A MACHINE WILL NOT WORK WELL OR LAST VERY LONG UNLESS IT IS WELL OILED,

NOR WILL OUR CENTER!

THESE ARE THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE WHO “OIL” OUR CENTER, AND YOU MAY NOT EVEN SEE THEM AT WORK. THEY ARE THE ONES  “WHO DONE IT.”

VOLUNTEER  EXTRAORDINAIRE

ANN HELGERMAN

         “I am not accustom to being asked who I am and where I came from. I am used to being the mysterious guy in the dark and scary light booth no one can see. I don’t usually have some one knock on the door wanting to know more about me. But, here goes.

         “In 1976, a newly divorced friend, her two year old daughter and I came to Hanford on vacation to see California and visit with some of the friends she had made while her ex-husband had been stationed at Lemoore Naval Air Station.  We decided not to return to New Jersey where we had both been born and raised. Hanford was the city of choice and I have lived in Hanford since 1976.

         “My first job in California was with United California Bank and I worked there for five years, first as a teller and then as the Branch Secretary and Commercial Loan processor.  One of our loan customers, Joe Summers, offered me a job. Joe was dthe founder of Summers Engineering, Inc., a firm known internationally for their expertise in water engineering. My position was and is bookkeeper/secretary, a job that requires many hats - from travel agent to plant manager. (Okay, I watered  the two plants in the office.) I also got to be a restaurateur by booking and organizing the annual Christmas party. Not long ago, we added an annual Grizzlies baseball game to that title. Under that guise, I also often got to wash the dishes at the office. Every restaurateur needs to know that one.

         “Somewhere in 1977, I saw an ad in the Hanford Sentinel calling for actors at he Temple Theatre. The director did a double take at the form I filled out and quickly handed it to her daughter who was assisting her. They were surprised because I did not fill out the part about acting. I checked  off al the Tech stuff. A very unusual thing. I learned how to build sets, paint and decorate sets, run light and sound and a lot of other jobs around the theatre that makes it go. I worked with the Kings Players in Hanford, Lemoore Cultural Arts Festival and the Ice House Theatre here in Visalia.

         “I have volunteered for a number of organizations including the Lee Institute for Japanese Art at the Clark Center I Hanford, the Kings Symphony, the Kings Art Cinter and the Taoist Temple Preservation Society.

         “I grew up taking art classes all through school from first grade through high school and have done many forms of art and different crafts (list of 100 plus items available on request). I have been interested in mataphysics and the healing arts since my early teens. I became familiar with the Center when Leah Spencer was acting in her first play with the Visalia Players at the Ice House. She was appearing in  Marvel Donagan, an excellent play written by our very own Melissa Howard. She invited all of us to come and hear her sing at the Center. A place of very nifty people.

         “Like I said, I am used to being up in the booth. Unknown and unseen. But when I push the button, my effect is always seen. It seems like everyone at the Center is like the light guy. There in the background, unseen and almost unknown. Bit I see. I see you lights. I see your effect. It is everywhere you are. It is why I keep coming back.”