“An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day.”
-Irv Kupcinet
It’s an appropriate time to quote Kup as we Chicagoans need a dose of optimism these days. It’s early November and the weather feels like January. The only respectable local pro or college sports team is the one playing football for Lovie Smith in Champaign. No one saw that coming.
Thankfully, my encounters with the guests and Volunteers of the CAC continually provide a source of good cheer and I will use this pre-Thanksgiving post to express my appreciation.
THANK YOU to…
–Leslie Clark Lewis and Diane Wagner for your wonderful work in facilitating communications among the Volunteers and Docents and for so congenially editing and posting my monthly missives.
–Lisa Ciota for your contributions to Volunteer communications and for always being the wise voice telling me what to say.
–Caroline Duda and Michele Kuhn for your around-the-clock efforts to keep the Volunteer ship on course. Michele, you have made an immediate positive impact in leaping into your role and I promise to stop asking how you’re enjoying your first Chicago winter.
–Angela Esposito, Rebecca Boland, and Mizael Robledo for your eternally good-natured and insightful leadership of the Education Guide team. Angela, we are so thankful for your good health.
–Adam Rubin for your intellectual curiosity and refreshingly entertaining presentations as you’ve so ably filled a very large pair of shoes in the organization. And please keep bringing the world’s cutest infant/toddler to the CAC to put a smile on our faces.
–Constance Rajala for running engaging meetings like no one I’ve ever seen and for so fervently championing collaboration across the Docents and Volunteers.
–The Volunteer Steering Committee for your ongoing commitment to being the eyes and ears of the Volunteers in representing us with the Staff. And Chuck Eiden…get well and we look forward to your return to the CAC.
–Lynn Osmond for your charismatic leadership of the CAC. I encountered many corporate executives during my career and no one more elegantly and eloquently personifies their organization (in this case, pronounced organ-EYE-zation) than Lynn.
–Ellen Shubart and Roy Slowinski for setting the standard in demonstrating our Core Values. As you both never say no when it comes to taking on a Docent or Volunteer role or shift, I am always amazed by the infinite bounty of knowledge you so enthusiastically share with your colleagues and guests. To quote Bobby Knight, you each have forgotten more about Chicago history and architecture than the rest of us will ever know.
Thanks to all of you for being the faces and souls of the CAC brand and happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
Cheers, Bob
Bob – We are grateful for your leadership of the volunteer community!