Blog

By Emily Clott, Class of 2012

Bob Adamshick is a volunteer’s volunteer. He freely share his time and talents at CAC as an Exhibit Host; in addition he works with the Saints organization, serving as an usher in Chicago’s theaters, is a docent at Glessner House as well as at the Second Presbyterian Church in Bronzeville.

Bob spent his professional life as a librarian for the U.S. government, working at a naval base in Italy, at NATO military headquarters in Mons, Belgium, and more recently at Chicago’s Jesse Brown V.A. Center. This work was good preparation his role at CAC: answering questions and helping visitors to make sense of our City Model and Skyscraper Gallery.

While working in Italy, Bob became fluent in Italian, then he moved to Belgium. He found it curious that the phone book there had two pages of Giordanos in its listings. He learned that after World War II, Belgium sorely needed workers and advertised in Italy where there was little work to be had. Thousands of Italian families—including lots of Giordanos—subsequently emigrated to Belgium.

Libraries were among the early adopters of computer technology, Bob notes, freeing librarians from repetitive tasks and allowing more time to interact with the public. As a federal employee, Bob was involved in comprehensive preparations for Y2K, the moment when the world moved from the 20th century to the new millennium. Many feared computers would malfunction because they were originally programmed to go up to 1999. While there was significant preparation for Y2K, none of it turned out to be necessary. Bob observed that if government had prepared for the current pandemic in a similar way, we might not be experiencing this crisis.

Bob has traveled extensively in Europe and Canada. Coming up next is a trip to Malta, depending on when travel restrictions and quarantines are lifted.

As he has done for the past six years, Bob especially loves welcoming foreign visitors to CAC. His most memorable volunteer experience involved the excellent acoustics at the Adler and Sullivan designed Auditorium Theater where he was ushering. While watching the Joffrey Ballet perform “Romeo and Juliet”, the rapt silence of the audience during the death scene was disturbed by a quarrel between two audience members. Thanks to Adler’s acoustical design, every nasty word was clearly audible to the entire audience!

Bob urges everyone to visit the Second Presbyterian Church for a free tour. It’s at 20th and Michigan, and this architectural gem featuring spectacular art glass shouldn’t be missed!

With volunteers like Bob Adamschick, CAC is sure to maintain its reputation as a purveyor of quality visitor experiences. Bob—as well as all our volunteers, docents, and staff—will soon be back at the Center, doing the work we love to do.

___________________________________________________________________