond the grounds than within them in the past, but this center underlines the value of visual arts at Chautauqua, Kimes said. For the past few years, the Visual Arts program has been expanding, with the Strohl Art Center this year and additions to the School of Art last year. The center includes space for three exhibits and also includes the new Melvin Johnson Sculpture Garden, which will showcase four works. Renovations to the center tried to include some of the original building while giving the appropriate contemporary setting for an art gallery, said Charlie Heinz, vice president for planning and community design for Chautauqua Institution. “The idea was to retain the basic form of the old historic building but to adapt it to being a first class art gallery,” he said. The former suspended ceiling was removed, revealing the original wooden beams that were painted gray to fit the scheme of the building, with its bright white walls and dark wood flooring. Traditional Chautauquan elements were used in the building to give it a better mix between traditional and contemporary. “The combination of the old and the new is really wonderful,” Barie said. “It also gave us a contemporary space to show contemporary work.”
Chautauqua provides muse for Pipers
6/23/2008 Steve and Pati Piper are retired school teachers and longtime Chautauquans. They both come from families of educators. Steve says he is on somewhat of a mission to let Chautauquans know that even as school teachers, they can do something to help ensure Chautauqua’s future. To prove his point, Steve and Pati readily tell others that they are Bestor Society members and now they have planned to make a major gift to Chautauqua — not immediately, but after they are both no longer living. They have willed their Chautauqua home to the Chautauqua Foundation; when the transfer is made, the Foundation will sell the home and the proceeds will benefit Chautauqua’s programs. The couple says that because they have no children, they are in a particularly good position to make this kind of a gift. “Since we can’t make a significant outright gift, leaving the house to Chautauqua is something that we can afford to do. They (Chautauqua Foundation) will have to wait awhile to get it — I hope — but it has value and will be a major gift when it does happen,” Steve noted. Perhaps in part because a family legacy of sorts has already begun for the Pipers, by way of Steve’s family history at Chautauqua, he says he “wouldn’t feel right not doing something” to carry on a tradition that his grandparents started. They began coming since Chautauqua Institution’s inception in 1874. Steve’s parents spent their summers at Chautauqua, and they were both school teachers. Steve says he grew up at Chautauqua, having come since he was “in his mother’s womb.” He went to Children’s School and Club, and then became a counselor and worked as a caddy at the golf club. Following the family tradition, Steve’s chosen career was teaching and he began work as a teacher in Hornell, N.Y. That’s where he met Pati, who was also a teacher at the same school. They fell in love and were married at Chautauqua’s Methodist House in 1974, and since then have spent their summers in the house Steve inherited from his parents. For Pati, Chautauqua was love at first sight. “I noticed immediately the change in atmosphere once I stepped foot on the grounds,” said Pati. “Everything was quieter, people didn’t swear, there seemed to be an unspoken understanding among everyone who came here — one based on mutual respect and old-fashioned manners. It was so refreshing!” As a singer, among other interests, Pati says Chautauqua has become one of the most important parts of her life. She sings with the Motet and Sunday Morning choirs as well as during the Sacred Song Service on Sunday evenings. “Chautauqua feels like the way things are supposed to be — the way you wish they were everywhere — and throughout the entire year,” she said. The couple explained that Chautauqua comes the closest to what they believe religion is supposed to be about — “treating people with respect, taking an interest in and caring for others and listening to all sides of an issue — and having faith in people and their positive potential,” said Pati. The Pipers said that Chautauqua has changed their lives in some significant ways and cited one of them: a lecture they heard about six years ago by Dr. Peter Singer, who spoke on his life as a vegetarian. Steve and Pati were so moved by his speech, they immediately changed their diets and became vegetarians. The couple said they have heard some people compare Chautauqua to a Disneyland for adults or an amusement park for adults. They think of Chautauqua differently, Pati said, “but there is one link to those comparisons — it’s contained within the word ‘amusement.’ It’s the word ‘muse.’” For her, Chautauqua provides a muse — through its lectures, Special Studies classes, the choir and all the performances. “Listening to other people’s opinions, which are often thought-provoking and different than what you normally hear, is what makes this place so special,” she said. Since retiring one year ago, Steve and Pati now reside in Rochester, N.Y. In addition to all of their involvements there, they say they “love the openness of the community.” Community is very important for the Pipers. “No matter where you live — whether it’s year-round or a seasonal living arrangement, it’s important to follow the rules of the community,” said Steve. “That’s what I like about Chautauqua — it’s a community of consent, meaning that while you might not like or agree with all the rules, you abide by them — because you want to be a good community member.” Steve said that while he always understood this concept at a basic level, his work as a Chautauqua Institution Board of Trustees member for the last eight years (his term concluded in early 2008), has educated him to the need for cooperation, as well as the need for a higher level of philanthropy. “It costs a lot to run Chautauqua, and the only way it’s going to stay a thriving community is if people understand that and be as generous as they can,” she said. “We’re teachers, and we’ve decided that Chautauqua means enough to us to do as much as we can, and right now that means being members of the Bestor Society, and planning now for Chautauqua to receive our home after we’re gone so that others will benefit and enjoy this place the way we have.” Steve and Pati Piper’s bequest intention for Chautauqua make them members of the Eleanor B. Daugherty Society, a group of individuals who have planned for a gift to benefit Chautauqua through a will, or other estate plans. Daugherty Society members receive benefits during the Chautauqua season as an expression of thanks and acknowledgment for their generosity. If you would like to include Chautauqua in your estate plans, please contact Karen Blozie, director of gift planning, at 357-6244 or email kblozie@chautauquafoundation.org.
