Celebrating our volunteers: the hands and hearts of your Fox Cities P.A.C.

Before the doors open and the crowds pour in, the magic of your Fox Cities Performing Arts Center begins to bloom. It’s evident in the lively hum of interaction and the warmth of camaraderie shared by a very special group of people as they prepare to greet their neighbors, community members and friends.

Every performance, every event, every joyful memory made at your Fox Cities Performing Arts Center carries the fingerprints of this special group – our volunteers.

“Every volunteer is unique, and they bring their own gifts to every show,” said Patron Services Manager Sam Schmalz.

“One of my favorite parts of the evening is walking through the building before the doors open to the public. The lobby is buzzing with conversation and laughter as the volunteers prepare their spaces for the next audience.”

Sam Schmalz, Fox Cities Performing Arts Center Patron Services Manager

From Broadway blockbusters to community events, your Fox Cities Performing Arts Center’s volunteers have stood side by side to greet patrons and welcome the community into their multicultural gathering place – 115 of those volunteers with the Center for more than a decade, and among those, 18 who have been part of the team since the doors first opened in 2002. In that time, more than 165,000 total hours of volunteer work have aided in the creation of exceptional live experiences.

Volunteers embody the spirit of the Center – representing the warmth and professionalism that makes every visit feel special – and their dedication breathes life into every patron experience. That’s no small order.

It takes nearly 60 volunteers to support one Broadway performance. And while that may sound like a lot, your Fox Cities Performing Arts Center is fortunate to list 280 volunteer crew members in the 2024-25 Season.

One volunteer shared that she first joined in 2007.

“As people would come into the P.A.C. for a show, I would help direct them as to what door entrance they want to enter for their performance. I would give them programs and help them find their seats. As I was here longer, I got into training to do photography, to do marketing, and to work as a volunteer for Partners Lounge,” she said.

“The Partners Lounge, volunteering for that, I think has changed my relationship with the P.A.C. more than anything because of the patrons. Being at the podium helping check the patrons in to Partners Lounge and get to know their names, I’ve now become friends with a lot of them. You see them out on the street, in the community, doing other things. It’s like, ‘Hey, so and so, how are you? Good to see you.’ So, it’s become more of a home for me here, getting to know people’s names, especially patrons.”

Fox Cities P.A.C. volunteer

A huge benefit of volunteering is the joy that comes from helping others. Among the volunteer group at the Center, it is easy to identify a true spirit of kindness and empathy. Many volunteers take additional training so they can reach more members of our Fox Cities family. This can include support in the Entrance 21 Luxury Suite and Partners Lounge, as well as operation of the Photo Booth during events, and becoming KultureCity® Certified to provide more sensory-inclusive assistance, among other opportunities.

“When you walk into a place that you do not know, [have] never been, it’s kind of a scary thing. So, for me as a volunteer, [it feels good] to be there as somebody with a happy face to make them feel comfortable that they can come to me and ask a question. And I can direct them, I can answer the question. If I cannot answer the question, I know where to send them to get the answers to what they need. So, it just makes it more of a homey place for them and they feel more comfortable and they have an enjoyable experience.”

Fox Cities P.A.C. volunteer

This month, we celebrate this group for the kindness, enthusiasm, and countless moments they’ve brightened for our patrons.

“Our volunteers have tremendous passion for what they do, and they take ‘world-class service’ to heart. In their own ways, each volunteer is always alert to ways to make a more positive experience for our guests.”

Sam Schmalz, Fox Cities Performing Arts Center Patron Services Manager

For some, the transition from the busy life of parenting to becoming empty nesters/retirees is a source of motivation to seek involvement with the P.A.C. One volunteer said what it taught her is that sharing in building community will directly translate to acquiring lasting friendships.

“My social circle has become the people here at the P.A.C. You know, the staff, I’ve become friends with lots of the staff. A lot of the security folks, I know the security folks, I know people that are working concessions, volunteers… the patrons… It’s really made an impact on my life with just the friendships and the social circle that I’ve acquired,” said one volunteer.

“I will say it’s impacted my life overall by just being a home away from home,” she added.