Sharon Arts Volunteer Spotlight: Betty Grayshan

Like many others, Betty Grayshan was laid off from her job in December 2008. She spent January catching up on lost sleep and the next few months painting and reading. By spring, Betty knew she wanted more to do. While attending a Sharon Arts Gallery opening in May 2009, Betty reconnected with Carol Laughner, a friend and long-time colleague. Carol is the Director of Marketing at Sharon Arts Center and knew SAC would benefit from Betty’s expertise. Carol suggested Betty volunteer at Sharon Arts.

Betty’s experience in telemarketing, database management, sales, advertising, and presentation and proposal skills were some of the talents SAC put to use. She brought management skills as well, having been the first female member of the Peterborough Lion’s Club and its first woman President. Betty began to volunteer on a twice-a-week schedule handling administrative jobs as well as taking over the upkeep and management of SAC’s marketing database. By updating and maintaining this file, Betty reduced mailing expenses for the school, gallery and craft store. Betty noted that “Volunteering at Sharon Arts lets me keep my skills sharp and makes a real difference to the organization. But that is only part of the reason I work at Sharon Arts: I like connecting to the organization, its staff and other volunteers.”

Part of that connection resides in sharing your life experiences. Betty was raised in Rutherford, NJ, and lived in Boston, MA, and Derry, NH, before moving to Peterborough in 1980. Betty arrived in New England in the early ‘70’s, and noticed that there was a list of Grayshans in the phone book in the town where she located. Knowing that there had been a 50 year estrangement on the Grayshan side of her family, Betty decided to call the listings to see if she could reconnect with her father’s branch of the family. While the first call was not successful, Betty persevered and made contact with her father’s family, and has remained in touch with them ever since.

In a similar way, when Betty found something was missing from her life, she turned to volunteering to gain connection to a wider community. She offered her considerable talents and made a real difference to the Sharon Arts Center.

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	Sharon Arts Volunteer Spotlight: Betty Grayshan Like many others, Betty Grayshan was laid off from her job in December 2008. She spent January catching up on lost sleep and the next few months painting and reading. By spring, Betty knew she wanted more to do. While attending a Sharon Arts Gallery opening in May 2009, Betty reconnected with Carol Laughner, a friend and long-time colleague. Carol is the Director of Marketing at Sharon Arts Center and knew SAC would benefit from Betty’s expertise. Carol suggested Betty volunteer at Sharon Arts. Betty’s experience in telemarketing, database management, sales, advertising, and presentation and proposal skills were some of the talents SAC put to use. She brought management skills as well, having been the first female member of the Peterborough Lion’s Club and its first woman President. Betty began to volunteer on a twice-a-week schedule handling administrative jobs as well as taking over the upkeep and management of SAC’s marketing database. By updating and maintaining this file, Betty reduced mailing expenses for the school, gallery and craft store. Betty noted that “Volunteering at Sharon Arts lets me keep my skills sharp and makes a real difference to the organization. But that is only part of the reason I work at Sharon Arts: I like connecting to the organization, its staff and other volunteers.” Part of that connection resides in sharing your life experiences. Betty was raised in Rutherford, NJ, and lived in Boston, MA, and Derry, NH, before moving to Peterborough in 1980. Betty arrived in New England in the early ‘70’s, and noticed that there was a list of Grayshans in the phone book in the town where she located. Knowing that there had been a 50 year estrangement on the Grayshan side of her family, Betty decided to call the listings to see if she could reconnect with her father’s branch of the family. While the first call was not successful, Betty persevered and made contact with her father’s family, and has remained in touch with them ever since. In a similar way, when Betty found something was missing from her life, she turned to volunteering to gain connection to a wider community. She offered her considerable talents and made a real difference to the Sharon Arts Center.