First Generation: A kid, a dog, a bike, and an ice cream cone …
4/1/2008 In their back yard at the corner of Elm and North, within sight of the Packard Manor lawn, Stewart and Donna Kohl have furnished a broad and sunny patio that they enjoy during Chautauqua summers. The proximity of their other home in Cleveland’s Shaker Heights also makes it possible for them to come to the grounds out of season, a time they also treasure. “It’s a white wonderland in winter when the lake freezes over,” Stewart declares. For her part, Donna is fascinated by the flurry of activity that starts by late spring every year. “The rush, the construction — I always think they’ll never get this place ready in time, yet somehow they always do,” she says, shaking her head. For these first generation Chautauquans, however, the grounds did not engender love at first sight. The Kohls came to the Institution for the first time 20 years ago with friends who were forty year veterans of Chautauqua. “We only stayed a few hours,” says Stewart. “It seemed like an interesting community, but it didn’t grab us right away as it does for some people. Maybe we didn’t stay long enough.” He smiles broadly. The Kohls simply filed away their first Chautauqua experience and went back to their busy lives. When the Kohls’ first grandchild was born nine years ago, however, the equation changed, and they reconsidered Chautauqua. They suddenly recognized that the Institution offered something quite old fashioned and rare, something they now wanted very much for their family. “At Chautauqua you have to have a bike,” says Stewart. “A kid, a dog, a bike, and an ice cream cone — that’s Chautauqua. This place harkens back to a day that probably never really existed or a period we wish had existed. That’s the charm, and it seems that the short season helps achieve that. It is always fleeting, ephemeral.” Chautauqua was a perfect place to bring their grandson, the Kohls realized, and soon they were renting a house on the grounds. For a time they lived at the corner of Miller and South Lake where they could always hear the Bell Tower ring. They enjoyed the view of the lake, but ultimately settled for a neighborhood a bit more removed, in the Chautauqua “suburbs” as Stewart calls it, near Packard Manor. Today the Kohls have three grandchildren, and the eldest is already out on his bicycle on this very warm, sunny morning in August. Evidence is everywhere that the Kohl household is in perpetual motion: an array of shoes of all sizes is lined up neatly by the back door. Gated areas in the house have been set aside for various dogs that accompany their owners who are frequent guests of the Kohls. Stewart, who manages to come only for weekends in the summer, has just come in from his own bicycle adventure. He is part of “a serious cohort of cyclists,” as he puts it, who regularly pedal their way around Bemus Point and will often ride as far as Lilydale or Erie on back roads. In addition to his passion for Chautauqua, Stewart is an enthusiastic graduate and trustee of Oberlin College. The Kohls have been leading supporters of the jazz program in the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Professionally Stewart is Co CEO of The Riverside Group, a private equity firm that primarily invests in smaller, market leading companies. The firm has offices in New York, Cleveland, Dallas, San Francisco, Munich, Prague, Budapest, and Warsaw. Before joining Riverside in 1993 he was, for five years, a vice president of Citicorp Venture Capital in Cleveland. Before that, he was COO of the National Cooperative Business Association in Washington, D.C. where he met Donna, who had emigrated to the United States from British Guyana in 1983. Donna is a serious amateur dancer. She runs the family household, manages a sizeable garden in Shaker Heights, and serves on several nonprofit boards in Ohio. Her latest project, however, is a facelift of the landscape around their Chautauqua home. She says she is constantly inspired by all the gardens on the grounds. In the long run, both of the Kohls hope to be able to spend the entire nine week season at Chautauqua, instead of the frequent comings and goings that their present life and Stewart’s business travel require. As philanthropic supporters of Chautauqua, the Kohls say they have been drawn not only to the unregimented life their grandchildren especially enjoy here, but to the fact that lectures and cultural events are not dumbed down. They also appreciate that there are fewer air conditioners, televisions, and telephones in use, proving that life can go on without these appliances. The neighborly culture of sitting and talking about important issues “is a vision of what America could gravitate toward,” Stewart says. “It is proof that not everyone in America wants to live an exurban life.” Similarly, Wendy and Ed Cohen have a special appreciation for the life of the mind that’s possible at Chautauqua. “This is not a vacation place for me,” Wendy Cohen says emphatically. “It is where I live in the summer.” A decade ago Wendy, a dedicated potter, and her husband, Ed, came to visit Chautauqua for a week. “And that was it,” Wendy explains. “We stayed in a one bedroom at Arlington. It was a beautiful week, almost surrealistic. It filled a void for me that was missing all those years I lived in Manhattan and later in Fort Lauderdale.” The Cohens soon bought a place and determined that they would be in residence for the first four weeks of each season, then rent the condo out during Weeks Five and Six, return for Week Seven, and rent it out for Weeks Eight and Nine. “I got here and I realized the rental idea was a mistake,” Wendy explains. “I called Ed and told him, ‘I’m not leaving.’” That summer Wendy could not find accommodations when she was forced to leave her condo. She ended up staying in a dorm with young students. “It was not air conditioned, but it was worth it,” she says. During the 2007 season, Wendy is taking a yoga class, throwing pots in the Lincoln Ceramics Center, and managing her duties as president of the Friends of the Theater. She says a typical day at Chautauqua for her is “when you don’t get to do everything you want to do.” For Wendy and Ed Cohen, Chautauqua provides what they characterize as a powerful sense of community and “a concentrated dose of recreation.” After years of taking their four daughters to camp in the Carolinas and then setting off for various spots around the world for summer vacations, the Cohens finally settled on Chautauqua as their preferred destination. “I made a decision that community is the most important thing,” says Wendy, who completed her course work for the CLSC Guild of the Seven Seals and currently serves on the Chautauqua Foundation Board. She also helped the Institution develop its partnership with Syracuse University, where she recently completed 16 years as a trustee. Working with Syracuse, Chautauqua has hosted a panel discussion at the Syracuse Alumni House in Manhattan for the last several years, a program that has created a valuable bridge and makes Cohen proud of both institutions, she says. These days Wendy Cohen spends 11 weeks on the grounds while Ed comes and goes from Florida where he still manages a successful mortgage business and oversees his recreational real estate and timber investments. When he’s on the grounds Ed loves to attend lectures. “Every lecture is something I haven’t heard before,” he says, “and I have learned from being here that I need to keep an open mind. There are always surprises at Chautauqua.” Both of the Cohens also revel in getting out on the lake in their bow rider. Their four grown daughters and their grandchildren are always jockeying for an invitation to visit. This past season, the Cohens’ oldest daughter, Stacy Eckstein, taught a course in raw foods during Week Six. Enjoying the benefits of Chautauqua has also compelled the Cohens to invest themselves in the Institution’s long term vision. Several years ago, when Wendy reviewed the strategic plan that preceded the Idea Campaign, her curiosity was piqued by the stated goal of creating a recording studio. In her professional life she had traversed a range of fields including public relations, real estate, and the travel business, but Wendy’s first career after graduating from Syracuse University was in radio and television. “So I went to Tom Becker and told him that the recording studio was something I would be interested in doing.” The project was conceived and refined over a period of years with a careful needs assessment and a gradual acquisition of equipment. On a rainy afternoon in July, Wendy was sitting in the soundproof studio under a string of halogen lights. “You notice it’s thundering and pouring outside, and you can’t hear a thing in here,” she says as a covey of Chautauquans race by the basement windows of Smith Library with their heads obscured under colorful umbrellas. Cohen says she continues to be delighted with the studio. It was designed by SUNY Fredonia Professor Bernd Gottinger with construction help from his thenstudent Matt Wilson and several other undergraduates from the sound recording technology program. Wilson has stayed on at Chautauqua as chief recording engineer, studio manager, and instructor for various workshops in recording that are available through Special Studies. This academic year he also began teaching at Fredonia alongside his mentor Gottinger. “Matt is our resident genius,” explains Sara Lundine, former Director of Special Projects in the President’s office. “But it was Wendy who had the vision for this studio. She was hands on from day one. She asked us tough questions all along the way, but let us run with it. It wouldn’t have happened without her.” To honor her hands on engagement in the project, Bernd Gottinger approached Cohen one day in the middle of studio construction and asked her what her favorite color might be. “Purple,” she told him instantly. “The next thing I knew,” Wendy says, “the studio was painted purple! Someone told me it is a very spiritual color. It is a very relaxing shade.” Just outside the purple soundproof area, a half dozen workstations with keyboards attached to desktop computers occupy the room where Chautauqua archivist Alfreda Irwin once clipped newspapers. Chautauqua teenagers have been coming in to learn how to record their own music through a software program called Garage Band. Older Chautauquans have also been finding their way to the studio to record their memoirs and to collect oral histories from their relatives. All of the equipment here is portable and has been used in Lenna Hall and elsewhere on the grounds. Matt Wilson says he’s recorded everything from Celtic music to grunge rock to jazz, and even a marimba soloist. Later this particular afternoon he will record an accordion player who has scheduled a session. Tomorrow he will create a podcast featuring the week’s platform speaker. Sara Lundine says the next step is to add some video equipment to the studio’s capabilities. For Wendy Cohen, engaging in the work of the Institution in this way is simply a natural outgrowth of the friendships she has forged here. “We have so many friends at Chautauqua,” she says. “I find that when I go to the corner to get the paper, it takes a half hour!” Community is the thing, she repeats, and now she and her husband, Ed, have played a key role in helping to record the incredible variety of voices that comprise our community year after year.
