Kudos to Anita Gorman on Philanthropy Day Award

At Starlight Theatre, we congratulate lifetime Starlight Board member and supporter Anita Gorman on an important honor that will soon come her way!

Gorman has been selected as this year’s Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer by the Mid-America Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She will receive the prestigious award from the chapter during its National Philanthropy Day celebration Nov. 19.

Gorman will be recognized for her outstanding skills in coordinating and motivating groups of donors and volunteers to contribute to fundraising projects for the benefit of area charitable institutions including the Kansas City Zoo, Liberty Memorial, the Salvation Army, Missouri Department of Conservation and, of course, Starlight Theatre.

Her history with Starlight dates back to the theatre’s beginnings. She started as a patron in the early 1950s. Over the past several decades as a Board member, she has co-chaired multiple fundraising campaigns, raising millions of dollars to make improvements to the Starlight campus. In 1982, she joined Jack Steadman to chair one of the first capital campaigns to beautify the theatre, and she later helped raise money to build Starlight’s new stage house that opened in 2000.

“All of us at Starlight heartily congratulate Anita on this well-deserved recognition,” said Rich Baker, Starlight president and CEO. “We thank her for being a major supporter and devoted steward of our theatre and our mission.”