MANCHESTER, NH – The Palace Theatre has long been recognized as a bastion of exceedingly talented artists who have entertained and enriched the lives of so many. From famous celebrities to aspiring local talent, to the ever-eager youth theatre participants, each giving their very best with every performance. Set designers, costume managers, lighting technicians, sound engineers, production managers, directors, box office staff, management staff, bartenders, volunteer ushers and many, many others all add up to a dedicated crew of people working together to enrich and entertain thousands of customers who annually patronize the Palace Theatre’s three venues.
In 2015, during the efforts to celebrate the centennial of the Palace Theatre, volunteer usher Anne Hatin decided to make a decorative quilt to donate to the Palace to support the historic milestone. Her first quilt, a Nutcracker – nearly five feet tall – was well received by Theatre President and CEO, Peter Ramsey. He asked if it could be raffled off to raise funds for Palace Youth Theatre graduates who were heading off to college to study theatre arts. Then he asked if Anne could help with the raffle process. That first-year effort has grown into an annual effort by this creative and talented quilt designer.
Now in her seventh year, Anne once again is faithfully volunteering her fundraising efforts including attending 33 shows from late November through the end of December. While volunteering at these shows Anne greets her many fans who have come to expect to see a new and exciting handcrafted holiday-themed quilt. The patrons have increasingly stopped by just to admire her creations, purchase raffle tickets and provide additional donations in support of her signature effort to raise funds for the Palace Youth Theatre’s college-bound graduates.
The quilt raffle has raised $26,481 in its first six years. With several more shows to go this season, the current quilt to be raffled has raised $7,450.