SPECIAL TO THE SOMERS RECORD (11-23-17)
My wife had been involved in volunteering for many years when she asked me if I might be interested in it myself. Of course I want to give back to the community. I want to be a part of something that benefits something other than myself, and in doing so, possibly benefit myself.
Some volunteering options were out of the question. For instance, volunteering as a "big brother" would probably be a bad choice for me, since I have some lingering anger issues left over from being a "little brother." In my house, if you got on the bad side of my brother you could expect him to turn on the washing machine while you were taking a shower, resulting in storm conditions caused by freezing rain. What about working with older people? Turns out that I AM older people, and people should be over here working with ME.
I became a volunteer usher at the Tarrytown Music Hall about eight years ago, and it has been a great choice. It combines my interests in history, music and being involved in somebody else's community. I wouldn't say that I'm now a full-fledged do-gooder, but it's been a rewarding foray into the field of do-gooding. I was already an experienced usher, since I've been in a few wedding parties. This has gone even smoother, since I don't have to dance with any bridesmaids, possibly injuring them.
The theater itself is the oldest in Westchester, and will remain so until someone builds one that is older. It is on the National Register for Historic Places, built in 1885 to stage flower shows, which were popular at the time. I've seen a lot of flowers in my day, and they never did anything besides just sit there, so I can't imagine that the shows involved much complicated choreography. During this golden era, millionaires such as Jay Gould and John D. Rockefeller attended extravagant cotillions there. These were powerful men and they had big balls. After falling into disrepair and closing in the 1970s, today the theater is run as a nonprofit organization and remains a flourishing asset to the community
I have worked many shows, and seen some great performances. Olivia Newton-John took a sip out of a glass and said "Cheers!" after each song. I don't know what was in the glass but she seemed cheerful. When the Psychedelic Furs played, the line to the bar went all the way across the balcony and down the stairs. Blood, Sweat and Tears were just as I remembered them, even though not one performer was in the original band.
Last Saturday night I worked a performance of comedian Jackie Mason. No one knows his exact age, but the carbon dating process puts his birth somewhere in the Mesozoic Era. So I was not expecting a rowdy crowd, but we did have some drama when one patron claimed that he couldn't get into his seat. We were finally able to accommodate him, but I am much more concerned with people who can't get OUT of their seat. So I keep a pair of tire irons and a set of jumper cables handy just in case.
I hope to see you at the show, you can look for me in the balcony. And for anyone out there thinking of volunteering, giving back is its own reward. That being said, community, if you're out there, please remember that I gave back to you, and when April 15th rolls around, I hope you'll be a little more understanding than you were last year.
My wife had been involved in volunteering for many years when she asked me if I might be interested in it myself. Of course I want to give back to the community. I want to be a part of something that benefits something other than myself, and in doing so, possibly benefit myself.
Some volunteering options were out of the question. For instance, volunteering as a "big brother" would probably be a bad choice for me, since I have some lingering anger issues left over from being a "little brother." In my house, if you got on the bad side of my brother you could expect him to turn on the washing machine while you were taking a shower, resulting in storm conditions caused by freezing rain. What about working with older people? Turns out that I AM older people, and people should be over here working with ME.
I became a volunteer usher at the Tarrytown Music Hall about eight years ago, and it has been a great choice. It combines my interests in history, music and being involved in somebody else's community. I wouldn't say that I'm now a full-fledged do-gooder, but it's been a rewarding foray into the field of do-gooding. I was already an experienced usher, since I've been in a few wedding parties. This has gone even smoother, since I don't have to dance with any bridesmaids, possibly injuring them.
The theater itself is the oldest in Westchester, and will remain so until someone builds one that is older. It is on the National Register for Historic Places, built in 1885 to stage flower shows, which were popular at the time. I've seen a lot of flowers in my day, and they never did anything besides just sit there, so I can't imagine that the shows involved much complicated choreography. During this golden era, millionaires such as Jay Gould and John D. Rockefeller attended extravagant cotillions there. These were powerful men and they had big balls. After falling into disrepair and closing in the 1970s, today the theater is run as a nonprofit organization and remains a flourishing asset to the community
I have worked many shows, and seen some great performances. Olivia Newton-John took a sip out of a glass and said "Cheers!" after each song. I don't know what was in the glass but she seemed cheerful. When the Psychedelic Furs played, the line to the bar went all the way across the balcony and down the stairs. Blood, Sweat and Tears were just as I remembered them, even though not one performer was in the original band.
Last Saturday night I worked a performance of comedian Jackie Mason. No one knows his exact age, but the carbon dating process puts his birth somewhere in the Mesozoic Era. So I was not expecting a rowdy crowd, but we did have some drama when one patron claimed that he couldn't get into his seat. We were finally able to accommodate him, but I am much more concerned with people who can't get OUT of their seat. So I keep a pair of tire irons and a set of jumper cables handy just in case.
I hope to see you at the show, you can look for me in the balcony. And for anyone out there thinking of volunteering, giving back is its own reward. That being said, community, if you're out there, please remember that I gave back to you, and when April 15th rolls around, I hope you'll be a little more understanding than you were last year.
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