SOS-0007 November 2022 – Dave Stout – Volunteer of the Year 2022

November 2022 – Dave Stout – Volunteer of the Year 2022
by Gordon W Stanley

After a 22-year career in the US Navy, Dave Stout elected to dedicate his time, talent and treasure to the benefit of the Spreckels Organ Society. Like many a member of the armed services, Dave's career as a Navy Storekeeper (W-3) was curtailed during a major reduction in the size of US active military forces. Later, while working with the County of San Diego, Dave began a search for fulfilling volunteer work.

In 2014, Dave began interning with Andrea Card as a greeter on the Pavilion's East Gate. To this day, Dave says his favorite part of volunteering is talking to the visitors from all over the world. Just this past week, he enjoyed meeting visitors and organ music fans who had traveled from half a world away to Australia.

In addition to eight years of weekly work as a greeter at the Sunday 2-3pm concerts, Dave sets up the greeter and membership tables, signage, and donation boxes. He also arranges and delivers the printed programs every week. Dave serves on the Program, Operations, and Education Outreach Committees, and has been a Trustee for the past two years. When he has extra time, Dave assists the audio and video crew, and makes a point to stay after concerts to count the gate donation proceeds.

The officers and civic organist routinely commend Dave, noting that “he is always there, ready to help in any way he can.” Dave is unassuming and never calls attention to himself, “he is just quietly there, raising his hand to volunteer, asking how he can help.”

Many of the Society volunteers have interesting stories about exposure to classical music at a young age. To this point Dave is no different. In fact, he recently discovered some new detail concerning his music in his family. With some genealogy help from Gary Allard, the Society's Secretary, Dave learned much more about his great grandfather, Charles Silver Knight, who was a musician and pipe organ builder. He was involved in construction of organs at the Music Box in Virginia City, NV and at the Baptist Church in Reno, NV. Dave also has an uncle who played big band trumpet music, and later played and studied with the Peruvian Symphony Orchestra. Dave honors that interest by taking an active role in the Program Committee - searching, and offering serious recommendations of music to the Society's civic organist,

Please join the Trustees and Volunteers of the Spreckels Organ Society in congratulating Dave Stout as the 2022 Volunteer of the Year.