Casa Captivating
At the Casa, we appreciate our volunteers and recognize the fact that the Casa would not function without them. From gardening to setting up for events, the Casa volunteers dedicate themselves to making the Casa the best place possible. So today we say thanks and make sure everyone knows just how special they are! Two of our volunteers have even won an award for their amazing volunteering efforts!
Congratulations to our winners of the Spirit of Volunteerism Awards: Lana Doyle and Val Gutzman!
The Spirit of Volunteerism Awards provides an annual forum and non-competitive opportunity to recognize volunteers for their dedicated service to our community. Established in 1976, the Spirit of Volunteerism Awards is proud to be the oldest awards program in Orange County recognizing and celebrating the major involvement of individual, team and corporate volunteers.
Lana Doyle has been an active volunteer at Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens for over 10 years. She volunteers weekly in our gardens keeping our potted plants properly watered, helps at most events with hospitality, assists Staff with Administrative tasks, helps decorate the Casa for Christmas and 4th of July, and is one of the first to respond when help is needed. Every Spring she volunteers to help with all of our Elementary School Field Trips either assisting with or leading the Ocean Ecosystem lesson. In the Summer she puts in 7 hour days during the 2-week Music Academy leading different activities each day. Recently Lana was appointed to the Casa Romantica Volunteer Advisory Council as the Volunteer Activity Representative where she is tasked with planning educational outings for volunteers, organizing Casa Craft days to make unique items for the Gift Shop and helping to plan volunteer potlucks. Lana consistently has more hours than any other volunteer due to her incredible dedication to Casa Romantica. However, she still finds time to volunteer with the San Clemente Garden Club and at Camp Pendleton serving lunch to Marines.
Val Gutzman joined the Casa Romantica Volunteer Team in March 2015 after relocating to San Clemente from Minneapolis. She thought it would be a good way to meet people and make friends! She quickly has become a very valuable member of our team. Soon after starting as a front door greeter, she expressed an interest in becoming a Tour Docent She now not only volunteers as a greeter, gift shop volunteer, gallery host and tour docent, she volunteers for many events in whatever capacity is needed. As a former educator, she is a key component in all of our Casa Kids education programs. She has refined and retooled some of the lessons we present to elementary students to make them more challenging and interesting. She volunteers her time and expertise at our Music Academy and Festival – preparing many of the lessons herself, such as Meet the Composers, Instruments in the Orchestra, Rhythm and Percussion class, Vocal Class and our new class utilizing Orff instruments. For their recital, the students perform a well choreographed group vocal & instrument piece allowing each student the opportunity to play an instrument and sing during the song. Val helps decorate the Casa for the holidays, teaches a music class during our Spring Break Arts Week and last year taught a jazz lesson to the public on a Yoder Free Family Sunday. Val serves on our Volunteer Advisory Council as the Education Representative. Over the last few months she has worked with a group of 3 other docents to update, verify and unify our Tour Docent Training Guide.
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