One of the San Francisco Symphony’s marquee events is Deck the Hall, a holiday tradition every December since 1980. It includes a concert, silent auction, youth-oriented activities, and the unveiling of fir trees decorated by non-profits and placed throughout the lobbies at Davies Symphony Hall. Proceeds benefit SFS’s education and community programs as well as Deck the Hall Community Day, which is presented free of charge for 2,000 underserved children.
Deck the Hall engages volunteers from SFS’s Junior Committee, which includes many young professional mothers. They help secure tree sponsors and auction items, plan children’s activities, collaborate on fundraising, and help with outreach to service organizations and their own social circles. Volunteers and staff work together to produce both events, including dressing up as holiday characters. Cheryl Runneboom, immediate past president of the Junior Committee, describes it as “a great way for Committee members to get involved at the Symphony, but also to have an impact on the community.”
The Junior Committee has been a significant source of SFS volunteer leadership; members join looking for family-friendly activities and become inspired to work in other capacities. Deck the Hall also offers volunteer opportunities to nearby corporations, many of which are technology companies seeking to give back to the community.
For young attendees, Deck the Hall may be their first chance to experience a live performance, furthering SFS’s commitment to making music accessible to children of all backgrounds. Deck the Hall engages volunteers in a substantial project, and identifies leaders for future projects.
Posted November 26, 2014