Completing the Visual Arts picture
2/1/2008 Chuck and Charlotte (Char) Fowler would often ponder the fate of Kellogg Hall as they passed the 119 year old building on their morning walks around the grounds. ‘The old girl looked a little sad,” said Chuck. “Kellogg Hall occupies such a great spot on the old campus. We didn’t want to see it taken down.” As the Idea Campaign breathed new life into Chautauqua with new and renovated program facilities, the historical icon on the corner of Pratt and Ramble remained in need of critical fundraising dollars before it could receive the attention it deserved. As a fitting conclusion to the Idea Campaign, the Fowlers have provided a major gift to renovate the first floor of Kellogg Hall into gallery space and a small café for the Visual Arts at Chautauqua Institution. Familiar with the fundraising goals of the campaign, Chuck and Char both admit that, up until last summer, they assumed someone else would step up to fund the Kellogg Hall renovations. But an article in the spring Chautauquan, highlighting a gift by Kathy Hancock to kick start efforts to raise the necessary $1.5 million before Dec. 31, 2007, changed their minds. “When we read the article it just kind of clicked for us,” said Char. “We thought, ‘Let’s try to do this.’” The Fowlers first visited Chautauqua after moving to Cleveland, Ohio. Chuck is the president and CEO of Fairmount Minerals in Chardon, Ohio, one of the largest producers of industrial sand in the United States. Char is an arts advocate and a former teacher. “It was love at first sight,” said Chuck. “You get inside the gates and you’re taken back to a more peaceful and enjoyable time.” “I always feel a sense of calm and relaxation come over me,” said Char. The Fowlers started renting a house and bringing the family for a week each summer. In 2001, they purchased a home on North Avenue and renovated it to accommodate their two daughters, their spouses, and six grandchildren. Though the entire family lives in the Cleveland area, summers at Chautauqua provide an escape from otherwise hectic lives. The Fowlers all get together twice during the season, then each family uses it for a week by themselves. Chuck and Char also love to introduce friends to Chautauqua, though accommodating them can be tricky. “We have a long guest list on the computer at theWelcome Center,” said Chuck. “We love introducing new folks to Chautauqua and still bring back friends who have been here before.” In addition to the visual arts, Chuck and Char enjoy the theater, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and playing golf. They’re also drawn to the variety of Special Studies courses. “Everything from exercise and selfhelp to jewelry making and ceramics,” said Char. “It’s fun to try different things, but I’ve learned over the years not to overbook!” “It’s an opportunity to keep your mind going,” said Chuck, who enjoys classes on American history. “And it allows other members of Chautauqua opportunities to share what they do in a lecture venue.” The Fowlers are fascinated by the artistic process and appreciate the access provided at Chautauqua to learn from and about the artists before they present or perform their work. “It’s so much fun, as we’re walking home after an evening program, to stop by the Arts Quad and see what the students are doing,” said Chuck. “Many of them are doing their best work at night.” “It’s fun to pick their brains,” said Char, “to find out what they’re trying to say with their work.” During their first summer as homeowners the Fowlers adopted an art student, a tradition that has continued for a number of years. According to Chuck, it gives the family an opportunity to form lasting friendships with the students. One of their first adoptees was recently married at the Institution. Chuck and Char gave the wedding party a ride across Chautauqua Lake to their reception. As members of the Visual Arts Council, Chuck and Char were familiar with the efforts of the Idea Campaign to elevate the visibility and quality of the visual arts at Chautauqua. Renovations to the Arts Quad, including construction of faculty studios and a state of the art ceramics center, are already enhancing the learning environment for students. “Because we walked around the Arts Quad, visited with the students and got to know Jeff (Greenham) in the ceramics area, we saw the facilities they were working in and realized there was a need and a desire to upgrade the facilities for those students,” said Chuck. “Last year, we saw that part of the campaign moving along.” Chuck and Char also understood the need to improve facilities for hosting and commissioning art works. A lack of space, security issues and climate limitations have prevented works of higher value from being showcased at Chautauqua. Work is well underway on the first phase of enhancing Chautauqua’s visual arts exhibition facilities. The Strohl Art Center (formerly CCVA Galleries) will include additional climate controlled exhibition space, an improved gift shop and greatly expanded storage, office and workspace for gallery staff. The new Melvin Johnson Sculpture Garden will serve as an entrance to a visual arts walk that extends from the Main Gate to Pratt Avenue. The Fowlers’ gift allows construction to proceed following the 2008 Season on renovations to Kellogg Hall, to reopen as Anne E. Kellogg Art Center. Gallery spaces are planned for both the first and second floors and a small café will be incorporated on the first floor. Handicapped accessibility will be provided through a new elevator and stair tower on the north side of the building. New restrooms will also be constructed on the side of the building. A porch will be added to the west side of Kellogg Hall to allow for pedestrians to easily flow between Kellogg and the Strohl Art Center. “There’s always been a real situation of getting the arts displayed at Chautauqua,” said Chuck. “But this also provides better access and better branding for the visual arts.” “We hope that the exposure and the location will allow the visual arts to expand and become more of a national figure,” he said. The Fowlers recently returned to their home at Chautauqua to celebrate New Year’s Eve at the bell tower. They also had a chance to view the many construction projects currently underway thanks to the Idea Campaign. “We’ve been very impressed with the organization and the performance of the Idea Campaign, and its ability to put some sustainability in the Institution,” said Chuck. “Someone coming for the first time to Chautauqua will see a place alive and doing well. “The natural beauty has always been there, but people now will be taken aback,” said Char.
