OGDEN -- Mayor Matthew Godfrey is honoring eight locals for their contributions to the arts in the city.
The 2010 Mayor's Awards in the Arts will be presented at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Grand Lobby at Ogden's Union Station, 2501 Wall Ave. A social hour starts at 6 p.m.
Now in its 10th year, the awards put the spotlight on individuals and groups who improve the quality of life in Ogden through their contributions to the arts.
Honorees for 2010:
* Anne Bowen, literature. Bowen taught for the Utah School for the Deaf for 30 years, and developed writing workshops to integrate hearing-impaired students with their hearing peers. Bowen received the 1996/1997 Utah English/Language Arts Teacher of the Year Award. She is a published author and shares her passion for writing through author visits to schools in Ogden.
* Bob and Marcia Harris, lifetime contribution to the arts. Bob Harris served two terms as president of the board of directors of the Ogden Symphony Ballet Association. Both Bob and Marcia Harris work behind the scenes in Ogden's arts community. In addition to their volunteer work, they attend a large number of arts events, and the Harris name is often on donor lists in playbills and programs
* Sandy Havas, Hall of Honor in the Arts. A past Mayor's Award honoree, Havas is being inducted into the newly established Hall of Honor in the Arts. She has guided the Eccles Community Art Center since 1977, and as executive director increased its annual budget from $25,000 to $350,000. Under her direction, the center hosts monthly art exhibits, operates a gift shop where artists' works are sold, provides classes in arts, and has formed an ongoing relationship with Ballet West.
* Lisa Kopelke, media arts. Kopelke is a published author and illustrator of children's books. She also volunteers with Imagine Ballet Theatre, the Utah Symphony Docent Program and at Ogden Preparatory Academy, where she is helping students create an animated short film. * Thomas Moore Sr., art advocacy. Moore taught English and humanities at Weber High School, Brigham Young University and the University of Maryland for more than 30 years, while developing businesses and working on community projects. He served as vice president of the Utah Symphony, president of the Union Station Development Corporation, which restored the historic Ogden station, and was instrumental in placing the Eccles Historic District on the National Register for Historic Places.
* Steve Songer, visual arts. Songer studied art education and art at Weber State University, Utah State University and the Royal Academy of Art in London. He spent 25 years teaching high school art and was named Teacher of the Year for the Weber School District in 1988, as well as USWEST's Outstanding Teacher of the Year for Utah in 1991. Now retired from the classroom, he is an award-winning artist whose paintings are collected around the world.
* Wes Whitby, theater arts. Whitby earned a degree in musical theater and English literature, then taught both to children in Russia. Now programs coordinator for Treehouse Children's Museum, he helps children participate in improvisational theater; coordinates the theater outreach program, summer theater camps and workshops; writes plays and puppet shows; and serves as the artistic director for the acting company Treehouse Troupe.
For more information, call 801-393-3866.
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