Greetings, fellow volunteers –
The volunteer corps at CAF is made up of people with diverse skills as well as varying amounts of time to volunteer. Luckily, we have opportunities to engage all of our volunteers, no matter what their time restrictions. However, we are frequently like ships in the night that pass but never meet.
As you may be aware, CAF’s VEV’s volunteer in a number of different ways. The Visitor Services Volunteers (VSV) are in the shop, our Exhibit Hosts are welcoming guests in the atrium, Design Studio volunteers are in the Design Studio and Education Guides facilitate CAF’s Field Trips.
One way to get the VEV, Exhibit Hosts, and Design Studio volunteers together is our regularly scheduled field trips. While the subject matter and times can vary, the objective is to include all the volunteers in a new learning experience.
In August, at the recommendation of VEV Charlotte Mushow, volunteers made a trip to the Elmhurst Art Museum. The museum is housed in Elmhurst’s famous “glass house,” designed by renowned modern architect Mies van der Rohe in 1952, one of only three existing houses he designed in the United States. The volunteers went on a Monday when the museum was closed to the public and had a private viewing of the exhibit Playboy Architecture,1953-1979. This was the U.S. debut of the exhibition and featured an extensive collection of photographs, films, architectural models, and more from Playboy magazine’s inception in 1953 through the 1970s. Jenny Gibbs, Executive Director of the EAM gave a short lecture and commentary, then volunteers were able to explore the exhibit on their own.
Our next field trip is scheduled for Wednesday, November 16 at 5:30 pm, when we will visit the Columbian Model & Exhibit Works. Cathy Tinker, President of Columbian Model & Exhibit Works, will walk us through the studio and review the model-making process. CMEW played a huge part in creating our Chicago Model and continues to help CAF with updating.
Suggestions for future Volunteer Field Trips are always appreciated.
Looking forward to seeing you in the shop, the atrium, the Design Studio or on a field trip!
Sincerely,
Ellen Oberhart
Chair, Volunteer Steering Committee