VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

RIVERFEST VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT By Jill Massey, Director of Volunteers

The thing I miss most about not having Riverfest this year is our Volunteers.

Our Volunteers are an extension of our WFI Family. I love reconnecting with 1000’s of people every year, who volunteer at Riverfest. It is always a highlight of my year to get to see all of your familiar faces. I love catching up on what each Volunteer has been doing. What changes have happened in their lives? I celebrate the new births in their family, the new job situations, the birthdays, the graduations, the weddings. I weep with them when they tell me that they have lost a loved one, they have a new illness, or they are struggling in life. I consider each Volunteer as a part of my extended family and I miss them, each one of the 9147 Volunteers.

Through this Volunteer Spotlight I want to remember all of our Volunteers & thank each one of you for being the heart and soul of our organization. What memory do you hold close to you & miss from volunteering at Riverfest? I miss volunteers greeting attendees as they enter Riverfest. I miss seeing volunteers encourage runners as they go along the River Run route. I miss seeing all of the Businesses and Organizations selling Food Court tickets and buttons. I miss watching volunteers load attendees into Paddle Boats. I miss seeing all of the Wagonmasters and Past Admirals in the Parade. I miss seeing the Prairie Schooner Mates on stage in front of 1000’s of people. I miss seeing our clean team during lunch rushes at the Food Court. I miss seeing volunteers sell their favorite merchandise at our Merchandise Tent. I miss seeing the rainbow of our Committee’s colors on the footprint, which most of them volunteer 20 hours a day. I miss seeing every one of your Volunteer’s faces, which I know by name. I miss celebrating our successes at our Annual Volunteer Party. My fondest memories at Riverfest are of all of the Volunteers. Thank you for giving your time and energy to us. We can’t wait to see you next year and have you volunteering again! Thank you WFI Board of Directors, Finance, Operations, Volunteer Committee Members, and Past and current Admiral Windwagon Smith, Prairie Schooner Mates, parents, teachers, students, individuals, civic organizations, businesses, churches and sponsors. We are so thankful you are each a part of our Volunteer Family.

PRAIRIE SCHOONER MATE ADVENTURES

Even though our Riverfest did not happen, our 2020 Prairie Schooner Mates made the best of a situation and participated in Virtual Riverfest. These amazing youth spent time, social distancing and wearing masks and making fun videos for everyone to watch. They also helped out our Community. On several occasions, our Schoonies worked with Salvation Army and prepared and passed out food to people affected by COVID. Schoonies also helped at Convoy of Hope. Schoonies delivered prizes to our Shoebox Parade Winners and even helped deliver meals to our Autumn & Art Patrons. We are excited that some of our 2020 Schoonies will be returning to be a Schoonie in 2021. We will have a unique class of Juniors and Seniors for our upcoming Riverfest. These youth are some of the most hard-working, kind-hearted, giving youth you can find! We can’t wait to work with them all!

GOES ONLINE

Autumn & Art pivoted from an outdoor show to an online art exhibit and sale this September.

The popular Patron Party was translated into a colorful box of goodies and gifts with a tote filled with delicious food from Il Vicino, Newport Grill and Yaya’s EuroBistro, delivered to Patrons on opening night. The online festival allowing attendees to shop with 72 artists for three days and enjoy entertainment and demos.

Autumn & Art 2020’s Evergy Featured Artist team is Mary Ann and Michael Robinson Holmes, AKA M. Robinson.

Michael grew up in Glidden, Iowa, and attended Kansas State University, where he studied interior architecture. After graduating, he began drawing with pastels and later transitioned into acrylic painting. This figurative, textural and vibrantly colorful artwork is created under the name Michael Holmes. Michael later developed an abstract line of work, evolving a similar technique. This is the work of M. Robinson, a collaboration with his wife, Mary Ann.

Raised in Kansas City, Mary Ann Holmes earned a bachelors degree in psychology from Arizona State University. Working with a French artist in San Francisco, she learned a myriad of faux finishes and painted in various venues. Returning to Kansas City, she continued painting decorative finishes. When Mary Ann met Michael in 2009, he introduced her to his painting techniques and they have been collaborating ever since.

The Holmes begin their work by building boxes with cherry wood. Next, they tint lightweight modeling paste and apply it to the box, pressing objects or drawing images into the modeling paste and leaving impressions. After the paste dries, they paint it with a coat of black gesso, allow drying time, and then layer vibrant, high viscosity paints onto the piece. After the piece cures, they deconstruct the painting by sanding layers off, revealing the tinted modeling paste and gesso in selected areas. Finally, a twopart epoxy is carefully applied in stages, utilizing a torch to remove bubbles and creating the glasslike resin finish.

The Holmes generously donated three small artworks to encourage Patron Party ticket sales. Three lucky Patrons received the works inside their Patron boxes. The 2020 Featured Artist Poster with M. Robinson’s piece, “Opening New Doors,” is available at WichitaFestivalsShop.com, as is a facemask with artwork by M. Robinson and Edward Bartoszek, another popular and frequent Autumn & Art talent.