Volunteers lifeblood of any organization

The Lancaster County Council of the Arts Board of Directors is excited to announce that our annual Arts Gala is Saturday, May 12, at the Carole Ray Dowling Health Services Center at the University of South Carolina Lancaster. If you aren’t an LCCA member and would like more information about the gala as soon as it is available, contact us.

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Debbie Jaillette is executive director of Lancaster County Council of the Arts.

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Mark your calendars now for this, and our other signature event, Ladies Night Out, which is April 19 at Edwards Scott House.

These events couldn’t happen without the hard work and dedication of our volunteers, as well as LCCA patrons, individuals from the community, event chairs, committees and our board of directors.  

Someone once said the best use of life is spending it on something that outlasts it. The Lancaster community is blessed to have many individuals who believe in, and put this idea into action.

Each year at its annual meeting, the Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce honors one local volunteer for making tremendous contributions to this community. However, most people who volunteer don’t typically receive recognition.

Their satisfaction comes from an internal desire to make a positive difference in the work they do. Volunteering certainly improves the lives of others and builds strong-relationships in the community.

And these volunteers are everywhere from our schools, churches and hospitals to scouting, social organizations, sports and nonprofit organizations, just to name a few. The staff of some non-profit organizations are made up entirely of volunteers. 

In January 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 62.8 million people volunteered through, or for an organization, at least once between September 2009 and September 2010. 

Also, according to the BLS, about 42.7 percent of volunteers became involved with their main organization after being asked to volunteer – most often by someone in the organization. So we are asking. Volunteers are the lifeblood of any organization.

If you would like to volunteer some time with us, let us know. We have an information sheet for you to complete in order to specify what your interests are in the arts and how we serve the community. 

Naughton showing, ‘Secret Garden’

Please come by the Springs House galleries, 201 W. Gay St., this month to enjoy the paintings of local artist Barbara Naughton, a Sun City Carolina Lakes resident.   

The Community Playhouse of Lancaster County will be performing the Secret Garden in USCL’s Bundy Auditorium at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. 

This is a familiar, well-known story for adults and children, so you will not want to miss this stage performance.

Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for students/seniors and $5 for children under 10. Advance tickets are available at the LCCA office. Tickets are also available at the door.

Local sewing enthusiasts should mark Feb. 25 on their calendars, the date of the annual Carolina One Stop Shop Hop Fiber Arts Show at USCL.

You can contact the LCCA at (803) 285-7451) for more information about these and other upcoming arts-related events. Join us also on Facebook (LCCArts), Twitter (LancasterSCArts) or on our website: www.lccarts.net

Arts. Imagination starts here.

– Debbie Jaillette is executive director of Lancaster County Council of the Arts.