Volunteer Spotlight is a series where we shine a light on one of our awesome volunteers each month. Spotlights highlight the personalities of our volunteers and share more about their connections to the Frye.
Sally with her mother.
This month, we are spotlighting Sally, one of our incredible Creative Aging volunteers. We interviewed Sally to learn more about her and her time at the Frye.
Hi Sally! What do you do as a volunteer for the Frye?
I volunteer with the Creative Aging programs, which is for those with memory loss and their care partners. I've helped with the monthly Alzheimer's Cafe, the quarterly Meet Me At The Movies, the Bridges outreach program, the twice monthly here:now tour, as well as the annual Creative Aging Conference.
There are a range of duties, but the most important one for me is to engage and respect the person with memory loss. I greet participants in the rotunda and give them name tags, directions to restrooms, Café Frieda, or the gift shop prior to the start of the program. If a tour and conversation are part of the program, I sit with participants and help move the chairs from one space to the next. I sometimes participate in the conversation about the art or act as a participant's “turn and talk” partner.
The Bridges program is an outreach program to support people unable to get to the Frye. Each week I talk with my partner and we create art together. Sometimes a person is reluctant to participate because s/he feels that they aren't an artist. Generally talking with them is a way in, and then the art happens. It's magic. I listen to the person and say something about myself that will bridge us. And the next thing I know, we've come up with a title for the piece and are singing the song that we end each session with. Sometimes before or after a here:now tour I join tour participants at their table in Café Frieda. I see this time as yet another way to connect with people and enjoy tea and a pastry.
How long have you been a volunteer at the Frye and what made you want to volunteer?
I think it's been nearly seven years now. My mom, as well as her mom, had memory loss. I was always impressed with the things they did for so many years—raising three kids, growing much of the food for their family, canning and freezing food, sewing clothes for their kids as well as drapes and quilts and stuffed animals. And then, to deal with memory loss. I always felt both of them did so much for others. My grandmother cared for her mom, who had tuberculosis. My grandmother was sixteen when she took over the household, which consisted of four older brothers, two younger sisters and a younger brother.
In addition to this, my grandmother would walk to the grade school where the teacher would tutor her for one and a half hours after school was dismissed as a way to have my grandmother continue her high school education. So, hearing this over the years makes me think that dealing with COVID-19 would have just been one more thing that was taken on. I guess all of this to say that I want the world to be a better place and feel that my time with the Creative Aging programs is one way to do this.
What pieces, artists, programs, or exhibitions do you remember most fondly from your experiences at the Frye?
This is a tough question. It seems as though I have great memories of many of the exhibits. Because I don't have a formal art education, I appreciate seeing a range of artistic styles and learning the story behind the art. Why were certain materials chosen? What were other artists doing during this time? What is going on in history? I enjoy seeing artists in the café. One such memory is talking briefly with Curtis Barnes about his work.
What is something others may be surprised to know about you?
I send linens, clothing, and shoes to a community in Nicaragua. This started when my school had a sister school in Nicaragua. My students would have fundraisers to buy books and school supplies, which were taken each summer to the sister school. I went for a couple of summers myself and taught a literary workshop. So, it's probably that personal connection that made me think, what else can I do? And then it happens, and the world is a tiny bit better.
Sally in Nicaragua.
Who are your favorite artists and why?
I think I've always loved outsider art because it's someone making something that is unique and not driven by what's “in.” It's simply putting something out in the world that feels right at the moment.
Besides volunteering at the Frye, what do you like to do?
I've been making some collages from found images and texts, which is meditative for myself. It seems as though the ones I'm most pleased with are the ones that I'm more playful with—plop two things on the surface that don't seem to have a connection, and then something happens. It's humorous or political, or maybe both. I've always worked in my garden at my home, as well as at the P-Patch, which is a community gardening program through the city. I love homegrown carrots, tomatoes, peas, and raspberries, so it's satisfying to have a sunny gardening space. And, the people I garden with are amazing. We share wisdom, seeds, and time together. There are several giving gardens at the site, which are specifically used to grow food for neighbors in need.
How have you been spending your time in the wake of COVID-19?
I have been sending my collages through the mail to people who are in need of something positive in their mailbox. Sometimes I even make the envelopes I use. Right now, I'm making envelopes from old sheet music.
I've also been meeting with my writing group via Zoom each week. This has been a wonderful way to stay connected with people since I'm not out and about that much. Recently a friend told me about a weekly writing class through Cancer Lifeline. The class is for cancer survivors and their care partners. It's just one of the many free things available through Cancer Lifeline.
What are some of your favorite things to do in Seattle?
I love walking, looking at gardens, and taking photos. The Cloud Appreciation Society is a great website to check out. I was at a Zoom book launch that Elliott Bay Book Company hosted and learned that the writer was a member. It sounded like so much joy to say that. And of course, I had to become a member and buy a membership for my brother. And yes, I take cloud photos and send them to people as well. I most definitely enjoy eating out and going to potlucks. Looking forward to being able to do more things in community with others.
An envelope Sally made from sheet music.
Anatol San Jose Steck
Development Coordinator