people

We had a quick chat with Mary about her involvement with the Elmhurst Symphony. A lightly edited version of our conversation is below.

How long have you been connected with ESO and how did you get started?

My husband, Edgar Swarthout, and I first attended the Elmhurst Symphony in probably 2015 because we had heard good things about the orchestra. We live in La Grange and were interested in a more local source of quality music. The end of 2015, Ed noticed a request for board members in the program and mentioned it to me. We agreed this would be a good move because music had been so much a part of his life. He sent in his information, was interviewed, then asked to be on the Board in the beginning of 2016. We did not know it at the time, but Ed was very sick, and within 4 months announced that he had to leave the board due to his ill health. He then succumbed to his illness in December of 2016.

How did you join the Board of Directors?

In 2017, I sent a donation to the orchestra in Ed’s honor, and was asked if I would be on the Gala Committee. The committee planned for the Gala in the spring of 2018 (which was rather successful). I was asked to join the Board in the summer of 2018 and continued on the Gala Committee. In the summer of 2021, the vice president, Lorraine Freeman, passed due to cancer, and I volunteered to fill the vacancy.

What is your favorite part of working/being involved with ESO?

It took me a while to find my niche, but eventually I joined the Nominating Committee. This was a bit of a struggle for me because I did not know anyone from Elmhurst or the surrounding areas who might be a good Board candidate. The Executive Director at the time, Cynthia Krainc, suggested I become involved with the Elmhurst Chamber and the Oak Brook Chamber, which turned out to be quite fun! I enjoy networking, which has led to the recruitment of several new Board members. I feel that the ESO should be connected to the community, so have expanded my contacts to other community events and meetings. We need to be a presence in our community.

I consider it an honor to be so much a part of the ESO, and plan to continue as a Board member and expand my participation in the orchestra’s future.