Cheers to 50+ Years of Dedication to the Arts

Charlene Anderson is one of a handful of individuals who have been intimately involved with the TSO for over 50 years. From the time she was twelve years old, Charlene attended music appreciation classes and Toledo Ballet's Nutcracker performances, falling in love with the performing arts. That love is evident in all the many ways she contributes to the TAPA family. Whether sharing her talents at performances and in the administrative offices or her treasures with the Annual Fund and Kobacker Society, Charlene gives her all and is a deeply appreciated friend.

Every Tuesday afternoon you can find Charlene at the Parkwood administration building making sure every office has at least one living plant that she tends to with her magical mix of plant food and water. Most days her office greening comes with an intriguing story of one of her many travel adventures or a sweet anecdote about her son and how she started bringing him to TSO performances when he was in early elementary school and began playing violin.

Charlene's long history with TSO led her to consider including the symphony in her estate planning and joining the TSO's membership group, the Kobacker Society, for individuals and families committed to leaving a portion of their estate to the symphony. "I decided to become a member of Kobacker in 2004 because I believe the TSO is a worthwhile cause, and I wanted to do all that I could to support it for years to come!" said Charlene. In keeping with that spirit, Charlene has recently discovered the added benefits of giving through an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and now makes her Annual Fund donation through her IRA.

In addition to her work at the Parkwood offices, Charlene has volunteered at TSO and Toledo Ballet performances for over 20 years. As much as she loves working with the administrative team, Charlene takes great pleasure in greeting attendees at Will Call and assisting the Box Office team. Some of her favorite events have include TSO's annual presentation of Handel's Messiah and famed Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich's performances in 1998 and 2002.