The Elmhurst Symphony Association is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2015 Silver Measure Award, presented annually to volunteers for outstanding service to the Elmhurst Symphony over many years. The award, which was begun in 1984, recognizes contributions made by each of the recipients to the welfare of the orchestra and to the quality of life in the community and was presented at the Symphony’s season finale on May 9. This year’s winners, Mary Borchardt and Jan Gahala, truly represent the spirit of volunteering both within the Symphony and in the wider community.
Mary Borchardt was a vital part of the Elmhurst Symphony Auxiliary for 25 years until its dissolution in 2012, serving as secretary and treasurer and on the yearbook and membership committees. She was a part of the many fundraising events held by the Auxiliary, and also assisted in providing refreshments to orchestra members between rehearsals and performances on concert days. Borchardt was a member of the scholarship committee in 2008 when it established the Elmhurst Symphony Auxiliary Scholarship in honor of Dora Schenk, which is still given yearly through the Auxiliary’s endowment to an Elmhurst College student majoring in music. During her years as an Auxiliary volunteer, Borchardt also was involved in AAUW, her church, Cause for Leukemia, and other civic organizations. She has been an Elmhurst resident for 40 years.
Jan Gahala has been a volunteer violinist in the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra since 1984, performing under the batons of Dale Clevenger and Stephen Alltop during that time. In addition to ESO subscription concerts Gahala has performed in children’s, pops, and Elmhurst Chamber Orchestra concerts, contributing countless hours of practice and performance to the ESO. For the orchestra’s 50th anniversary celebration, Gahala drew from her personal files of concert programs as well as archived files from the ESO to create a comprehensive repertoire book, which has become an invaluable resource for Maestro Alltop and the music committee as they plan programming for each season. In 2012 Gahala participated in the task force to develop ESO’s new mission statement and was crucial in crafting the wording of the final document. For the past three years she has participated in The DuPage Human Race Run/Walk fundraiser as a member of the ESO team.
The ESA salutes and thanks its 2015 Silver Measure Award recipients!