Chautauqua place of discovery for Creeches
2/1/2008 When you meet Linda and John Creech for the first time, you get the sense that one does around children who have just discovered something for the first time, like eating ice cream or completing their first successful bike ride. They exude energy, enthusiasm and wonder, but Linda and John are adults, with two children of their own. And their relatively recent discovery was not ice cream or a bike ride—it was Chautauqua. “People at Chautauqua have a notably higher level of awareness of the world around them,” said John. “You can see the difference in mind stimulation, especially among the eldest Chautauquans. They are better informed and more willing to engage in in depth discussions on just about anything. I’ve not seen that phenomenon anywhere else.” The Creeches, in their mid 40s and from Annandale, N.J., discovered Chautauqua through their friends, Harvey and Sarah Wier, almost nine years ago. They rented at various places on the grounds before deciding to build a home in the garden district in 2005. “Once we did that,” said John, “we naturally began to pay more attention to how the place works.” “We became invested,” Linda chimed in, “and once we commit to something, we become very involved.” Indeed, the Creeches have made a statement about how committed they are to Chautauqua by making the decision to include Chautauqua Foundation in their wills. “We think it’s important to put your money where your mouth is,” said John, “and we want to do our part.” Linda and John have decided to direct their bequest toward unspecified endowment, a fund for which will be named the Creech Family Fund. They can begin contributing to the fund at any time. In making their decision, the Creeches also wanted to set an example for their children on the importance of supporting the community in which one lives. “Hopefully, at some point, our children will want to contribute to our family fund,” said Linda. Linda and John have two boys, ages 13 and 16, who entertain themselves quite easily at Chautauqua, even though they don’t go to Club. They fish, swim, golf, ride bikes, climb the cable net play structure in the woods next to Turner School, go to the gym and sports club … “You know, the best part about having your children spend time here is that they learn by example,” said John. “They see that no matter how old you are, you can keep discovering and learning new things, and that the most senior of citizens here keeps up with the world around them and has a lot to offer. This place teaches things no other can, and in the best way possible, through participation and observation—the best way to learn.” When the Creeches first arrived at Chautauqua, they “looked at people running around, going to this event and running to that event, and thought it seemed like a lot of work for a vacation,” said Linda. “By the time we left, a week later, there we were in the car, talking about all of the things we were going to do the following year. I think it just took us a bit of time to realize that you can experience Chautauqua at your own pace. You don’t have to go to everything, and it’s kind of nice to just relax here sometimes.” “What amazes us is that we do so many things here that we would never do at home,” said John. “We never go to the opera in New York City, even though we could, but we do at Chautauqua because it’s so easily accessible, because you don’t feel like you have to dress up, and the offerings are always appealing. We also go to the theater more here, and we’re at the Amp almost every night for all or part of each show.” “There is nothing that outshines what Chautauqua offers as a vacation spot,” said Linda, “including the fact that it’s the perfect place for our extended families and friends to come and spend time in the summer.” John was able to start spending the majority of the nine week season at Chautauqua last year, after starting his own company in the food flavoring business and being able to work from their home at Chautauqua. “I spent six wonderful weeks here last summer,” he exclaimed, “and I’m looking forward to another six weeks or more this coming season.” “We continue to be in awe of this place,” said Linda. “This is our second home now and eventually we’ll spend some part of our retirement years here, and knowing that we’ve invested in Chautauqua’s future will make the experience that much better.” For information on how you can include Chautauqua in your will or other estate plans, and become a member of the Eleanor B. Daugherty Society, please contact Karen Blozie, director of campaigns and gift planning, at (716) 357 6244 or e mail kblozie@chautauquafoundation.org.
Kravitz helps keep Chautauqua spirit alive
11/1/2007 Ever since he visited the Institution 16 years ago, Bob Kravitz has been filled with a Chautauqua spirit that “captures your soul like no other place.” “Rabbi Mark Loeb (a past Chautauqua lecturer) convinced me to come here, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” said Kravitz, now a member of the Eleanor B. Daugherty Society. “Chautauqua is the most civilized place I know of.” Kravitz comes for just one week each year with his partner, David Gilbert, and rents at different locales on the grounds. He loves the morning lectures, all of the music offerings and the natural beauty of the physical surroundings. Gilbert attends morning meditation and Special Studies classes, and sails some afternoons. They both attend all of the evening performances in the Amp. “It’s the perfect place for people with differing interests,” said Kravitz. Kravitz’s most memorable and revealing Chautauqua moment came in 2004 when he arrived on a Saturday, excited to start the week, and soon learned through a phone call that his mother, who had been ill for some time, had passed away. “Managing that shock and grief would be difficult anywhere, but being at Chautauqua somehow made it easier to deal with,” said Kravitz. “Aside from being with my mother, I can’t think of a better place to have been when the phone call came.” “That experience convinced me of Chautauqua’s power to change your state of mind,” he added, “not only in ways that allow you to deal with positive experience, but, as I learned, not sopositive ones too.” Kravitz’s 16 year connection with Chautauqua convinced him to do something meaningful to ensure that the Institution continues to affect a positive state of mind for future Chautauquans. As a 56 year old practicing dentist from Philadelphia, Kravitz wanted to make the most substantial gift that he could, without sacrificing income. As he began investigating options, he learned that he could receive an income during his life and have someone else receive income after him, through a charitable remainder annuity trust. He decided to establish the trust, designating Chautauqua as one of three beneficiaries. Kravitz will fund the trust with 401k monies, his IRA and his pension, and will receive payments from the trust for his lifetime. Afterwards, his brother will be provided for. What remains after his brother’s death will be distributed equally among Chautauqua and two other charitable concerns Kravitz has chosen. Kravitz elected to establish a flexible fund to assist in the presentation of lectures, general care of gardens and grounds, capital projects that promote physical wellness and programs that promote diversity. “I feel great about this,” said Kravitz, “and I am so happy to do it. Chautauqua is a special place and it should always be here.” Kravitz looks forward to retirement when, instead of just one week, he’ll be spending “the entire summer, every summer,” here at Chautauqua. By providing for Chautauqua through a charitable trust, Kravitz is eligible and has chosen to become a member of the Eleanor B. Daugherty Society, a group of individuals who have included Chautauqua in their will, or as a beneficiary of a charitable trust, IRAor other estate planning vehicle. “Daugherty Society” members are invited to attend Chautauqua’s annual scholar in residence program each year, and are also invited to the Eleanor B. Daugherty Society luncheon held each summer. For more information on the Eleanor B. Daugherty Society, please contact Karen Blozie, director of campaigns and gift planning, at (716) 357 6244 or email kblozie@chautauquafoundation.org.
Kullbergs take advantage of ‘golden opportunity’
11/1/2007 Jim and Judy Kullberg had wanted to do something for Chautauqua for a long time. The advantages of giving through Jim’s IRA just made it easier. “The timing was perfect,” said Jim, recalling the circumstances around their gift. Jim and Judy signed up for the Connections program with the School of Music for the first time this past summer, and “adopted” two violin students. “It was one of the best experiences we have ever had at Chautauqua,” said Jim. “The students were so appreciative of the simplest things—doing laundry at our house, for example. You’d have thought we offered them a pot of gold,” added Judy. The Kullbergs threw a birthday party for one of the students and also had the parents of one of the “adoptees” stay with them during the summer. “We all got along wonderfully,” said Judy. Before the Connections program began, the Kullbergs had been asked to contribute to the Idea Campaign. They lovemusic and all of themusical programs at Chautauqua, so they decided to make their gift by adopting a practice shack. “We made the decision to fund a shack before we had the students—it’s just the way it worked out, and it couldn’t have been better timed, or reinforcedmore our decision to give to the School of Music,” said Judy. Giving through his IRA was a “no brainer” for Jim. He had reached the age of 70 and a half, so qualified to take advantage of the Pension Protection Act of 2006. (see article below). “It was the best and relatively painless way to do it,” said Jim. According to the act that was signed into law in Aug. 2006, and expires Dec. 31, 2007, direct transfers from an IRA to a charitable institution give donors the opportunity to avoid paying income tax on the distribution, or be subjected to withholding. “It’s a golden opportunity, and I just couldn’t pass it up,” said Jim. The Kullbergs have a 20 year history at Chautauqua, having been introduced to it by Jim’s fellow Corning colleague, Bob Battaglin, and his wife Joan. The Kullbergs, along with a group of friends who met through a church study group, all discovered Chautauqua together and all still come, each traveling from different parts of the country. Some, including the Kullbergs, who now live in Seven Lakes, N.C., bought a home on the grounds and have become more involved with the community, which Judy and Jim both cite as one of the reasons they decided to make Chautauqua their summer retreat. “In addition to all of the wonderful things to do here, you can also feel like you’remaking a difference through community involvement,” said Judy. Jim’s “involvements” include treasurer of the Presbyterian association, overseeing the expansion of the Presbyterian House, and area representative for the Chautauqua Property Owners Association (CPOA). Judy just completed a five year term on the board of governors at the Chautauqua Golf Club, which she says has “been an interesting, growing and rewarding experience.” They are both active in the CLSC. When asked why they decided to support Chautauqua with a major gift to the Idea Campaign, the Kullbergs responded, “Chautauqua is the only place we know of where you can have open discussion without people getting unreasonably upset. We think that’s important, and worth supporting.”
