Bettye Shell can tell you all about Mary Katz’s and Patricia Meadows’ art work in the “Healing Hands” exhibit. She also met Matthew Thomas, whose mixed-media piece is among her favorites. Bettye has met these local artists and others by volunteering at D-Art Visual Art Center.
After moving to Dallas from New Orleans, Bettye attended a volunteer fair. She talked with representatives from several nonprofit agencies, including D-Art, an organization dedicated to promoting local talent and providing the Dallas community with a center for visual arts.
“D-Art was a place I could contribute my time and fulfill my personal interest in art,” says Bettye, a sales representative for an educational group.
Bettye’s jobs have included setting up, serving and cleaning up at dinners, signing in and releasing art work for artists, and greeting gallery visitors.
“Bettye is a wonderful people-person,” says Leah Silen Holdridge, D-Art event coordinator. “She is great at telling others what D-Art is all about.”
“Pick-up and drop-off” is Bettye’s favorite volunteer job. Between exhibits, artists remove their art while new artists deliver theirs. Bettye helps the staff and artists make this transition.
“It is a wonderful opportunity to meet these local artists, whose pieces I see hanging on the walls at D-Art,” Bettye says. “I am getting to know people and learning more about the community.”
D-Art is located in the Wilson Historic District east of Downtown, and is open to the public at no cost. The gallery highlights art produced locally and also offers art classes, seminars and workshops for children and adults.
Volunteers are needed to assist in art show take-in and installation, art show openings, mailings, special events and artists’ talks. “Fall for the Arts,” an annual arts and crafts exhibit, is scheduled November 23-24 and will provide special opportunities for volunteers.
Volunteer Opportunities
The Volunteer Center is a United Way agency serving as a clearinghouse to recruit and refer volunteers for more than 750 agencies in Dallas. Thousands of volunteer positions are waiting to be filled. A few examples include:
ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, GO. Volunteer for the West End MarketPlace Dash After Dark, benefiting the American Lung Association. A 1-K Fun Run and a 5-K Run/Walk are scheduled at the West End MarketPlace October 17. The races begin at 7 p.m., and you can help with set-up, registration, water stations, and course monitoring. Volunteers receive a t-shirt and “party privilege.”
FEED THE CHILDREN. Nutriservice is a nonprofit agency funding more than 120,000 meals monthly for children. Women can assist with set-up and registration at Saturday morning training seminars, where daycare workers are taught how to feed the children for which they are caring. Volunteers also are needed in the office for data entry, filing and other clerical assistance. Flexible hours are available weekdays and weekends.
KEEPING DALLAS CLEAN. Promote recycling, litter prevention and neighborhood improvement by volunteering for Clean Dallas East. Speak to organizations about the importance of recycling, become a part of the Environmental Education Committee, promote Clean Clubs in area schools, train D.I.S.D. teachers in the district’s solid waste curriculum, or answer the recycling hotline.
For more information about these and other positions, contact the Volunteer Center at 826-6767.
