Before introducing longtime mentor Don Wooten, host Kai Swanson said of his morning's duties, "My job is simply to keep things moving along, which I'll fail at right now. I understand from the program that our next speaker has five minutes, and when I saw that on the program, I told the organizer [New Ground Theatre's Chris Jansen], 'Good luck.' Because although he is one of the most gifted communicators I have ever known, he does believe - as do the ends of J.R.R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings - that anything worth saying is worth saying lo-o-o-ong."
? ? ?
Swanson revealed that Dr. Walter Neiswanger - one of two winners for Individual Donor honor - received his citation for being "extremely generous with financial and emotional support to performing artists across the Quad Cities. He's also taken a great interest in our community's young persons, sponsoring singers in their studies, and artists in their goals. A finer patron doesn't exist."
This acknowledgment, though, came after Swanson's introduction to the awards' presentation, where he said, "if the recipient is so inclined and would like to make a brief word of acceptance, we would all like to hear what they have to say.
"Having said that," the host added, "our first recipient is unable to be with us ... ."
? ? ?
Bridget Consamus, nominated by the New Ground Theatre (for which she is a board member), also received Individual Donor recognition, for her monetary donations and provision of intermission refreshments for New Ground's productions. "Not only does Bridget do all of the baking, the setup, and the clean-up," Swanson read, "but she also buys all of the supplies and refuses to be reimbursed.
"It's often said that a person's priorities can best be expressed by looking at their calendar and their checkbook registry," Swanson continued, "and in both you'll find no finer donor in time and financial resources than Bridget Consamus."
Yet Consamus' speech turned out to be as brief as the absent Dr. Neiswanger's; she smiled, accepted the award, and, to the room's amusement, elected not to speak.
"That's just fine," said Swanson. "Your actions speak very loudly."
? ? ?
After James Harding returned to his seat, having accepted the Business Donor Award on behalf of West Music, Swanson acknowledged, "I am very pleased to say that I am an investor in West Music.
"I did not say shareholder," he amended to the room's laughter, mentioning the violin that his sixth-grade daughter "is learning to fall in love with. I pushed very hard for the sousaphone, simply because every university band needs a sousaphone, and it's a great way to get a scholarship."
? ? ?
Receiving her Volunteer Award, Eileen Eitrheim - the Galvin Fine Arts Center's marketing manger, who was nominated by the local theatrical troupe It's a Mystery - began by acknowledging the contributions of the Riverboat Development Authority.
"I can remember back when I first got here about 13 years ago," Eitrheim said. "I was sitting in a little room over in the Catich Gallery with Don Wooten and a whole bunch of marketers, in a discussion about how the riverboats were here and how we were feeling the pinch of people's economic dollars going to the boats, and how we shouldn't schedule things on the same night because we would all suffer and splinter our audiences. And to see that whole philosophical shift, seeing that the boats have actually helped foster the growth of the arts ... the more arts we have, the more we all thrive, so thank you."
Yet after leaving the dais, Eitrheim - in classic awards-ceremony fashion - rushed back to the podium. "And thanks to St. Ambrose!" she added to much laughter. "My husband and I joke that 'it's a lifestyle, not a living,' but I'm so grateful that I work here and have had the privilege and the encouragement to get out in the community and support community events. Thank you!"
Referencing the awards-show perfection of the moment, Swanson deadpanned, "I'm so happy I was able to talk Quad City Presenters out of that annoying piano in the background."
? ? ?
Introducing Augustana professor emeritus and Don Wooten Award winner Roald Tweet, Swanson - an Augustana alumnus himself - professed that the chance to do so was "a very singular privilege and honor for me," and mentioned a couple of writing exercises Tweet initiated over the years.
"He has made students do things like write five-page essays without using the letter 'I.' Write six-page essays with only two multisyllabic words. And he also gave me the best advice ever given to a writer of any kind," Swanson added, "and that is this: You must never let the facts get in the way of a good story."
Swanson went on to mention Tweet's gifts as a woodcarver and whittler, and delivered a personal recollection. "I grew up alongside his children, and it was horrible to be in the same Cub Scout pack as this man's son when Pinewood Derby came around. I would generally make a block and hope that the wheels were somewhat straight, and here came the young Tweet boy with something that actually flew there, on its own."
"Thank you, Kai," said Tweet upon receiving the award. "You certainly haven't let the facts get in the way of a good story."