Kingstons honor family’s Chautauqua memories
11/1/2007 Jennifer Pickens Kingston never misses an opportunity to sing “Holy,Holy,Holy” at the Sundaymorning service in the Amphitheater. For the sixth generation Chautauquan, the hymn conjures wonderful memories of time spent here with her grandparents when she was a little girl. “I can still hear them belting out that song,” said Kingston. “To this day it remains very powerful, very meaningful to me.” Kingston’s grandmother, Elizabeth Shortt Roess, a lifetime Chautauquan, passed away this past Christmas morning at the age of 97. “We got to thinking about how nice it would be if we could find some way to both honor this woman who was very special to me all of my life and, at the same time, contribute to the life of Chautauqua,” said Kingston. To honor her grandmother and her passion for music, Kingston and her husband, Tim, generously donated the funds for a teaching studio at the School of Music campus. “It’s lovely to be able to contribute, to provide a space for people to practice and develop as musicians,” said Kingston. She appreciates the priority currently given to music education and improving School of Music facilities through the Institution’s Idea Campaign. “Adequate facilities that inspire development and growth are essential to continue to attract amazing musicians here,” said Kingston. “We’re really pleased to see that respectful commitment being made.” Music continues to play a role for Kingston’s family, particularly for her three daughters, Isabel, 6, Julia, 4, and Charlotte, 3. Isabel and Julia are currently attending a public school in New York City specializing in music. The budding violinist and pianist have been captivated by Chautauqua, “ever since theywere infants being strolled around the Amphitheater listening to the symphony,” said Kingston. “We would certainly like to think that was part of the influence for the passion and interest formusic that has developed in their little heads and bodies,” she said. “For children, just being in that kind of environment, music becomes a natural thing for them. Children have a natural propensity for music, and if that is cultivated, virtually anyone can be passionate for music. Sadly, that is not always cultivated.” “As I see my girls beginning to enter this world of music, I’m hopeful that Chautauqua can be a place for them to continue their education,” said Kingston. “The beauty of this place inspires musicians; the natural beauty of Chautauqua and the beautification of the facilities go hand in hand.” Isabel, Julia and Charlotte are part of the seventh generation of Kingston’s family to call Chautauqua home.Her great great grandfather was one of the early trustees of Chautauqua. William Hamilton Shortt, in fact, is pictured with John Heyl Vincent and Lewis Miller in a photograph of the board taken in the late 1800s. A copy of the photograph is on display at the home of Kingston’s parents, Robert and Mary Roess Pickens. Kingston’s grandmother graduated from Oberlin College around 1930. BothOberlin andChautauqua cultivated in her a real commitment for lifelong learning. The lecture platform was always a strong part of her intellectual life, and she was a voracious reader. Roess was able to visitChautauqua until her late 80s, staying at a house on the grounds rented by Kingston’s parents. “She was an incredible role model for me,” said Kingston. “She was even leading book groups in her final years of life because of this wonderful intellectual curiosity.” While the amount of programming offered on the grounds has certainly increased since the early 1900s, “at its core Chautauqua is verymuch the same kind of place it was when my grandmother was a little girl,” said Kingston. “It remains committed to learning, to music and the arts, to all those things that make us human and bring us joy. Those things haven’t changed. In a spiritual sense, it’s very much the same place as it was for my grandmother.” “There’s so much in life that is constantly changing, there’s something very comforting and satisfying about this place that, in its core, it remains the same,” she said.
Three new trustees elected to board
11/1/2007 Three new trustees have been elected to the Chautauqua Institution Board of Trustees and began their duties Oct. 1.
Jill Bellowe
Jill Bellowe of Santa Barbara, Calif., has been coming to Chautauqua for the last 36 years and is married to former trustee Arnold Bellowe. The Bellowes lived in Cleveland for over 30 years where they worked and raised their two children, Stacy Bellowe Tager, now of LosAngeles, and Greg Bellowe, now of Chicago. The Bellowes moved to Santa Barbara in 1993. They have had a home in Chautauqua Shores since 1972, where their children and grandchildren now spend their summers. Bellowe attended the University of Michigan and Ursuline College for her BA and then John Carroll University where she received a master’s degree in counseling. She specialized in counseling Vietnam veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She and a co counselor created one of the first counseling groups for Women Partners of Vietnam Veterans with PTSD, and together they co authored a pamphlet for women on this subject. She taught stress management at Cuyahoga Community College and consulted for businesses and conducted seminars on the subject. In Santa Barbara, Bellowe taught stressmanagement at Santa Barbara City College for seven more years. Bellowe’s numerous Chautauqua activities include being a founding member of the Friends of the Chautauqua Conservatory Theater (FCCT), first vice president of the FCCT and president of the Friends organization from 1997 to 1999. She was a committee member for CCVA’s “Art on the Block” for several years and is a graduate of the CLSC Class of 2000 and Seven Seals in 2004. She and her husband were delegates on the Chautauqua Soviet trip to Tbilisi, Georgia in 1988 and also participants to the Abrahamic Initiative in New York City in 2004 and in London, England, in 2005. Prior to her election to the board, she served as a Community Member to the Program Policy Committee. Bellowe says she will approach the responsibility of being a board member with great care, concern and creativity, while always keeping in mind the mission upon which Chautauqua was founded.
Jennifer Delancey
Jennifer DeLancey of Charleston, S.C., was elected inAugust as theChautauqua Property Owners Association Class B Trustee. She has been married to DavidDeLancey for 32 years. They have livedat 9Wiley for over 20 years with their three children, Danielle, Wes and Billy. DeLancey received a BS degree in health, PE and recreation and later a Master of Education degree from Auburn University. She has taught in Key West, Fla.; Bradenton, Fla.; and North East, Pa. Her positions of leadership outside of the Chautauqua community are numerous, including YMCA Board of Directors, Lake View Country Club Development Board, AAUW, president of NE Junior Women’s Club, Athletic Committee Chairman, Severn School, Special Olympics coach and she has chairedmany successful fundraisers for various organizations. DeLancey has served the Chautauqua Property Owners Association for four years, first as secretary and later as vice president. During that time, she has been instrumental in working with the administration on bicycle safety and continues to seek better solutions to that problem. DeLancey spearheaded the establishment of the dog park in response to property owner concerns about dogs running loose on the grounds. Besides her contributions to the CPOA, DeLancey is a member of the Communications Advisory Council, has been a Focus Group participant, and is a graduate of the CLSC. She has participated in many positions of leadership at the Chautauqua Yacht Club and cochaired a charity event off the grounds with the CLYC of Lakewood which raised over $9,000 to benefit the Chautauqua LakeAssociation. DeLancey is amember of theChautauqua TennisAssociation, the Women’s Golf association and ChautauquaWomen’s Softball. She is also a member of the Friends of the Chautauqua Theater Company.
