Season 16 FOW annual report

The Friends of Will have done it again!   Together you contributed 4000 hours of dedicate support to the festival throughout the performance season, before and after!  Thank you.  Reports are available under the reports tab!

Patron Praise for Front of House Volunteers & Staff (2019)

A patron made a significant donation to GRSF to say thank you for the positive experience she had at GRSF.   House Manager Abby shared the following:

The patron, who is with the Road Scholars group, asked me to pass on a compliment to the Front of House staff and volunteers. She  had a service dog in-training, who also attended the performances. She said that she was blown away by the kindness, hospitality and over-all friendliness that she has received during her time here. When she was here for Macbeth, she had lost her cellphone at the cafeteria on campus, and the accessibility usher at the time  asked her to enjoy the show while she (the volunteer) went  to the cafe and personally retrieved and returned her phone. She has glowing praise for the box office as well. She was very impressed with how accommodating they were, especially having a 6-month-old puppy. She approached me this evening before No Child and she said that because of her experience here and interaction with the Front of House staff and volunteers, she wrote the festival a $500 donation! 

Thank you to our helpful and professional Front of House Team!

 

Mid Season FOW Updates (2019)

There are still opportunities to be involved and support GRSF this season.

The annual Will Run/Walk needs volunteers. The race is Sunday, July 21. Visit Volunteer Local for openings

There are often last minute openings and other opportunities as positions are added and others are cancelled.   Check Volunteer Local often if you still want to help!   Volunteer Local Tips.

The GRSF office is in need of metal shelving to store housing supply bins. If you have some unused shelving to donate contact Aaron Young at GRSF: 507-474-7900.

Thank you to the wonderful support Friends of Will are providing.. From the dedicated, professional  Front of House of volunteers to the many  team members  that work behind the scenes, you are all part of helping GRSF be successful.  A special thank you to the 20 new Friends of Will!  Did you see An Act Of Will , a tribute to the FOW in the season playbill?

Photos: Apprentices and Interns enjoying a tech week meal.

 

Volunteer Local & Front of House Tips, Thank you Hospitality Team

Volunteer Local and Front of House Tips

Volunteer Local is email dependent.  All confirmations and reminders are sent that way.  If you have a typo in your email address you won’t receive confirmations.  Make sure your email address is entered correctly.  If you have multiple email accounts, it is  helpful to consistently use the same account.

You can use  Volunteer Local to keep track of your shifts and manage your shifts on your own.  Visit Volunteer Local to check your status. Enter the email address you used to register.    A link to a list of what you have volunteered for will immediately arrive in your in box.  The information about your schedule provides an an opportunity to review each shift description or cancel that shift.

Sample shift description.

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Other Front of House Reminders

• Shift reminders are sent via email the week of your shift.  If you need to change or cancel a shift within 24 hours of your shift please contact Sharon Grossardt  Front of House Co-Team Leader.
• Usher attire is plain black skirt or pants and plain white tops. A jacket or sweater worn while on duty must also be white.
  
• Check this site  (https://grsf.wordpress.com) throughout the season for changes, additional volunteer slots that may be added and for all other FOW updates.
• Front of House volunteer guidelines
• There will be an additional volunteer training July 11 at 1:00 or 1:30.  Meet in the PAC Lobby.  Registration and specifics will be on Volunteer Local. 
• All FOH volunteers are asked to register as a Friend of Will.   If you are a brand new FOH volunteer please complete the FOW registration form as well.  This ensures that we have your contact information and that you will receive information.

Thank you Hospitality Team!

The delicious and lovingly prepared meals made by the Friends of Will Hospitality team have once again made the GRSF company members happy and content   Thank you to FOW Hospitality Team Co- Chairs Karin and Jim Worthley, FOW Terry Hawkings, the many FOW who helped with meal serving and clean up, the numerous FOW who brought food, and Steak Shop Catering for providing a warming table and salad bar during June Tech Week!  Remaining Tech Week meals are early July.

‘Tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers. Romeo and Juliet, Act IV, Sc 2. (Hosts David Terpstra and John Marter)

Hire an Apprentice

Need help with a house cleaning, a project, yard work or an odd job? The GRSF Apprentices are here to help!

Apprentices are available to help on Mondays; pay is $15.00 per hour.

Email Company Manager, Shelby Reddig at companymanagement@grsf.org with a job description, amount of people needed, payment, and contact info. The GRSF Apprentices will receive this information and contact you directly!

More thanks to the Friends of Will

Thank you to   FOW who helped at the recent Johnny Cash Tribute Concert, the performance of Mister James and Mister Jeff, and to hospitality team members who helped prepare or provide food for the Company picnic.

And, thank you to the FOW who helped get Company members to Winona and to those who helped move apartment supplies to East Lake!!

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May News for FOW (2019)

The news you have been waiting for!  Front of House sign-up for Ushers and ticket takers is now open on Volunteer Local. Front of House training will be offered Tuesday, June 11^th, 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday, June 12th, 1:30 p.m. in the Robert A. DuFresne Performing Arts Center (PAC) Each session will last about one hour. There will probably be another scheduled after the season has begun. Front of House Team Chairs, Gretchen Erwin and Sharon Grossardt, encourage people to attend to see the changes in the WSU Robert A. DuFresne Performing Arts Center. We encourage pre-registration but, it is not required. \The usher meeting room will once again be on first floor.  Volunteers are also needed for Front Porch Events and Will Run.

Hurrah! Remodeled lobby and restrooms!  A doubled in size women’s restroom is now on the left side of the box office; the men’s restroom is on the right!

Congratulations to GRSF for receiving a President’s Community Partner Award  GRSF was recently recognized at the Minnesota Campus Compact President’s Ward luncheon as a community partner to Winona State University. Artistic Director Doug Scholz-Carlson and Managing Director Aaron Young were presented with the President’s civic Engagement 2019 Community Partner Award at a celebration in St. Paul.GRSF was recognized for its bond with the university, the programs it has integrated with WSU and for bringing thousands of people to campus every summer.   (Winona Post, May 12 2019)

FOW already at work!  Team leaders are busy planning season activity. Several FOW helped by volunteering for events with GRSF Partner organizations, the Rochester Chorale Arts Ensemble and Winona’s Hurry Back Production. Other FOW have assisted with mailings and sorting costumes. FOW are now distributing GRSF print brochures throughout the region, providing transportation for arriving company members and graciously providing early housing for company members before the east Lake Apartment Activities.  Thank you everyone!

Welcome to our new House and Company Managers!
House Manager Abby Schmidt will be working with our Front of House Team Leaders to provide usher training and help FOW continue providing excellent patron service. Company Manager Shelby Reddig assists the GRSF company throughout their time in Winona and will work with move in/move, transportation and hospitality team leaders and teams.

Important Pre-Season Dates
Now – June                 Brochure  & poster distribution (Distribution)
May 12                        Company members arrive (Transportation, Early Housing)
May 13                        Front of House sign up opens (Front of House)
May 23                        East Lake Apartment Move in (Move In)
June 11. 6:30 p.m.     Front of House Training, PAC (Ushers, Ticket Takers)
June 12 1:30 p.m.      Front of House Training, PAC, (Ushers, Ticket Takers)
June 6-27                    Tech week meals June 16, 18,19, 21-23, 30 & July 2-3 (Hospitality

Questions: Contact your team leader (https://grsf.wordpress.com) or Mary Alice Anderson, FOW Steering Committee chair: maryalicea@mac.com