The Board
Our mission is to inspire lifelong interest and encouragement in opera and classical music, and to promote music education for students, including financial support.
Proud sponsor of the Harold S. Schwartz Music Scholarship Program
Geraldine Piscitelli, President & Program Chair
Geri Dempsey, Vice President & Dir. of Community Relations
Ian Walmsley, Treasurer
Ann Forrester, Recording Secretary
Pearl Kosa, Corresponding Secretary & MAP Chair
Pearl Kosa, Scholarship Chair
Robin Messenheimer, Membership
Mary Boczkowski, Director & Assistant to Corresp. Secretary
Bill Doherty, Director/Advisor
Cheryl Collins, Director at Large
Lou Sasmore, Director at Large
Pauline Pan - Director Emeritus
Marlene Croft, Director & Hospitality Chair
Gigi Letendre, Director & Sunshine Chair
Rosalie Locke, Director
William Peck, Webmaster
Rosalie Locke & Marlene Croft, Hospitality Committee
Bill Pennix- Archivist
Major Milestones
1994 [May] First meeting of our newly-formed club was held at the home of Wayne & Natalie Mosby, at 1515 Hillcrest Drive, The Villages of Lady Lake
1994 [July] The Opera Club of the Villages was established first and foremost to promote the arts and all of our members and also its patrons.
1994 [Sep] The Opera Club of the Villages presents the singers, actors of CFLO to be in full costume to sing highlights from Amadeus Mozart's opera "Le Nozze di Figaro" & Highlights from Giuseppe Verdi's opera "La Traviata".
1997 [June] Dick Lichtenberger, President,"is very interested in the idea of scholarships'' - so they decided on a committee: Bill Doherty, Oscar and Harold Schwartz among them.
2002 - Five music scholarships awarded.
2004 - Club becomes incorporated in Florida as Opera Club of The Villages, Inc. (N04000001166)
2004 - Three music scholarships awarded - Reginald Oliver (sax); David Richs (piano); and Katrina Schoenfeldt (vocal)
2005 - Five music scholarships awarded - Lisa Fleetwood (violin); Heather Davidson (flute); Melanie Di Lorenzo (drums); Niki Melcher (flute); and Steven Stevens (clarinet).
2006 - Four music scholarships awarded - Constance Rogalski (vocal); Christine Gonzalez (violin); Alvin deTorres (trombone); and Jessica Ellison (sax).
2011 - Receive IRS 501(c)(3) status (Fed. ID: 20-0669641)
More info to be added soon