Jack McCredie
Jack McCredie of Alameda, Calif., is associate vice chancellor emeritus and CIO emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, and is chair of the University of Calif. AdvancedNetwork Services Planning Team. He currently serves as senior fellow at the EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research and is a member of the board of trustees for Internet2, the foremost U.S. advanced networking consortium. McCredie previously served on the board as a Class B trustee from 1970 to 1978. He has served on the executive committee, presidential search committee and education committee, and has volunteered on the program evaluation committee, the Internet Task Force, and the Idea Campaign. McCredie has spent part of every summer of his life at Chautauqua. He and his wife, Yvonne, along with their daughters, Elizabeth Daley and Emily Walker, graduated in the CLSC Class of 2000. His major summer interests include attending lectures, music, theater, sailing, flying and dog training. McCredie received his BS from Yale University and his MBA and PhD from Carnegie Mellon University. He previously worked as director of Digital Equipment’s worldwide External Research Program, president of EDUCOM, and co chairman of the board for Winona Camps, Inc.
Snyder replaces Clinger as chairman of the board of trustees
8/25/2007 After 10 years of service to the board of trustees, six of which were served as chairman, William Clinger will retire today and pass the gavel to George Snyder, a Pittsburgh resident and partner with the small firm Stonecipher, Cunningham, Beard & Schmitt, P.C. At the conclusion of Saturdays last seasonal board of trustees meeting, Snyder will take over, becoming one of the youngest trustee members to serve as chairman, Clinger said. Its been a great run, Clinger said. Weve had a successful season, and our working relationships with the other principle governing bodies are wonderful. Snyder, who earned his bachelors degree in history at the University of Virginia in 1985 and graduated from University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1988, is a fifth-generation Chautauquan. At the age of 12, he worked as a Daily boy delivering the newspaper, and later moved to circulation manager at age 15. At 18, he became advertising manager. He and his wife, Maggie, have two daughters, Emily, 13, and Jennifer, 9, who have been coming to Chautauqua since birth, and are enrolled in Girls Club. Part of what makes Chautauqua such a special place to Snyder is the ability to form lasting relationships with people, including those outside your own generation, he said. And that building of relationships will continue as Snyder takes over after Clingers retirement. To prepare for his position, Snyder has met with Clinger and President Tom Becker several times during the summer to discuss responsibilities, duties and various administrative issues. He has also spoken with two past chairmen, Bill Karslake and Dick Miller. One of Snyders top priorities as he begins his twoyear term, which can be renewed serving a maximum of six years, is to make committee assignments. There are a number of committees such as the programming committee, nominating, audit, personnel, executive and the development council, Snyder said. As chairman, it is his main duty to provide leadership to the board of trustees and serve as the primary interface between administration and the board. The purpose of the board is to provide political- level guidance to the administration and work on strategic planning, Snyder said. He also serves a public function including attending dedication ceremonies and various popular events like Old First Night. I hope to achieve and continue the depths and quality of my work, moving the Institution forward and preserving the tradition that has made this place so special, Snyder said. Snyder said he was nominated for this position by the board, and it was a position he couldnt turn down. In months to follow, Snyder will work with the board to add minor tweaks to architectural review board legislation and approve the 2008 budget. Throughout the year, the board meets collectively in November, February, May, July and August, Snyder said. On behalf of his six-year term, Clinger said the board brought about a significant number of changes, including the revision of the structure of board committees to be more proficient and effective, the implementation of serving alcohol during mealtimes at The Athenaeum Hotel and The Season Ticket and the addition of a fund for road and maintenance improvements. After his retirement, Clinger plans to perform philanthropic duties like fundraising, which he believes is vital to the growth of Chautauqua. He also wants to attend more programming events and spend more time sailing, which was previously difficult, time-wise, when he served as chairman.
Practice Shack Dedicaiton
8/23/2007 Julie Fletcher Moore, left, and her father, Bob Fletcher, stand at the recently renovated George Gershwin practice shack at the dedication ceremony held Tuesday at the School of Music Campus. Ann and Bob Fletcher and family funded the renovation as part of the Idea Campaign. Bottom: Moore plays piano in the Gershwin practice shack, No. 38, which was dedicated to her in honor of her 50th birthday.
Fletchers gift honors daughters commitment to music education
8/21/2007 If all goes according to plan, Julie Fletcher Moore wont be reading The Chautauquan Daily today. When she joins her family this afternoon at a ceremony dedicating the renovated George Gershwin practice shack at the School of Music, shell discover why her family has been keeping secrets from her for the last few weeks. At 4 p.m. today Ann and Bob Fletcher will dedicate shack No. 38 to their daughter, Julie, to celebrate her 50th birthday and honor her lifelong dedication to music education. For Julie, one of 20 members of the Fletcher family in the music business, piano lessons were a normal part of growing up. As Bob Fletcher explains it, however, Julie was initially reluctant to continue the family tradition. The problem, he learned, was that Julie dreaded recitals. In our family, music is a core subject, Fletcher said. I consider it the same as math. You dont just decide youre going to give it up. So I made a deal with her that if she continued with piano she wouldnt have to do recitals. Julie accepted her fathers offer and continued with the piano lessons. Following high school graduation, she enrolled at Nazareth College in Rochester as a music major. Unfortunately, Julies fear of recitals would come back to haunt her. According to Fletcher, the school had just completed a new music hall, and all incoming students were required to play in front of the other students. On stage, on a new concert grand, in a new concert hall, she promptly fainted after six bars, Fletcher said. That was apparently the end of her music career. She was so mortified that she tried to keep it a secret from us. As it turns out, years later Julie has dedicated herself to music education, incorporating a teaching philosophy that helps young pianists recognize the importance of recitals. Her return to music after the incident at Nazareth is due to a family trip to Chautauqua. During one of their earliest visits to the Institution, the Fletchers discovered a piano camp teaching the Suzuki method. Julie enrolled in a class to learn Suzuki, which reinstituted her interest in piano. She would eventually become a Suzuki teacher in Skaneateles, N.Y. Many of her students attend Suzuki camp in Kingston, Canada, ever year. One of the keys is that parents have to attend each lesson, and recitals are an integral component of the Suzuki success, Fletcher said. It becomes something kids look forward to. Julie is also active in the annual Skaneateles Music Festival from Aug. 8 to Sept. 1. Despite her busy schedule, Julie never misses a summer at Chautauqua with her husband, Jim, and children Christopher and Caroline. She has become very involved in the magic here, Fletcher said. The decision by the Fletchers to adopt the prestigious Gershwin practice shack for renovation is but one small piece of the familys contributions to the Institution. In the spring Chautauquan, the Institution announced a $1 million gift by Ann and Bob Fletcher to the School of Music through the Idea Campaign. Fletcher formed The Fletcher Family Foundation with proceeds from his music business. The purpose of the foundation is to support music and music-related programs and initiatives. Ive talked to piano students in conservatories across the world, he said. I asked them about how the facilities here now compared to their music schools, and they tell me they are superior to anything around. Music is one of the cornerstones here at Chautauqua, Fletcher said. Particularly for a piano student, theres no other place where they can get the broad education they get here. Adopting the Gershwin shack for renovation was particularly meaningful to Fletcher. I think of the shack as one of the major historical landmarks in Chautauqua, but it goes underpublicized, Fletcher said. Gershwin was not only one of Americas great composers, he was the finest musician of any of the American composers. In 1925, Gershwin visited Chautauqua and composed part of his Piano Concerto in F for Walter Damrosch of the New York Symphony Orchestra. The story, according to Fletcher, is that the Gershwins were so beloved by fellow musicians that their house in Manhattan became a public house of sorts. Gershwin complained that he could never get anything done. Dean Hutchinson of The Juilliard School, who was head of the piano department at Chautauqua at the time, suggested that Gershwin visit the Institution, a real quiet place, where he could come and people wouldnt bother him, Fletcher said. But Gershwin was so besieged by music students that he made a rule that students couldnt go up to his shack until 7 p.m. The Fletcher family invites the Chautauqua community to attend the dedication ceremony at 4 p.m. today at the School of Music campus. The rain location for the event is McKnight Hall. Everybody else knows but Julie, he said. I think her kids are on pins and needles theyre so excited about it. On Friday, Fletcher visited the Gershwin shack and discovered the bronze plaque with the dedication to Julie had already been installed. Well have to do something about covering it up, Fletcher joked. If you see Julie before the dedication, make sure to keep it a secret.
