Volunteer of the Year

The Board of Directors is pleased to recognize Karen Alden and Chris Mays as the 2025 Volunteers of the Year.

As one of six children in a military family, Karen Alden grew up in a variety of places around the world before settling in Oklahoma, where she worked for the Veteran’s Association and the Federal Aviation Administration. After retiring in 2022, Karen and her daughter Jessica moved to Penn Yan to be close to family members. She began volunteering at the Arts Center shortly thereafter and has quickly become a fixture at the docent’s desk, covering at least one shift each week. Everyone appreciates Karen’s quiet competence and cheerful willingness to lend a hand whenever extra help is needed.

Chris Mays is a furniture designer with a studio in Middlesex. He brings his love of the outdoors into each of his creations. His work combines tributes to regional “Adirondack rustic” designs with more formal elegance. After Chris was a featured artist at the Arts Center in 2023, he jumped on board to help with the Keuka Arts Festival, tackling the work of site organization and preparation. Chris is easily identifiable at the Festival buzzing about the Festival grounds in one of the staff carts with his canine co-pilot, Meg. Chris’s help has been integral to the growth and success of the last three Arts Festivals and his contributions are greatly appreciated.