Each year the staff of the Kimball Art Center (KAC) selects one person to receive “The Kimball Award” and one volunteer to receive the “Marilyn Eccles Modling Volunteer of the Year Award.” Both of these prestigious awards were created in 2008 to annually honor the legacy and vision of the KAC founders. The two individuals are chosen each year to honor distinguished service and recognize those that stood out over the calendar year for embodying the same kind of spirit and passion toward the Kimball that the institution was founded upon.
“The Kimball Award” was created in memory of KAC Founder, William (“Bill”) Kimball, whose vision and hard work resulted in the establishment of a nonprofit, community art center that has enriched the lives of Park City residents and visitors for over 40 years. This award seeks to highlight the efforts and accomplishments of an individual who displays unwavering dedication to the Kimball and allows us to achieve our mission of inspiring and connecting through art.
The 2016 recipient is Virginia Whitby, honored for her altruism and tireless hours planning and executing the inaugural “Celebration of the Arts” event at Red Cliff Ranch in July, 2016. This event was a weekend full of local art, delicious food and beautiful scenery. “Celebration of the Arts” was a wildly successful fundraiser for the Kimball and will become an annual event. Thank you, Virginia, for making this happen.
“The Volunteer of the Year Award” was created in memory of Bill Kimball’s childhood friend, Marilyn Eccles Modling. Marilyn was not just a lifelong friend of Bill’s, but was also integral to the founding of the Kimball and ran the gift shop as a volunteer for over a decade. This award is bestowed each year to an individual whose volunteer efforts went well beyond what was asked of them and resulted in an extraordinary impact on the community.
The 2016 recipient is Darrell Bloomquist. His dedication to the A.R.T.S. Tour program goes far and above what is expected of any volunteer and his passion for bringing art to the community is evident. Darrell volunteers weekly, often more, for A.R.T.S. Tours in Park City, Salt Lake and the surrounding areas. When asked what volunteering with the Kimball means to him, Darrell responded, “I am given the opportunity to see first-hand the education and healing that art gives to the community. It means so much to me to be able to see the independence of each individual student and their creativity in their works of art.” Thank you, Darrell, for bringing art to the lives of students all over Utah.
The Kimball Art Center is deeply grateful for the contributions of Virginia and Darrell and all of our supporters who share our passion for bringing art to the community. Thank you!