KATHRYN EARNHART | The Butlers Volunteers offer valuable services

April is National Volunteers Month.
At the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown and at Butler branch facilities in Salem and Howland, the contributions of the nearly 300 Butler museum volunteers are legendary.
From staffing the Butler's museum gift shops in Youngstown, Howland and Salem, to leading hundreds of student and community tours, or assistant with social activities and clerical tasks -- volunteers give thousands of hours each year providing valuable assistance to Butler programs.
According to Butler Director Louis Zona, "Without loyal docents, museum shop workers and other community-minded people who volunteer at the Butler, the museum would be a totally different place. The contribution of volunteers throughout the 82-year history of the Butler has truly made a monumental difference. Volunteers also represent the museum to the public as they interact with visitors, assisting them in a variety of ways. Our volunteers truly are our treasure."
A wide variety: Butler volunteers come from all walks of life, educational backgrounds and areas of the greater Youngstown community. Included among the Butler's volunteers are a retired United States Navy captain, a former U.S. Army nurse, several active and retired teachers, an industrial engineer, a commercial printer, several university professors and many area business owners, medical and legal professionals and pupils and students of all ages.
The Butler's board of trustees is made up of 37 individuals from our community who lend time and talent to the Butler operations. Butler board member are Bruce Gordon (president); Vincent Bacon (vice president); Tom Hollern (treasurer); C. Robert Buchanan (secretary); John A. Anderson, Dr. Robert Baker, Mrs. John Beeghly, Atty. Franklin S. Bennett Jr., William J. Bresnahan, Mark Brown, Bill Buchanan, Neita B. Burger, Flora Cafaro, Donald Cagigas, Thomas J. Cavalier, Sam Covelli, D.D. Davis, David M. Draime, Judge Peter C. Economus, Eleanor B. Flad, Mrs. William Geordan, C. Gilbert James, Charles A. Johns, John M. MacIntosh, Mayor George McKelvey, Joan Milsom, Richard G. Moore, Atty. Michael Morley, Anthony Payiavlas, Mrs. Earnest Perry, Clarence R. Smith Jr., Robert Sweeney, Ira Thomas, Ray Travaglini, Don Tucker, Dr. Hai Shiuh Wang, and Mrs. Sanford Weiss.
The Butler's 80 docent volunteers (tour guides) lead more than 30,000 individuals through the institute's galleries each year and are the backbone of the museum's volunteer program. In addition to interpreting the institute's permanent collection for museum visitors, docents also lead tours through more than 50 temporary exhibitions displayed annually in Youngstown and at Butler branches in Howland and Salem.
Special-needs camp: Additionally, each year the Butler's educational department holds a Summer Arts Day Camp for children with special needs. The camp, founded more than a decade ago, is staffed primarily by volunteers who assist youngsters in activities in the visual arts, dance, drama and literature. To become a Butler docent or a volunteer for the institute's Summer Arts Day Camp, call the museum's education department at (330) 743-1711 Ext. 114.
The Butler's museum gift shops are staffed by volunteers. Directed by the Butler staff, museum shop volunteers provide friendly service to shoppers, arrange displays and assist with shop inventory. Butler shops, which offer unique merchandise and items that relate to the museum's permanent collection, are open during public hours are all three locations. To become a Butler shop volunteer, call (330) 743-1107, Ext. 127.
Films scheduled: Two films are scheduled for screening this week in the Butler's Zona Auditorium, on the main level of the Beecher Center.
At 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, "World Music 3: Live Compas: Tabou Combo" will be shown. The film highlights the best-known exponents of the oompah style of Haitian pop music. The film features The Tabou Combo, Haiti's musical ambassadors to the world for a generation.
This show captures them on a particularly hot night in New York City, beguiling longtime fans and the uninitiated. The one-hour presentation, a Cinemuse high-definition film with Dolby digital sound, is presented in conjunction with PBS 45/49 and Youngstown State University.
At 5 p.m. Wednesday, the Butler will be host of "Marc Chagall," a documentary film about the life of the artist known for his dreamlike compositions. The one-hour film features Chagall's well-known paintings and famous installations, including the ceiling and stained glass windows he created for the Paris Opera.
XThe Butler and its branches will be closed April 15, Easter Sunday. Regular Butler hours in Youngstown are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Butler hours at the Trumbull branch are Wednesday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Butler Salem hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to all three facilities is free.