Blumenthal Announces Center Stage Honorees

Blumenthal Performing Arts awarded three Center Stage Awards to community leaders during its annual meeting on Jan. 14 in Booth Playhouse at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center.

Center Stage awards are presented to individuals or organizations whose service or partnership with Blumenthal Performing Arts has furthered the mission, reach and improved the programs Blumenthal provides to the community.

Charlene McMoore

Charlene McMoore is a Charlotte native, and is a Project Manager in the IT Department at Duke Energy. She was a volunteer at Spirit Square in the 90's before Blumenthal Performing Arts came into existence in 1992. Soon after that, she joined Blumenthal's newly formed volunteer program. She has been a committed and faithful volunteer who always works more than her required number of events each month, and she provides excellent customer service to Blumenthal patrons. Last year alone, McMoore provided more than 200 hours of volunteer service. She says she enjoys volunteering at BPA because it provides a great atmosphere to meet and be of service to a variety of people in the community who attend events in Blumenthal's six theaters.

Rebecca Henderson

Rebecca Henderson is completing six years of service as a trustee. During her tenure, she steadfastly worked as a volunteer fundraiser every year on the corporate campaign and she was very successful. Over the past six years, Henderson helped raise more than $500,000 for Blumenthal's education and outreach programs, during the most challenging economic years in memory.

Freedom School Partners (accepted by Mary Nell McPherson)

Freedom School Partners is a non-profit organization that provides Charlotte area literacy based summer education programs to prevent summer learning loss for students in grades K-12. They are the largest provider of Freedom Schools in the Nation: a full 10% of the nation's total Freedom School scholars and interns are served in Charlotte Mecklenburg. While many schools today are focused on STEM, Freedom School Partners believe STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, ARTS, and Math) to be the key to a child's success. Each summer they incorporate performing arts opportunities to broaden their scholars' creativity, social and emotional intelligence and to inspire them to dream big.

Through a partnership with Freedom Schools in FY14, and fueled by the generosity of thousands of constituents, BPA increased access to a Broadway performance for families and kids least able to afford a ticket by 400%.

ABOUT BLUMENTHAL PERFORMING ARTS
Blumenthal Performing Arts serves the Carolinas as a leading cultural, entertainment and education provider. For more information, call (704) 372-1000 or visit BlumenthalArts.org. Blumenthal Performing Arts receives operating support from the Arts & Science Council and the North Carolina Arts Council. Blumenthal Performing Arts is also supported through the generous aid of its sponsors including, PNC Bank, sponsor of PNC Broadway Lights; and US Airways, official airline of Blumenthal Performing Arts.

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