March 26, 2014
Venice Theatre to present lifetime service award to Pinkerton family
(Venice, Florida) At the 2014 Presidents’ Dinner on Thursday, March 27, Venice Theatre will award the Alice & Seymour Smith Award to the Pinkerton family. The honor is reserved for a volunteer whose lifetime service (like the Smiths for whom the award is named) exemplifies VT’s mission and has been integral to the development of the theatre. In this instance, an entire family will be accepting the award.
The Pinkertons have long been active in the Venice community with Venice Theatre being one of the many organizations to benefit from their volunteer work and philanthropy. Yvonne Pinkerton (fondly referred to as Pinky) is the matriarch of the family. She is best known at Venice Theatre for her work in establishing the theatre’s outreach program and expanding the scope of its education program. However, her involvement at the organization has varied from actor to board president and many jobs in between. She is currently volunteering to complete a comprehensive history of the theatre.
Pinky’s sons Scott, Brent and Sam and her daughter Pamela have all been involved in the theatre to varying degrees over the decades. Pinky’s in-laws and grandchildren have participated in theatre programs as well. Most recently her daughter-in-law Stacy and granddaughters Allie and Kristin have performed on stage.
Scott Pinkerton was president of Venice Theatre’s last capital campaign in 2000. At that time, he and his siblings gifted $100,000 to the theatre which resulted in the 90-seat black box performance space being named The Yvonne Pinkerton Theatre. Currently, Scott’s company, Pinkerton Wealth Management of Wells Fargo Advisors, is the sponsor of the Annual Loveland Follies. Pinky was an integral part of launching the 19-year partnership with The Loveland Center to provide theatre training for adults with developmental disabilities.
Venice Theatre’s current Director for Advancement, Paul Borgmann says, “There’s not a member of the family who hasn’t participated in helping this theatre to grow.”
Pamela (Pinkerton) Saulter and her family reside in Maine and Sam Pinkerton and his family live in Australia, but Brent and Stacy, Scott and Julie, and Yvonne still live locally and will be on hand Thursday to receive the award.
Past recipients of the Alice and Seymour Smith Award since 1997 are Arthur Gallway, Bobie West, Joan Dillon, Fred Carman, Yvonne Pinkerton as an individual, Shirley Gawne, Kathryn Killinger, Julia Lanning, Betty Scott Castigliano, Becky Holahan, Jean Trammell, Geri Becker, Mac McFarlane and Richard Morton.
Each of these winners, like the Smiths before them, has been an ardent, long-time volunteer involved in many aspects of the organization to help move its mission forward.
###
