A few times a month, arts-loving Hands On volunteers help
the Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra prepare for concerts. Tonight before
400 plus enthusiastic arts lovers, the orchestra plays selections of Elgar,
Mahler and Sibelius in a show called “Autumnal Reflections.”
Hands On volunteer leader Dannon Raith, 31, checks tickets
and hands out programs at the entrance of the sanctuary while eager concert
goers file in with tickets in hand. The other volunteers sell refreshments or
guide concertgoers to will call and a pre-concert auction toward the back of
the lobby.
We talked with Raith, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin native, about
volunteering with Hands On Greater Portland, and how he came to be a volunteer
leader for the Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra.
Hands On Greater
Portland: So, what brought you west?
Dannon Raith:
My brother has lived in Portland since I was eleven years
old. I originally moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2009 to found a media
company in Tacoma. After my partner relocated to Washington D.C., I moved to
Portland to be near family. I’ve always had a fondness for Portland, and I love
it more every day.
Hands On:
What drew you to volunteerism?
DR:
Since college I’ve always maintained a level of community
involvement being involved in student government, founding a film club and
managing a film festival. It was through my work in Tacoma that one of our
clients had a mission of creating positive, meaningful change through social
entrepreneurship. It put me in touch with hundreds of non-profit, socially
minded businesses and organizations, and it shifted my interest toward the
non-profit sector.
Hands On: How
did you hook up with Hands On Greater Portland?
DR:
Google. I had been researching ways to become involved in
my community. Hands On was an excellent resource because it allowed me to work
with and get to know many different non-profit organizations in Portland.
Through Hands On I’ve worked with the Partnership for Safety and Justice, SCRAP
(an organization focused on the
environment and sustainability) and JOIN
(an organization focused on transitioning the homeless to permanent housing), to
name a few.
Hands On:
What drew you to volunteering for the orchestra?
DR:
Free symphony tickets! I’ve always enjoyed going to the
symphony. I love that a large number of musicians work in concert to bring to
life something that was written many years ago. It’s kind of magical if you
think about it. I’ve attended quite a few Columbia Symphony performances and I
always come away impressed with the level of musicianship and professionalism.
They’re often performing more obscure pieces, pieces one rarely gets the chance
to hear, and because they are a non-profit, they’re able to keep their ticket
prices affordable. It’s one of the pleasures I get from volunteering, knowing
that I’m directly part of keeping this kind of experience affordable to the
community.
Hands On:
How long do you see yourself volunteering?
DR:
I think involvement in ones’ community is something we all
yearn for in one way or another. It’s human nature to pitch in for the good of
some larger cause, to work. I am certain I will volunteer for things in my
community for the rest of my life, and as long as I’m in Portland, I will
continue to volunteer through Hands On.
Hands On Greater
Portland offers a huge diversity of volunteer opportunities. You can help
advocate for a prisoner’s rights by volunteering for the Partnership for Safety& Justice, or help make our community sustainable by rescuing art supplies
from the landfill with SCRAP, or help a homeless person get off the street and
into a home through JOIN. Search for hundreds of volunteer opportunities at
www.handsonportland.org.
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