Sorensens give gift,endowment to YAC
8/20/2007 The Chautauqua experience has an amazing way of touching and shaping peoples lives. A perfect example is Andrew and Donna Sorensen and their children, Aaron and Ben. In 1964 Donna Ingemie needed a summer job. Penny Chadwick Small told Donna that her aunt was managing the Cary Hotel and asked her if she wanted to be a waitress there. Donna agreed and asked her friend, Winnie Sorensen, if she would like to waitress too. Both would be visiting Chautauqua for the first time. Winnies brother Andrew heard of Chautauqua through his professor at college, Arthur Bestor, after whose father Bestor Plaza was named. Andrews father, a Presbyterian Minister, drove Winnie to Chautauqua for her summer job, and Andrew finally visited Chautauqua. He was not aware that he would also meet Donna, his future wife. This meeting led to 40 years of Chautauqua memories with four generations of family having the opportunity to visit and participate in activities. They spent summers at Chautauqua and purchased a house on South Lake Drive in 1983. We wanted to make a gift to Chautauqua to give back to a community that has given us so much. I asked the boys what they would like to have us give it to, Andrew said. We reviewed the Capitol Campaign list. The Youth Activity Center (YAC) wasnt on the list, but it was something both boys benefited from while growing up. Of all the things they could give a donation to, the YAC would be at the top of their list, they said. We are giving the donation in honor of our boys, so this was our final choice. Andrew Sorensen started talking to Geof Follansbee, Tom Becker and Jack Voelker about the gift a year ago. He told them that if they remodel the YAC, he and his wife would make a gift, whatever the cost. The snack counter was in need of enlargement and improvements, so plans were drawn up and implemented. Al Dibs, YAC director, showed Sorensen his plans for air conditioning the high school students room, when they paid for that in addition to purchasing four computers for the room. The Sorensens also established an endowment for the YAC so that there would be money coming in for future plans and repairs. We made a pledge of $125,000 and have made the first payment of $35,000, Andrew said. The rest will be paid off over the next several years. Growing up at the YAC was always a central place for my friends to meet and gather, Ben said. We organized the YAC pack softball team. Donna attended every game, and Andrew watched when his schedule allowed him to come to Chautauqua. The Sorensens feel its important to provide these activities for the older children, and the YAC offers a place to meet and a variety of evening activities. Thats why its especially meaningful for me for my parents to make the contribution to the YAC, Ben said. Its great to see the continuation of the YAC as such an important place for the next generation. We have moved a lot during our careers, and Chautauqua has been our rock, Donna Sorensen added. We would always come back in the summer. It has been a comforting, stable, force in our lives. Last year my parents, Sam Ingemie, 91, and Sophie, 84, were able to spent the entire summer at Chautauqua with us. In the beginning, they brought Bens older brother, Aaron, to Chautauqua for cross-country skiing in the winter and would stay at St. Elmo, back when it was a wood hotel. Both attended Boys and Girls Club. Arturo, Aarons son, 5, continues the tradition by attending Childrens School in the morning and Group 1 at Boys and Girls club in the afternoon. Donna stays for the entire season and participates in many activities. She attends the lectures, loves the cinema and visits with friends she only sees while at Chautauqua. She says theres not enough time to do all that you want to do. Andrew, president of South Carolina University, comes up for the weekends and one or two weeks during the season. Both are 1999 CLSC graduates. Aaron lives in Baltimore and works as an information technologist at Collexis, a software company. Ben lives in Tallahassee, Fla., has just graduated from law school and is currently studying for his bar exams. Ben is characteristic of a lot of people in his age group who grew up here, because he participates in weddings as an usher for kids he met when he was a 5-year-old, Andrew said. He will be coming back in September for a wedding. Al Dibs said the improvements that have been made and will be able to be done in the next few years have far exceeded his expectations. These changes will benefit many children in the future. The YAC building was originally a dance studio that sat empty for a few years. Under Al Dibs supervision, it has gone from a large empty space with a modest table serving grilled cheese sandwiches, to a popular club with a well-trained staff and activities for young adults.
