Remembering Lorraine Stripp

Remembering Lorraine Stripp

By Shirley Lindsay,   
View Director Emerita

At the opening of the Central Adirondack Art Show at View on Thursday night, July 5, a special award was given posthumously to Lorraine Stripp for her long years of invaluable service to the Arts Center. Lorraine was awarded the title of Director Emerita by the board of directors of View as announced by its president Helene McAleese.

Following the announcement of the award, Shirley Lindsay and Mirnie Kashiwa spoke of Lorraine’s years of service to the Arts Guild nearly from the very beginning when she assisted Al and Mirnie first with the Art Show, then, as the program expanded, with the Pocket Gallery, the workshops and various musical events. In the mid 70s when the first Arts Center became a reality, she became so much more – workshop director, bookkeeper, building supervisor, and even interim director with Al Stripp’s illness. She was always available for all events, helping event chairpersons, organizing and supervising the Craft Show, the Holiday Bazaar, helping with the Antique Show, the Auction, the Watercolor Show, and so many other events.

Mirnie and Shirley spoke of things she did behind the scenes – checking the Center at all hours when the security alarm went off; helping artists to retrieve or enter their art works when the Center was not open; making goodies for participants in workshops or for intermission at programs, sweeping and cleaning the Center and even cleaning the bathrooms and kitchen. Of course, she was always very busy helping with Kinderwood as well during the school year.

Al Stripp and four of their six children (David, Mike, Susie, and Sandy) with their families were at the event Thursday night and were shown the bench with Lorraine’s name, donated in her memory by so many of her friends and colleagues. The bench sits in the front lobby of View reminding everyone of her dedicated service.

--Posted by Leslie Bailey, View staff