Joan Sammons, 80, from Cedar Rapids was awarded the Spotlight Award from the American Association of Community Theatres. She was presented with this award by Rod McCullough, past president of the AACT at the Theatre Cedar Rapids Ovations Ceremony, an annual event to recognize TCR volunteers. "Joan represents the highest level of commitment to the theatre she has served and, thus, the community she lives in. AACT is pleased to be able to recognize Joan and Theatre Cedar Rapids," commented McCullough in his remarks to the 250 person audience.
Sammons recently retired from Theatre Cedar Rapids after working over 33 years in various positions throughout the organization. At the event, Sammons was also named a Fed Hedges Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. This TCR award is given to an individual who has demonstrated a life-long commitment and passion for theatre and the performing arts. "For years Joan was the theatre's administrative staff in its entirety - accountant, receptionist, box office manager. Though she professes to not be a "theatre person," she was, in truth, more of a community theatre person than most of us. She was the community theatre's essence.... always so incredibly warm , welcoming and committed to volunteers and patrons alike, that I always felt she embodied what this community theatre is all about," said J David Carey, TCR Finance Director and longtime friend of Sammons. "Her day to day presence will be missed but her positive influence on this organization and the thousands of people she inspired serves as her legacy."
The American Association of Community Theatre (AACT) is the national voice of community theatre. As part of that responsibility, AACT seeks out and recognizes the efforts of the most important aspect of community theatre: the people who come together to make it happen. AACT evaluates award nominations from the communities that support over 5,000 theatres in the U.S.
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Theatre Cedar Rapids
