In 1985 the Stratford Friends of the Festival began with a mandate to help the festival save money using volunteers to provide vital services for the theatre. 

When Friends began 12 years ago there were 50 members. Today there are around 140 members that give their time to help promote the theatre. 

There are no restrictions on age with members ranging from 18 to whatever, said Friends president Marjory Kilgour. 
"We help out by providing services for the theatre on a volunteer base," Kilgour said. 
"Members are responsible for backstage and costume warehouse tours, provide a number of front-line patron services, help with selling in the bookstore and assist patrons by operating an information booth in the front lobby." 
 
According to the Friend's Constitution, their fundamental purpose is to "promote interest in and knowledge of the theatre by such means as may be appropriate, with the ultimate objective of helping to develop and maintain a responsive audience for performances of the Festival." 

Although the Friends help out in many areas, their biggest role is conducting and organizing tours of the Festival Theatre and the warehouse. 

In 1995/96, the Friends led 19,423 visitors through 697 tours generating revenue of $71,626 for the festival. In 1996, Kilgour said the numbers rose to 21,000 visitors through 768 tours.  

"As far as the money raised on the tours, all that money goes towards the festival," explained retired school teacher and Friends volunteer Walter Mollins. 
"It's a big effort when you think of what we do and the support they give to the theatre is amazing when you think of 21,000 multiplied by $4 or $5, it's quite a lot." 

For some volunteers, being a tour guide comes naturally and can be one of the most rewarding experiences. 
"I've learned a lot and every tour is different," said Mollins who volunteered 87 hours last summer mostly as a guide. 
"The response of the group that you're doing the tour with is always different so you have to change the tours according to the interests of the people and change the tours according to reactions." 

Although Friends are a voluntary group, they are expected to follow some guidelines after becoming a member. 
"We like to say that volunteers are required to work a minimum of 20 hours per year because we don't want people to join for a social club," said Friends vice-president Laura Pogson. 
"We want to maintain our identity as a working group." 

With a 20 hour commitment, volunteers are encouraged to work as much as they can but never pushed into working too many hours. 
"One of the things that I am very conscious of is that volunteers are not overworked," said Pogson. 
"Some people don't know how to regulate their own schedule and that can sometimes be a problem. 

Membership to Friends also requires a $20 fee for first year applicants and $10 yearly. 
All membership fees are used to cover operating costs during the mail-outs and social functions such as barbecues or dinners. 

For some members, Friends allows them to help support the theatre in their own way. 
"I really love the festival and I haven't got as much money to give to it as I could," said Stratford school teacher and five year volunteer Pat Wilby. 
"Giving time is just as good or second best." 
Not a year-long commitment, being a member of Friends does require spending time at the theatre for the duration of the performances. 
"As soon as the student performances start that's when we start doing it," Wilby said. 
"There are also those that do the tours all year round because you can call up and ask for a tour anytime." 

For Mollins, a 10 year member and one of the year-round tour guides, the Friends provide an opportunity to learn about the theatre.  
"People probably get involved for a lot of different reasons and I know my reason was that we've been very fond of this theatre and I enjoy it's history," he said. 
"Just the general enjoyment of giving tours, that's what I like most and really do enjoy it." 
"I think it's the personal satisfaction that I derive out of making a contribution with something I feel I can do," said Pogson, "that is tour guiding." 

In 1996, Friends of the Festival were nominated and won an Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism from the Ontario government. 
According to criteria from the Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation, the award is presented to individuals, non-profit organizations and businesses. It acknowledges major contributions to volunteerism and are chosen with the view that they will act as valuable examples for volunteers throughout the province. 

Patron Services Manager Susan Benton was responsible for submitting the nomination and described at length the achievements of Friends. In her letter to the awards committee, Benton wrote how "each year the number of hours volunteered at the Festival goes up significantly (approximately 400 each year). 
"The Friends worked over 2,600 shifts for over 4,300 hours of assistance in 1995," according to Benton. 
"The increase in hours reflects the enthusiasm of the Friends for taking on new duties." 

One of those new duties included hosting the Shakespeare Theatre Association of America's annual conference in January of 1996. 
"A good deal of the success and smooth operation of the three days of panel discussions, tours and entertainment can be attributed to the Friends' diligence and hard work," noted Benton. 

The trend for Friends' additional support continued in 1996 said Kilgour, as they worked a total of 5,200 hours and 1,100 shifts in general activities. Although the festival season doesn't begin until mid-May each year, Friends generally meet about once every month for educational seminars, said Kilgour. 
"During these seminars, departments fill the Friends in on what goes on behind the scenes," Kilgour explained. "We see first hand what goes into making props and costumes." 

In her letter to the awards committee, Benton reinforced Kilgour's comments discussing the Friends' year-round commitment to the theatre. 
"The first step of the process begins in the off-season," Benton  wrote."Friends attend monthly education sessions organized by the education committee and presented by staff of the Festival. 
"These sessions take an in-depth look at sound, lighting, music, stage management, fight direction, costuming and prop making," Benton wrote. 

Outside their commitment to events during the season, the Friends also provide support in all areas of the Annual Open House, wrote Benton. 
The event held every March attracts nearly 2,000 people and attracts a great deal of positive publicity and community support for the Festival."The Friends of the Festival are here because they love the Festival and it shows in the manner in which they handle visitors," added Benton in her letter to the awards committee. "The service they provide is excellent because they have the best interests of the theatre at heart."  

Matthew J. Shurrie, BA  
Sports Reporter  
Orangeville Citizen  
Orangeville, Ontario, CANADA