THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 10, 1994 TAG: 9406090208
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HEIDI GLICK, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: 940610 LENGTH: Medium
Hudson may not be on staff, but, as a volunteer, her face is a regular fixture at Linkhorn. She's there every day for at least three to four hours, either organizing the annual talent show, decorating a showcase, running the bookstore or bringing in local artists for the Artist in Residence program.
{REST} And that's just the start.
Because of her volunteer work at Linkhorn Park, Hudson was recently named elementary Volunteer of the Year for city schools.
``The only thing I can say is I have fun volunteering,'' Hudson said. ``I'm very supportive of the arts, and anything with the arts I really like to get involved in.''
That's why she got involved in the Artist in Residence program at the school, which has featured such local artists as Mike Bell and Matthew Fine. As part of the program, each artist donates a piece of artwork to the school.
``What I'd like to see is a build-up of some type of art collection for the school,'' said Hudson, who is a board member with the Virginia Beach Center for the Arts and the Chrysler Museum. ``The children love it. I think it's a really nice program.''
Bob Weaver, art instructor at Linkhorn, said Hudson has influenced many students because of her enthusiasm for art.
``She's been a force to enrich a lot of these children's lives who probably have never had a chance to see a sculpture,'' Weaver said. ``She's very nice to all the children and knows a lot of them by name.''
And Hudson is always complimentary of the students' artwork.
``I am an ardent supporter of the arts,'' Hudson explained and added that the Artist in Residence program is the most rewarding project to her.
But the children know her most by her work on the talent show. This year's production, called ``Hurray for Hollywood,'' involved more than 200 students and occupied at least six months of Hudson's time. She wrote the script, got props, directed the production and organized rehearsals.
Her work on the talent show, however, didn't detract from her school bookstore duties. Every day from 8:30 to 9 a.m. she wheeled into the cafeteria an old hospital cart filled with school supplies and sold them to the students - usually for less than what she paid.
She buys trendy pencils for 28 cents and sells them for 25 cents. However, many of the items in her cart go for a nickel - or less.
One recent morning, Hudson was manning the cart with help from her daughter, Claire, a fifth-grader, and another student.
A boy walked up to Claire with four pennies and wanted to buy a pencil.
``This kid only has 4 cents. Can we give him a 5-cent pencil?'' Claire asked her mother pleadingly.
Hudson easily smiled her consent. This wasn't the first time a child bought a pencil with just a few pennies.
Hudson started volunteering for the school as a room mother when Claire was in first grade. She said she had a lot of fun and kept getting more and more involved and joined the PTA.
Now that Claire is moving on to Virginia Beach Middle, so is Hudson - as publicity chairman.
by CNB