A prediction from 5 years ago comes true
Written by Artistic Director Kristen van Ginhoven as part of her ‘What’s my #vision’ series.
June 6, 2016
The Small Nonprofit Excellence Award by the Massachusetts NonProfit Network celebrates a nonprofit organization whose budget size is $250,000 or less and that, despite their small size, has managed to fulfill their mission and make major contributions to the population they serve. This year, WAM Theatre is one of four finalists for this award.
5 years ago, at a WAM Theatre Board retreat, awesome facilitator (and awesome actor) Joan Coombs asked the WAM Board where we saw ourselves in 5 years.
Her question: You are being given an award. Where are you? What is the award for? What does the award come with?
She said: “be as specific as you can – really visualize it.”
I closed my eyes and thought deeply.
I said I wanted to be at the Boston State House being celebrated for WAM’s philanthropic work and our unique mission of using theatre to create opportunity for women and girls. With that recognition, I wanted to be presented with an award from the State Senator.
That was my #vision 5 years ago.
A few weeks ago, WAM received notification that we were a finalist in the Massachusetts NonProfit Excellence Awards in the ‘Small Non-Profit’ Category.
Today- this citation from Senator Benjamin Downing came in the mail.
On Monday, June 27, I’ll stand alongside the three other incredible finalists in our category and we will be celebrated for the BIG impact we make as small non-profits.
This link shares with you the other finalists.
When I see WAM’s name alongside them as a finalist in the ‘Small Non-Profit Impact’ award category, I feel so incredibly proud. They are all doing such wonderful, wonderful work and to see WAM’s name alongside them confirms that what we are doing what we set out to do.
I always say that it is our philanthropy that is at WAM’s core. We create philanthropy through theatre because my career is in the theatre. If my career were in wine, we’d be philanthropists through making wine, or if my passion was sewing, we would be making quilts. But, we aren’t. My passion is fully, madly and deeply in the theatre, so WAM’s philanthropy happens through theatre. Our impact happens through theatre.
For that to be recognized in this way means so much to me.
Below is a letter from Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, inviting you to join us on June 27 for the awards ceremony. It would thrill me to have some of the WAM community in the room as we are celebrated for our accomplishments.
But, if you can’t make it- you can bet I’ll be sharing some photos in this newsletter in July!
We’re a finalist for the Nonprofit Excellence Awards!
We hope you’ll join us as we celebrate this honor at Nonprofit Awareness Day
Each year the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network honors 30 finalists for the Nonprofit Excellence Awards- nonprofit organizations and employees who exemplify the most innovative, creative and effective work being done throughout the Commonwealth. And this year, that’s us!
We hope you’ll join us on Monday, June 27, 2016 at Nonprofit Awareness Day, when we’ll be honored for our impact and the seven award winners will be announced. Special guests House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Stan Rosenberg will join hundreds of nonprofit and business leaders. This annual celebration is presented by Citizens Bank.
You can register for Nonprofit Awareness Day here.
