HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1986-09-24, Page 214.
CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1986—Page 21
Vori®n Doucette heads
Blyth Centre
for the Arts
By Shelley McPhee-Naist
BLYTH - The summer theatre season at the
Blyth Festival may be over for another year,
but for Marian Doucette, involvement in the
theatre is a year round commitment.
This young Clinton woman has the
prestigious honor of heading the board of
directors for the Blyth Centre for the Arts.
Marian is still thrilled to think that the
board had enough confidence to take her to
the top of the 15 member committee which
manages the centre. Marian began her two
year term as president last December and she
finds the work extensive, involved and
exciting.
Marian juggles her volunteer work at Blyth
with a full time job with the Huron County
Library. As well she is a well known puppeteer
in the area and works as a university lecturer.
It was her love for puppets that brought
4 Marian to the Blyth scene some seven years
ago. She held a puppet, workshop at the
theatre, and virtually has remained ever
since.
She readily took on work as a volunteer with
the Centre, in particular, serving as secretary
for the board of directors and organizing the
annual used book sale.
"I've met so many people and I've done so
many things," she enthuses.
In the past 12 seasons at the Blyth Festival,
Marian has seen all but one play. She has
travelled the country to attend other theatres
and conferences. Ths season Marian had the
opportunity to work with a play, Lilly, Alber-
ta, as the puppet coach.
For the most part„ Marian's work as board
president is a behind the scenes job. Still, the
theatre would not be the success it is today
without the committed, caring, board of direc-
tors that has evolved over the past 12 years.
"People may think it's corny," Marian ex-
plained, "We talk about being an extended
family - but it's true."
Marian, as most other people associated
with the theatre, has worked to become part
of the Blyth community. It is the village and
the residents there that give the Blyth Cen-
tre for the Arts such a positive force - the
•backbone of support.
The board of directors aims to represent the
diversity in the community. It works to en-
compass the wide variety of interests, talents
and occupations that can be found amongst
the people both within and outside the im-
mediate Blyth community. The board in-
cludes: 'vice president, Don McCaffrey of Ex-
eter, a businessman; treasurer, Chris Borgal
of Blyth, an architect; secretary, Carol Irwin
1
The board of directors of the Blyth Centre For the Arts is an in-
tegral part of the success story of the theatre. Board members in-
clude (back row, left to right) Cared McDonnell,
John Sheila
RiichaDon
Wayne Caldwell, Mary Gregg,
of Blyth, innkeeper; past president, Sheila
Richards of Brussels, homemaker; Liz Her-
man of Clinton, counsellor; Gordon Lobb of
Clinton, farmer; Wayne Caldwell of Goderich,
planner; Helen Gowing of Blyth,
homemaker; Mary Gregg of Benmiller,
homemaker; Gayle Gundy of Bayfield, in-
nkeeper; Carol McDonnell of Blyth, teacher;
John Rutledge of Blyth, architect; Lois Van
Vliet of Blyth, gift shop owner; Margaret
Webster of Wingham, a nurse.
Marian explains of the board, "All of us are
here for a common love of the theatre. None
of us are here for the social position or
because of our financial position."
McCaffrey. (Front row) Lois Van Vliet, rresiaen$ Wia
Doucette, Katherine Kaszas and Gayle Gundy. Absent were Chris
•Borgal, Margaret Webster, Helen Gowing, Liz Herman and Gordon
Lobb. (Colleen Maguire photo)
As the board members are diverse in their
interests and occupations, so too is their work
at the Blyth Centre for the Arts.
While special attention is focussed on the
season of summer plays at the Bivth theatre.
the Centre for the Arts and the board of direc-
tors work to maintain a year round program
of arts for the .area.
Under the umbrella of the Blyth Centre for
the Arts is the famous Blyth Festival itself,
as well there is the popular fall and spring
music and arts series, the Blyth Festival
Singers, children's creative workshops and
the Art Gallery. The board of directors, along
New initiatives to reduce family violence
Community and Social Services Minister
John Sweeney and Attorney General Ian
Scott, Minister Responsible for Women's
Issues, unveiled a number of initiatives,
totalling $5.4 million this fiscal year, aimed
at reducing the incidence of family violence
in Ontario.
Mr. Sweeney told a Queen's Park news
conference "prevention is the key to the
government's campaign against family
violence. We want to break the cycle of
violence that often runs through families for
generations."
Mr. Scott added "We are determined that
every person in this province will know that
family violence is a criminal act - not just a
family affair - and that anyone who commits
such a crime will have to be prepared to
take the consequences."
