Westhampton Beach - Fifty of the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center's dedicated volunteers gathered at the Westhampton Country Club for the annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon hosted by the WHBPAC staff on Wednesday, September 23. The event was organized to honor and celebrate the work and support provided to the theatre by a legion of community volunteers.

To salute their efforts, the volunteers were treated to a lovely private luncheon at the Westhampton Country Club that included a complimentary box of delicious chocolates with a gift certificate donated by Ken Schnabel of Main Street Sweets in Westhampton Beach.

Director of Volunteer Services at the PAC, Cheryl Wheeler, also presented volunteer Pat Wall with the Anne Fredey Golden Flashlight Award - an annual award to honor the volunteer who provides outstanding service to our audiences throughout the season. The honoree will use her special "Golden Flashlight" to safely escort audience members to their seats at performances.

Each year, the WHBPAC volunteers donate a combined total of over 15,000 hours of service to the Center. They are dedicated, loyal, and eager to help the PAC meet its mission. In addition to taking tickets and seating patrons at Main Stage performances, there are many other way volunteers can participate. This school year alone, volunteers will donate their time at 26 School Day Performances and seat over 10,000 students and their teachers at performances that support and enhance the school curriculum.

The volunteers also donate their time to the administrative staff when help is needed with periodic mailings of newsletters, brochure mailings, and annual appeals. Their help is indispensible at key events such as the Annual House and Garden Tour, the Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser and many other special events!

To join the volunteers at the not-for-profit Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center and learn how good it can feel to lend a helping hand in the community, contact Cheryl Wheeler at 631-288-2350, ext. 102 or at CherylW@whbpac.org.