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Volunteer contributes baking, piano playing to Arts Center

The Inter-Mountain photo by Tim MacVean Elkins resident Lynne Serba has spent the last three years donating her time to The Arts Center and playing music for residents at Elkins Rehabilitation and Care Center and Colonial Place.

Editor’s note: This article is part of a weekly series that highlights volunteers in the region who help local organizations, churches and nonprofit agencies. To make a suggestion, please call The Inter-Mountain’s newsroom at 304-636-2124.

ELKINS — Since retiring three years ago, an Elkins resident has shared her love of music while volunteering.

Lynne Serba helps The Arts Center with events, food and more.

“I help set up for events; I help host events; I bake for The Arts Center — cookies, and for dinners they have (and) the various functions they have here — I bake and I volunteer supplies,” she said.

Serba added she also participates in a docent program at the facility, meaning she volunteers to explain the exhibit to visitors.

“I sit here with the art exhibit,” she said. “A couple times a month I do that so the program can be open to the public.”

Additionally, Serba plays piano on behalf of The Arts Center at Elkins Rehabilitation and Care Center.

“I play piano for them at ERCC. That’s kind of a quid pro quo deal between the two,” she said. “They are supportive of The Arts Center and, in turn, The Arts Center sends artists to ERCC. I try to play there twice a month.”

Serba stressed that she is just one of many volunteers at The Arts Center.

“I don’t do this all by myself. There is a convoy of volunteers that work here,” she said. “I’m just one of many in the cog. I’m not doing any of this by myself, other than playing the piano.”

Volunteering was a goal for Serba as she contemplated retirement, and The Arts Center was a perfect fit, as she spent the last six years of her career teaching music.

“I retired three years ago, and that was one of my goals when I retired, to volunteer more in the community,” she said. “The arts are important to me.”

She continues to volunteer because she enjoys what she does and likes giving back to the community.

“It’s rewarding. I enjoy it. I am an Indian, not a chief. I enjoy the tasks that I do,” she said. “There is a need and I have the time to fulfill it.”

Serba also volunteers at Colonial Place, an assisted living facility, where she also plays piano for the residents.

Her favorite part of volunteering at The Arts Center is the wide array of events that are offered.

She added she also loves seeing joy on the faces of residents at ERCC and Colonial Place when she plays music.

“Hosting events at The Arts Center is a lot of fun, and seeing joy on the residents’ faces when I play piano and they sing,” Serba said. “I see a lot of joy when I play piano for these residents.”

She said the favorite song of residents at Colonial Place is the Elkins High School Fight Song, and she noted one of the residents even sings the trombone part of the tune.

Serba said in her free time, she enjoys quilting, reading, skiing, gardening, hiking, biking, baking, cooking, geocaching, camping, practicing piano and traveling.

“I love the outdoors,” she said. “I stay active outdoors.”

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