February 2020 Volunteer Committee Spotlight
Our Volunteer Committee is made up of some of the strongest leaders within our volunteer program. This committee helps the volunteer staff make decisions, bring feedback about events, and create new ways of making procedure better for the future. We’d love for you to get to know these leaders before the next Musikfest, so each month we’ll spotlight a few members for you!
Cindy Baran
Q: What inspired you to begin volunteering?
A: My volunteer “career” began one year when I was attending Musikfest. I noticed all of the volunteers were wearing purple shirts. Since I love the color purple, I needed to get one of those shirts for myself! I headed to the Musikfest offices and signed up. It’s been almost 25 years and I’m not done yet!
Q: What’s your favorite event to volunteer for?
A: I like all of the events, since they all offer something different. There are a variety of volunteer positions available. If I had to choose my favorite, I’d have to say Musikfest. Whatever type of music you like, you can find it there, and the list of volunteer opportunities is long!
Q: When you’re not volunteering for ArtsQuest, what do you like to do in your spare time?
A: I enjoy cooking, baking, and gardening. In my down time, I like to play with my cat, Molly.
Q: If you could bring any artist to Musikfest, who would it be and why?
A: I would like to see Carrie Underwood at Musikfest. I saw her a few years ago and enjoyed her performance.
Q: What do you enjoy most about serving on the Volunteer Committee?
A: I’ve been on the volunteer committee since 2013 and enjoy the fact that we constantly brainstorm on how to improve the volunteer experience for both new and returning volunteers. Every year, we get to choose the t shirt colors!
Vern Clater
Q: What inspired you to begin volunteering?
A: My wife. She worked everyday as a Teen Supervisor at Musikfest and would stick around at night to listen to music. To see my wife during the festival, I would walk around with her during weekend shifts. She encouraged me to volunteer—and that was 23 years ago. I’ve been volunteering ever since.
Q: What’s your favorite event to volunteer for?
A: Musikfest! I enjoy taking care of our vendors, patrons, volunteers, and any problems that pop up.
Q: When you’re not volunteering for ArtsQuest, what do you like to do in your spare time?
A: I like to work around the house and on my Street Rod. I always make time to go to concerts and listen to live music.
Q: If you could bring any artist to Musikfest, who would it be and why?
A: I enjoy anything to do with jazzy blues, so it would be an artist from that genre.
Q: What do you enjoy most about serving on the Volunteer Committee?
A: I love working with volunteers and being a committee member gives me another chance to help them.
Paul Fistner
Q: What inspired you to begin volunteering?
A: In 1984 I was contacted by a very good friend who was one of the original organizers of this new festival that needed volunteers. Musikfest was an unknown, I took a chance, and here I am 37 years later. What an experience to witness the evolution an event that basically stared with “a polka tent and a beer truck” and has now evolved into an organization that is the bedrock of arts and culture contributing to the quality of life, not only in Bethlehem, but in the Lehigh Valley and beyond.
Q: What’s your favorite event to volunteer for?
A: Musikfest will always be at the top of my list but other events, such as SangriaFest and Oktoberfest, are near to my heart.
Q: When you’re not volunteering for ArtsQuest, what do you like to do in your spare time?
A: I devote quite a bit of time to the Star of Bethlehem Festival for Kids which is a non-profit children’s charity right here in Bethlehem. I am one of the original organizers as well as a current board member and treasurer. I also love spending family time at our Lake Wallenpaupack vacation home.
Q: If you could bring any artist to Musikfest, who would it be and why?
A: Hands down it would be Garth Brooks. No other singer/song writer that I know of has captured life’s emotions the way that Garth has in songs like Standing Outside the Fire, Unanswered Prayers, The Dance, If Tomorrow Never Comes and even on the lighter side as in Friends in Low Places.
Q: What do you enjoy most about serving on the Volunteer Committee?
A: Volunteers are the life blood of the organization and ArtsQuest could not exist without us. I really enjoy having an influence on the balance that needs to be maintained between the needs of the organization and the needs of the volunteers.