The initiatives announced today fall into
three categories: family support programs,
enforcement measures and public and pro-
fess
for children in the province's shelters for
battered women. The programs, which will
be developed over the next three years, will
include crisis intervention and support. By
helping with the children, shelter workers
will also give mothers an opportunity. to plan
effective methods to deal with violence in
their families. i<Ti
Because of the success of pilot progras,
the Ministry of Community and Social Ser-
vices also announced the expansion of
preventive counselling programs for
women, children and men. Mr. Sweeney
called attention to the government's belief
that, with the help of trained counsellors,
men who batter their wives can stop their
destructive behavior.
Mr. Sweeney pointed out that "early in-
tervention by a counsellor can stop violence
from escalating to a crisis stage. Counsell-
ing after a crisis may reduce the likelihood
of future incidents." The ministry will be
providing more than $1 -million this year for
'
ministry recognizes the continuing need for
services to help the victims of family
violence. As a result, the ministry will in-
crease its funding to Ontario's shelters for
battered' women to further support the pro-
vision of high quality services.
A wide range of enforcement and preven-
tion/education programs, which will focus
on the criminalization of family violence,
were outlined by Attorney General ' Ian
Scott. The programs' are designed to im-
prove the enforcement of family violence
laws. They include : new police training pro-
cedures; a police crisis assistance pro-
gram; new emergency legal aid services for
victims; and the appointment of part-time
crown attorneys to relieve domestic assault
prosecutors of their courtroom duties dur-
ing the critical time set aside for interviews
with victims.
As well, Mr. Scott announced that the On-
tario Women's Directorate will extend its
highly successful Break the Silence media
Tonal education. campaign launched two years ago.
in
dinner, the car rally, the country fair, the bi-
annual auction, to name just a few.
Board members also organize the gala
opening night at the Blyth theatre, the
members' and patrons' nights, welcoming
parties for cast and crew, house managing
and ushering in the theatre itself.
Marian tries to attend as many meetings as
possible. She notes, "It's like trying to hold
down two fulltime jobs. Looking back I've
wondered how other past presidents have
done it."
By no means is Marian Doucette complain-
ing. By day she manages her work as library
technician in Goderich. By night, and on
weekends she works as president for the Blyth
Centre For the Arts.
Marian is enthusiastic about her work with
the Centre and she has set down specific goals
she hopes to see accomplished during her
term of office. She is working on members'
handbook, a manual for board members to
outline the expectations and roles of the
board, the theatre and a day-to-day summary
of the operations at the Centre. Her aim is to
make the board members as familiar and as
comfortable as possible with the work and
mangement of the Blyth Centre For the Arts.
Too, Marian explains, it is the aim of every
president to pay off a major capital expen-
diture. Currently more than $39,000 is still ow-
ing on the recent purchase of a building that
is used for rehearsal space, storage and the
theatre paint shop.
Financing the theatre is not an easy task,
and with a budget of more than $600,000 and
a fund raising goal of some $80,000. it is a
majorchore to keep the operation running
in the black.
Marian looks at the financial picture in
practical terms, "Ii we don't have the money
and we don't have the means to raise it, we
don't make the expenditures.'
"Our feet are still very firm on the ground,
- while we still have our aims and visions," she
noted.
with the artistic director and the general
manager work to organize these programs
and to finance them.
Board members sit on more than 17 dif-
ferent committees as part of the work to both
raise funds and hold special events for the
Centre for the Arts. The committees include
those which look after the operations, in-
cluding the Art Gallery, the Friends of Blyth,
the concert subscription series, building; bed
and breakfast,and summer company housing.
There too are fund raising committees for
special events like the book sale, the gourmet
The secret for the continued success of the
Blyth Festival and the Centre For the Arts is
the people behind it. •
Marian says, "We've picked the right peo-
ple all along, people who -won't push the
theatre beyond its realistic limits."
Marian Doucette can include herself among
the capable people who for more than two
decades have made the Blyth Festival a suc-
cess story, not only in this region, but from
coast to coast as one of the finest theatres in
the country.
Arthritis
Paying Off!
THE AR HiriTIS SOCirTY
ad -The family support measures were n- the new counselling initiatives. This isEleven ministries are involved in the an-
nounced by Mr. Sweeney. He said the dition to $1.6 million currently being spent. itiatives announced today and will be an -
government is going to develop programs Mr. Sweeney also pointed out that his nouncing further details in the near future.
