Gerry Humphrey is a guy you want on your team.
The Vernon born and raised resident is admittedly not overly athletic, but he has the energy of 20 people as a consummate volunteer in the community.
He has put in numerous hours at various events and organizations around town, but it’s the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre that has become his second home.
Humphrey was recognized Saturday at the VDPAC’s 15th annual Birthday Bash for putting in 4,000 volunteer hours at the centre.
His initial entrance into the Performing Arts Centre came back in 2001, when he saw a volunteer ad in The Morning Star.
“I thought I’d sign up,” he said. “I like meeting new people and I especially like volunteering around the arts, drama and music.”
Humphrey has since taken on just about every volunteer position at the centre. He’s assisted at the concession stand, hung jackets in the coat check, co-headed the bar, set up for shows backstage, unloaded equipment, sold merchandise, ushered audience members to their seats, and the list goes on.
“I think the highest man hours I put in one year was around 400, but you can only sign up for so much,” he said.
And although it is not a volunteer position, Humphrey is probably best known as the “poster guy,” and can be seen posting the centre’s playbills, show cards and posters around town.
And it’s not just at the centre where Humphrey can be seen making a difference.
He’s helped chop wood for Noric House and used to put up the scores at Lincoln Lanes before the bowling alley scoring system became digitized.
He’s also helped the Vernon Public Art Gallery with its Midsummer’s Eve of the Arts auction fundraiser for the past seven years and has also set up for the Okanagan Military Tattoo since its inception four years ago.
“I have no wife or children so that gives me more free time,” he said, adding he comes by the tendency to want to help naturally.
“My mom and dad did a lot of volunteering. It’s in my veins… My mother, who is 92, still attends meetings by the Royal Purple at the Elks Lodge.”
He’s also a patron of the arts.
Able to relax Saturday and watch the Cowboy Junkies concert from the audience, he especially likes the VDPAC society’s dance performances.
“I’ve seen so many shows, it seems like a blur, and we’re not allowed to drink while on duty,” he laughed. “Dance is my favourite to watch, although I don’t know if I’d ever attempt ballet at all. I don’t mind putting in 13-to-15 hours (for the dance competition shows). I like to sign up for the whole day, but they now want us to do a shift. I still try to put in a few extra hours.”
His dedication doesn’t go unnoticed.
“There isn’t an event that goes by that Gerry isn’t involved with in one way or another,” said the VDPAC’s volunteer coordinator Shelley Verlaan. “He’d be here all day long if I needed him… We value him so much.”
As for Humphrey, he has no plans to stop giving his time any time soon.
“I’ll keep volunteering as long as I’m walking and talking,” he said.
