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donor stories
Chautauqua's Beloved "Uncle Howie"
HOWARD SCHILLER
“The
children up here are just so beautiful and amazing,” said Howard Schiller, Chautauqua’s unofficial resident photographer. “It’s so shocking how bright these youngsters are.” Many seasoned Chautauquans might know Schiller better as “Uncle Howie.” For the past 15 summers, he’s been capturing the essence of youth around the grounds in his photographs, sharing them on poster boards outside of The Refectory for visitors to enjoy and ensuring that the subjects’ families get copies of the images for free.
Music is Life
ANN & ROBERT FLETCHER
Who would have thought that a talk on Gershwin by Chautauquan Herb Keyser would inspire someone not only to adopt the prestigious Gershwin practice shack for renovation but also support the School of Music to the tune of $1 million?
Chautauqua Fund Volunteers
CHIP & GAIL GAMBLE
It
was only seven years ago that Chip and Gail Gamble first came to Chautauqua. But given their commitment to the Institution’s programs today, it’s hard to imagine life on the grounds without them. You might recognize Mr. Gamble from the Chautauqua Tennis Center, where he spends every afternoon playing on the courts. Or perhaps you’ve seen Mrs. Gamble helping out at a Women’s Club event or met her at a CLSC meeting. Regardless, this summer it’s possible that you’ll encounter them through their latest undertaking as volunteers for the Chautauqua Fund.
Bestor Society Members
JACK & PHYLLIS SPIES
As of last month, Jack and Phyllis Spies joined the approximately 120 year-round residents of the Institution. For years they discussed the various locations that would suit them post-retirement, but it was Chautauqua that they eventually chose after spending a weekend here during the summer of 2000. “We’re extraordinarily blessed to be able to retire here,” Mrs. Spies said. In addition to their move, the Spies joined the Bestor Society this year, making them part of the group that accounts for 80 percent of the total donations gifted to the Chautauqua Fund annually.
Lectureship Fund for Emerging Studies in Bible &Theology
EILEEN & WARREN MARTIN
Like
many Chautauquans, Eileen and Warren Martin were “one weekers,” visiting the Institution for only one week each summer. And, like many Chautauquans, they were challenged and excited by the ideas they heard from Chautauqua’s lecture platforms. For the Martins—he, a retired Presbyterian pastor, and she, a retired elementary school teacher—it was cutting edge lectures in biblical scholarship that ignited their early interest in emerging theological studies, Warren said. “Those lectures opened an entirely new way of seeing faith and what faith entails,” he said.
A Legacy for the School of Dance
CAROL HIRSH
Since she first saw Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux glide across the Amphitheater stage in 1973, Carol Hirsh has been mesmerized by the magic of the dance program at Chautauqua. Over the years, she has witnessed the School of Dance, under the leadership of Bonnefoux, develop a national reputation for excellence and creativity based on the talented faculty and diverse performance opportunities that exist at Chautauqua.
