Taylor Morgan is the Audience Services/Marketing Coordinator at Gulfshore Playhouse.

Have you ever met someone you know would do absolutely anything to make a dream come true? Have you ever been so thankful for the actions of others that you’ve been left speechless? This is a feeling that I have only truly experienced since working at Gulfshore Playhouse and the only way I can describe it is: overwhelming, in the best way.

Today, we had the chance to celebrate the gracious donors from our 2015-2016 season. After leaving the luncheon I was left sitting in my car thinking about how much each of these people, these donors, have changed lives. I think about the group of men and women we are lucky to call “donors” and a quote by theologian John Wesley comes to mind.

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
— John Wesley

2016 Donor Appreciation Luncheon

Our donors have come from all walks of life and all parts of the world. They all have
different backgrounds, opinions, careers, and passions but one single strand ties them all together, a dedication to theatre and to using it to change the world. They are out doing all the good they can, by all the means they can, in all the places they can, at all the times they can, as long as they ever can. They came today to a celebration for their donations throughout the year and continued to ASTOUND us with their generosity as they managed to raise fifteen thousand dollars for the STARs summer camp program in less than three hours. Because of their selfless giving children who would never have a chance to step foot on stage will shine and grow in the spotlight. They will find friends and gain confidence in themselves and in their abilities. We will get to watch shy children blossom into the leading lady and learn to have faith in herself along the way.

Our donors are constantly in the business of making dreams come true. They have made Kristen Coury’s dream of a world-class regional theatre right here in Naples start to materialize before our eyes as we are now on the track to having our own theatre! They have made the dreams of generations of actors, designers, and directors who have cycled through this playhouse year after year come true by supporting and enabling us to thrive and produce more shows each season. We are able to make more artists’ dreams come true every show because of the generosity of our donors. But most of all, they made dreams come true for the little girl that wants nothing more than to put on that princess dress and forget for a little while what it’s like at home. They made the dreams of a little boy who moves all the time with his military family come true by giving him a place to make friends and feel truly at home. They made the dreams of children who might not have been given the chance come true by letting us provide them a safe, creative, fun, magical, and life changing summer camp experience.

Our donors are a special group of people. Whether it’s been $5 or $10 million, your donation has made a difference and it does not go unnoticed. We thank you today, and every day, from the bottom of our hearts. You are making dreams come true. Thank you!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Take a look at some of our amazing donors in the slideshow above!