Blyth VisualArts presents a local artist's works
The Blyth Visual Arts Committee is pleas- wood", provides a display area for her own
ed to present an exhibition of works entitled, work and Mona also offers it as a showcase
"Music, Masks and Moments" by local ar- for other local artisans. Always an active
tist Mona Istrati-Mulhern. The show will run participant in community art affairs, Mona
Sept. 27 through Oct. 31, in the Blyth has been a teacher of visual arts to every
Festival Art Gallery. age group.In show "Music, Masks, and
Mena Istrati-Mulhern is a familiar figure In the" thew "t createsusic,in watercolor,s,ad
kn ow Goderich
od County arts scene. She is a wells Moreflections of nature, interpretations of the
known Gbited h artist, whose work has symbolic nature of masks; and also shows
been exhibited throughout Ontario.the influence of music as it enhances the im-
Her studio, which she named "Serren- agery and symbolism. All these elements
In honour of the
25th Wedding Anniversary
of
Harold & Loreen Raithby
their family invites you to
celebrate with them on
SATURDAY, SEPT, 27, '86
at the
Auburn Community Hall
OPEN HOUSE
at 7:00 p.m.
VARIETY CONCERT
at 8:00 p.m.
Everyone Welcome
Happy 210 Birthday
Rod M.
Best Wishes
From?
1
OPEN
HOUSE
An Open House is being
planned on
WED., SEPTEMBER 24/86
2-4 p.iii. card 7-9 p.ra
at the home of
Bert Lyon in honour of
their daughter CHERYL
at R.R. 1 Auburn, prior
to her wedding to
Calvin Bakelaar on
September 27, 1986.
Everyone Welcorne
come together to provide a delightful ex-
perience, touched with moments of fantasy.
The official opening is on Saturday, Sept.
27 at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend, to
see the exhibit and meet the artist.
The Festival Gallery will remain open
weekdays through to October 17th from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m., and any inquiries during
business hours may go to the Blyth Festival
administration office (1st building south of
. Blyth Memorial Hall after that date).
THIS WEEKEND 9 PM - 1 AM
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
"The Connection'
DAILY LUNCH'`ANLi`-61I4 ER "
SPECIALS
BREAKFAST $1.99
CHINESE PIZZA
,rjFOOD NE
Eat in or take out
k'Ik'-.1"i;*.
HARBOUR LIGHTS RESTAURANT & TAVERN HIGHWAY 21 - BAYFIELD 565-2554v
S A WEEK 8 A.M. - 1 A.M.
WHY
WEIGHT/ WAIT!
Combination Nutrition and
Exercise Program at
CLINTON PUBLIC HOSPITAL
10 WEEK SESSION
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
TO TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2/86
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
$75.00 Session or $8.00 Evening
Registration or more information call
482-3447
B. Ouse BSc RPDT
T. Flowers BSc Kin
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Patrick
Guess who got tel dine
with the Blue Joys? _
EXERCISE CLASSES
10 Week Sessions
$m5oo
S Fee
WHEN: Every Tuesday
& Thursday from
10:00 A.M.-11 A.M.
WHERE: Goderich Township
Hall: Holmesville
(includes low impact aerobics)
For information & registration
please call:
482.3186
or
482-9322
Vanastra & District
Lions Club
WAHTED:
Service minded
men over the
age of 19, interested
in joining the
Vanastra & District
Lions Club
For more information
contact:
482-9581
or 482-3886
QUEEN'
SEAFORTH
Appearing Thurs. to Sat.
VIGILANTS
OPEN
SUNDAYS
FOR FOOD & FUN
DAILY SPECIALSC
FROM $2.97
The 12th Annual Van Egmond Foundation
at the historic
VAN EGMOND HOUSE
• Egmondville, Ont. - 2 km. S. of Seaforth
5TJNDAY , c EPTEMBER 28 ONLY
12 NOON TO 5 PM
• Pioneer Demonstrations • Cider Making and Cider Sales
• Entertainment - Local Talent • Scarecrow Contest
• Bessie's Bingo • Soap Making • Wood Carving Display
• Political Auction: Auctioneer Jack Riddell
°BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH: 9 A.M. - 2 P.M. in Tuckersmith
Township Shed. Sponsored by Seaforth Agricultural Society.
'2 Adults- 'el Students - 50C Children
tact b27-0413)Con
(All Proceeds to Heritage Restoration Work) (Contact
1986 HURONVIEW DANCE
Welcomes You
HAT SHOW includes prizes
Be There...
Saturday, September 27
Clinton Legion Hall
Music by Gary, Robertson
M Music pSyerrvices
MX. Ma - "Mr. Fun CKSL's
Rich Greven
$5. per person at door includes lunch
Phone: 482.7042
f...w