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Years of cheerful volunteer work as well as leadership during a key transition time at Chandler Center for the Arts all added up to a special honor last week for Laura Morris of Randolph. The Chandler board added her name to the official Martha Ostlund Honorary Plaque, one of the highest awards that the arts organization can give. The plaque recognizes people who have contributed in mighty ways to programming excellence and growth at Chandler. Morris is "always willing to take on a task and see it cheerfully to its completion," summarized Chandler President Janet Watton, in announcing the award. Now a dedicated volunteer, Morris was also Chandler’s first paid director. In that part-time role, Watton said, "she paved the way for what Chandler has now become, a hall very busy with a very diversified season of performances." Under her leadership, Chandler began presenting such performers as Tom Rush and Arlo Guthrie, finding them extremely popular with local audiences. After spending a year in California Morris returned to Randolph and Chandler as a volunteer and is vice president of the board. She also serves as volunteer producer for about 12 performances each year, responsible for all publicity, programs, hospitality, technical coordination, and countless other details. Her love of and expertise with flowers has led her to bring floral arrangements to put on the Chandler stage for every classical performance, and to help with the big floral displays at the New World Festival. And last but certainly not least, said Watton, she is Chandler’s acknowledged "bulk mailing queen," the only one who understands the postal requirements and thus finds herself in charge of up to four major mailings a year. Placement of her name on the Martha Ostlund plaque, Watton concluded, is "an honor overdue and well-deserved." |
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