BIG ARTS celebrated their volunteers and said farewell to outgoing board members at their Annual Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation Party, held on Nov. 18.

The new board was elected, and includes six new board members: Dixie Bowden, Jerry Churchill, Nancy Clark, Joel Ospa, Dick Riley and Dick Wright.

Officers for 2010 are Chuck Bonser, President; Dick Pyle, Treasurer; Mary Buck, Vice President; John Burden, Vice President; Carolyn Bergen, Secretary; Chuck Ketteman, Past President; Lee Ellen Harder, Executive Director.

Continuing Board Members are Dean Chavis, Ralph Clark, Susie Freund, Eleanor Gause, Jim Hanlon, Mickie Kaplan, John Kramer, Laurie Meyers, JR Pascall, Sid Picker, Davis Thurber, Dick Turney, Penny Wilkinson as well as Laverne Phillips, who serves as Honorary Director.

Known as Sanibel and Captiva’s “home for all the arts,” BIG ARTS has been providing cultural enrichment and fulfillment to island residents and visitors since 1979. BIG ARTS began when a group of artists dreamed of a cultural center on the island. Today, BIG ARTS members and participants enjoy a wide spectrum of performing and visual arts events, and the community participates in more than 200 educational classes and workshops each year.

For further information about volunteering, to purchase tickets, to sign up for workshops or to become a member, stop by BIG ARTS, located at 900 Dunlop Road in Sanibel, call 395-0900, e-mail info@BIGARTS.org, or visit www.BIGARTS.org.