Georgia Gietzen, Volunteer and Glen Arbor Arts Center Board Member
I have been volunteering for The Glen Arbor Arts Center for over six years now. I learned from my parents the importance of “giving back” to the community that supports our business [Georgia and her husband Jeff are the owners of Northwoods Hardware in Glen Arbor]. Jeff and I both love and appreciate the arts. We’re not artists or the actual creators, but we’re connected to the creative community through our volunteer work at the Artst Center. I love volunteering and meeting the artists involved in our Plein Air Weekend, or a gallery show. Surrounding and immersing myself in art, whether by purchasing art or volunteering for an event, makes me a part of the creative community.
Like most everyone up here, I had a life “before” Glen Arbor. I worked at my family’s supermarket stores in Grand Rapids as Vice President of Human Resources. With that background, the arts center was looking to start up a volunteer program. Then-director Peg McCarty asked if I’d like to help with that. And so, it began! Since that time, I’ve always been involved with volunteers, which has been a nice way to get to know a lot of different people who also support our mighty little arts center! I’ve co-chaired our Plein Air Weekend for the past several years and that has connected me to the many artists in our area. I have started my second term on the board of directors.
It’s important to give my time and financial support to those organizations I’m passionate about. Glen Arbor Arts Center does a phenomenal job with its programming and community partnerships. I’m proud to be associated with an organization that is bringing the arts out into the community and offers the supportive programming we offer the youth in our area. My involvement with our Plein Air Weekend, along with a robust group of volunteers, staff, and sponsors, we’ve been able to operationalize and streamline the orchestration of the event. All while raising money in support of our artists and arts center!