During the Opening Reception of the Central Adirondack Art Show at View on Thursday, July 5, a special award was presented posthumously to the late Lorraine Stripp for her long years of invaluable service to the arts center.
Helene McAleese, president of the Board of Directors announced that Lorraine had been awarded the title of Director Emeriti.
Following the announcement, Shirley Lindsay and Mirnie Kashiwa spoke of Lorraine’s years of service to the Arts Guild.
They said that almost from the beginning she assisted her husband Al Stripp and Mirnie with the Central Adirondack Art Show, and as the program expanded, she helped with the Pocket Gallery, along with various workshops and musical events.In the mid-1970s, when the first arts center became a reality, Lorraine’s involvement increased as she took on the duties of workshop director, bookkeeper, building supervisor and also interim director, following her husband Al’s illness.
She was always available to help event chairpersons for all of the events, in addition to organizing and supervising the Craft Show, the Holiday Bazaar and helping with the Antique Show, the Auction, the Watercolor Show and many other events.
Mirnie and Shirley also spoke of the things she did behind the scenes that included checking the arts center at all hours when the security alarm went off and helping artists to retrieve or enter their art works when the building was not open.
She also made refreshments for participants in workshops and for program intermissions, then swept and cleaned the center and cleaned the bathrooms and kitchen.
And she was always busy helping with the Kinderwood Preschool Program during the school year.
Al and four of his and Lorraine’s six children, David, Mike, Susie and Sandy, and their families attended the event and were shown the bench that was donated in Lorraine’s name by many of her friends and colleagues.
The bench sits in the front lobby of View, to remind everyone of her dedicated service.