Heckers support Chautauqua as life-changing experience
8/18/2007 Paula and Ray Hecker are definite about why they have included Chautauqua in their will. It was like nirvana for me, said Paula, remembering back to when she first came to Chautauqua more than 25 years ago. There were so many cultural things to do it was like nothing I had ever experienced before. Everything had a magical quality. It is much more than a vacation spot it offers the potential for life changes to occur and to alter the way one views a particular subject or idea. Thats pretty powerful and makes Chautauqua an important place in the United States, certainly one worth funding, Ray said. The Heckers said they considered remembering Chautauqua in their will as an important investment so that future generations cannot just enjoy it, but grow from the experience, the way we have, they said. Never having been exposed to anything cultural growing up, Ray said, made Chautauqua a life-changing experience. As a former art director and copywriter, Ray says he appreciates artistic talent and not just the visual arts. Music transports me. I guess Im a frustrated musician. I admire people with musical talents and especially anyone who is able to make a career of it. Im mesmerized by the sheer amount of talent at Chautauqua. One of their favorite things to do is attend the dance performances. They are delightful to watch, Paula said. In fact it is their love of dance that inspired the Heckers to designate their bequest intention to the dance scholarship program. I like the idea that it will keep working to help fund a dance students education here long after were gone, she said. It makes us feel like we are making a difference, added Ray. Paulas background makes it clear that helping others and making a difference has always been part of her life. She was a member of the first VISTA volunteer group, working for that organization from 1965 to 1966 in the Hough area of Cleveland. From there she became a foster care worker and then went on to work for Head Start in the Bronx. She taught for 30 years for the New York City Board of Education, 20 of them spent teaching children with learning disabilities. Were just regular people who appreciate a place as special and different as Chautauqua, she said. The Heckers also brought their son, Andrew, to Chautauqua. Weve seen the difference it can make to a familys well-being, she said. I enrolled him in Childrens School and then he went on to Club. He just loved it. He was exposed to many different activities and people both experiences that I think helped make him become a more creative and open-minded person. The Heckers now live in Tucson, Ariz., and come to Chautauqua for three weeks each year, renting a home on Ramble Avenue. Paula said, Now we look forward to coming to Chautauqua even more, because the geography is so different from Tucson and its so green in comparison. There is simply no other place that I know of that can offer the same experience that Chautauqua does. Were grateful that its here and want to do whatever we can to keep it thriving for years to come. Paula and Ray Heckers bequest intention makes them members of the Eleanor B. Daugherty Society, a group of individuals who have included Chautauqua in their will or other estate plans. For more information on the Eleanor B. Daugherty Society, please contact Karen Blozie, director of campaigns and gift planning, at (716) 357-6244 or through e-mail at kblozie@chautauquafoundation.org.
Gallos make additional gift to Visual Arts
8/8/2007 The Idea Campaign is steadily making its way to its $48 million goal through the efforts of bighearted Chautauquans such as Jim and Mimi Gallo. The Gallos recently made their second major gift to the Visual Arts dimension of the campaign, which will allow for them to name the second floor of the Chautauqua Center for the Visual Arts Galleries. Once completed, the upstairs gallery is tentatively set to be named The Gallo Family Gallery. This is another positive action toward elevating the status of the visual arts here on the grounds, said Karen Blozie, director of campaigns and gift planning. It demonstrates that Chautauquans are taking notice of the potential of the visual arts at Chautauqua and are interested in being part of its growth and success. The visual arts facet of the Idea Campaign has already made major headway, and when the project reaches the total funding goal, the improvements will be literally more visible to Chautauquans and visitors. The CCVAGalleries and Kellogg Hall will be renovated into a total of six gallery spaces. Each building will be equipped with air conditioners, elevators, new restrooms and storage space. With the Logan Gallery on Bestor Plaza, the construction of the Mel Johnson Sculpture Garden and the museum caf that is intended to be built on the Wythe Avenue side of Kellogg, the Visual Arts program has nowhere to go but forward. The Gallos, who spend the off-season in Florida, are longtime advocates of the visual arts. They made the additional contribution to the Idea Campaign for three main reasons. As described by Mr. Gallo, their motivations were based on my wifes commitment to the Visual Arts Council and her desire for the arts to really grow into a high quality center, and my familys commitment to the continued improvement of all of the programs offered here. Also, weve had such wonderful experiences in Chautauqua since 1980, we wanted to start giving back for everything weve received. Mrs. Gallo, who is the vice president of the Visual Arts Council and will assume the responsibility of president in 2009, was the brains behind this years first annual Art on the Block event. I got the idea from the Bonita Springs Art League, and from there, she revised it to be appealing to Chautauqua audiences. This summer, Art on the Block proved to be a smashing success. Everyone seemed to have a really good time, she said. And everyone who bought a ticket and attended went home with a work of art. Mrs. Gallo also exemplifies her commitment to the School of Art by teaching Special Studies courses on art appreciation. Mr. and Mrs. Gallo are excited about the direction that the Visual Arts program is headed. Their family has always gravitated toward the arts, and all four of their children have taken classes at the Institution during the summer. Much of what the Chautauqua programs need, they explained, is the rehabilitation of the grounds facilities, which is why they are strong supporters of the Idea Campaign. The improvement of the buildings is greatly going to increase the quality of the visual arts program, Mr. Gallo said. Now that the art will be protected (through the climate-control feature for the new CCVA gallery), the Institution can evolve into more of a stopping place for people to view shows than it already is, Mrs. Gallo said, because a lot of artists dont want their work exposed to the elements. Don Kimes, artistic director of Visual Arts at Chautauqua, reinforced Mrs. Gallos observation. Because of museum requirements for humidity and temperature control, we have never been able to bring museum-quality work to Chautauqua. Additionally, because of the lack of air conditioning, gallery openings, jazz concerts and other events, the CCVA Galleries have frequently been unbearably hot, humid or both. The Gallo family gift doesn't just help to change all of that. It also serves as an impetus to generate further interest in the renovation of the historic Kellogg Hall as exhibition space, Kimes said. Total funding for the restoration and transformation of Kellogg Hall is what remains to be accomplished before the campaigns ending date Dec. 31. Every little bit helps and counts, added Mrs. Gallo. We want Chautauqua to continue to be a viable community for our grandchildren. The Gallos encourage Chautauquans to assist the Idea Campaign in fulfilling its objective. More should become active in donating, since were the direct beneficiaries of the programs here, explained Mr. Gallo.
CPOA nominates DeLancey
8/04/2007 The Chautauqua Property Owners Association has chosen Jennifer DeLancey as their nominee for Class B trustee of the Chautauqua Institution Board of Trustees. Jennifer has been married to David DeLancey for 32 years. They reside at 9 Wiley with their three children, Danielle, Wes and Billy. They are also residents of Charleston, S.C. Jennifer married into a Chautauqua family and has been spending her summers here since the early 70s. Jennifer received a bachelors degree in health, physical education and recreation and later a Master of Education degree from Auburn University. She has taught in Key West, Fla., Bradenton, Fla., and North East, Pa. Her positions of leadership outside of the Chautauqua committee are numerous and varied. Jennifer has served the Chautauqua Property Owners Association for four years, first as secretary and later as vicepresident. Besides Jennifers contributions to the CPOA, she is a member of the Communications Advisory Council, has been a Focus Group participant and is a graduate of the CLSC. She has participated in many positions of leadership at the Chautauqua Yacht Club and is a member of the Chautauqua Tennis Association, the Womens Golf Association and Chautauqua Womens Softball. Jennifer seeks to continue her involvement in the governance of Chautauqua at the board of trustees level. She feels that she is especially prepared to contribute her skills in the area of education, quality of life and safety at Chautauqua embracing Mayor Purcells assessment at Week Fours lecture that they are three important factors in the lives of the citizens in any town. The nominee will be presented at the CPOA open meeting at 9 a.m. Aug. 11 at the Hall of Philosophy. The election will be at the open meeting of the Chautauqua Trustees that follows. Also at the meeting, amendments to the CPOA constitution and by-laws will be voted on. The documents can be viewed on the CPOA Web site, cpoa.ws, or at Smith Memorial Library.
Mahaffey/Penrose gift introduces Sanderson family to Chautauqua
7/30/2007 In an effort to expand the number of minorities who come to the I |
