11:00 AM - Recognition Program
Guest Speaker: Shane Riggs
11:30 AM - Award Presentation
12:00 PM - Lunch (House Salad, Stuffed Chicken Breast, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Zucchini, Brownies w/ Whipped Cream)
2025 HONOREES
Carla Shehan-Sturgis, Dedication to Volunteer Service
Koa Beam, Excellence in Teaching
Learn more about our honorees below!
Celebrating the 26th Anniversary of this memorable event, the Community Arts Center of Cambria County honors two individuals who have contributed to the growth and success of your Community Arts Center.
The Richard G. & Wanda I. Baker Recognition Awards will be given for Dedication to Volunteer Service to a Community Arts Center Volunteer and for Excellence in Teaching to a Community Arts Center Teacher.
The annual Awards have been established by Mrs. Wanda Baker in memory of her husband.
The Honorees will each receive a $500 Cash Award and a Waterford Crystal Bowl. This generosity comes from the late Mrs. Wanda Baker, who established the awards in memory of her late husband’s service to our community. Mrs. Baker passed away in 2022, but her legacy lives on as she continues to offer this opportunity to CAC Volunteers and Teachers even after her death
709 Edgehill Drive
Johnstown, PA 15905
Attendees must be friends/family of the honorees or current 2024/2025 Arts Center teachers & volunteers!
Please call the Arts Center at (814) 255-6515 to RSVP. Deadline to RSVP is Monday, April 25th.
With Grateful Appreciation, we “Thank” the late Mr. & Mrs. Richard Glen & Wanda Baker for their generous gift of recognizing the value of the Community Arts Center to the cultural life of our community and extending special recognition to members of the Community Arts Center family.
Mr. Baker was a highly respected engineer in his field, working for the Pennsylvania Electric Company from 1946 to 1984. He retired as a Vice President. In the community, he served on the Board of Directors of the Incorporators of Grandview Cemetery and as Past President of Lee Hospital Board of Directors.
Mrs. Baker was a graduate of Johnstown High School and attended the University of Pittsburgh. She went on to work as a secretary at the National Radiator Co. of Johnstown before entering into stewardess training. She was a member of the Westmont Presbyterian Church and longtime member of Sunnehanna Country Club where she enjoyed golfing and playing bridge with her friends. Part of Mrs. Baker’s legacy including relatives on her mother’s side, has a history of Generals dating back to the Revolutionary War, as well as establishing the Richard G. Baker Recognition Awards in 1999.
Koa Beam is an accomplished artist recognized for his artistic creations inspired by pop culture, comic books, fantasy, and science fiction, which have been exhibited in galleries and at comic conventions throughout Pennsylvania and other states. He has received numerous awards, most notably the 26th Richard G. & Wanda I. Baker Award for Excellence in Teaching, as presented to him by the Community Arts Center of Cambria County.
Having been born and raised in Cambria County, Mr. Beam graduated from Westmont Hilltop High School in 1991. Since then, he has amassed significant professional experience in the fields of graphics, design, and illustration, serving in various capacities. His work has encompassed diverse projects, ranging from t-shirt art and logo design to corporate branding, marketing, and digital media design. He currently holds the position of Lead Graphic Artist at CANA LLC, a distinguished logistics and analytics firm based in Gainesville, Virginia.
In addition to his professional endeavors, he is a dedicated practitioner of Tang Soo Do, a traditional Korean martial art, and serves as the advisor/instructor for the Martial Arts Club at the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown campus. He also produces commissioned artwork in heroic, science fiction, and fantasy genres for fellow enthusiasts, as well as producing professional cover art and illustrations for games and books.
Mr. Beam's artwork is distinguished by its intricate detail and dynamic aesthetic, appealing to a wide range of fantasy art aficionados. He utilizes a variety of media and mediums, creating artwork on surfaces ranging from everyday objects like placemats to stretched canvas, and everything in between using pencils, ballpoint pens, oil, watercolor, acrylic paints, or whatever media is on hand.
Furthermore, Mr. Beam is a committed educator. He has experience teaching art at various levels, from elementary school to college. He is dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment for all individuals interested in the arts, and he readily shares his passion for creativity. He believes in the value of sketching and doodling for creative expression, stress reduction, enjoyment, and catharsis, regardless of skill level.
It is through this mindset that Mr. Beam’s work and teaching have had a substantial impact on his community. He is dedicated to sharing his enthusiasm for the arts by imparting his knowledge and experience to others. He endeavors to serve as a role model for aspiring artists, and he hopes his commitment to his craft inspires others to share their artistic endeavors.
Carla Shehan-Sturgis is the owner of Delightful Ewe, a yarn shop in Hollidaysburg, PA and is currently celebrating 25 years as a business owner. She has crocheted since she was 9 and taught herself to knit in her early twenties and has knit sweaters for a New York designer, as well as models for several national yarn companies, with her own designs for sale on Ravelry.
Ms. Shehan-Sturgis served as President for many years with the Bedford Chapter of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen and organized the juried craft show inside St. Thomas School during Bedford Fall Foliage for 23 years and currently volunteers with the CAC for its annual Holly Bazaar.
Ms. Shehan-Sturgis enjoys teaching others to knit and crochet and helping individuals with their projects to completion. She enjoys volunteering and organizing cold weather apparel (hats, scarves and mittens) collections for the homeless and child and youth organizations.
Shane Riggs is an award winning journalist, photographer, author, and teacher. He is a published and produced playwright, with his works including the Lightbearer, Confessions from the Ladies Room and the Marie Defense. His Song of the Red Sparrow novel trilogy is available in bookstores and online. Shane has worked in television, radio, public relations and print. He has worked for and with celebrities like Rebeca Arthur, Garth Brooks, Florence Henderson, William H. Macy, Del McCoury, Michael Phelps, and both Donny and Marie Osmond. Shane is the founding and current managing editor of Allegany Magazine in Cumberland, Md and in 2022, was named editor of Johnstown Magazine in Johnstown, Pa.
Community Arts Center of Cambria County
1217 Menoher Boulevard, Johnstown, PA 15905 US
Accessibility is available upon request for those with disabilities or special needs issues. Please give us as much advance notice as possible to accommodate your needs.
BUSINESS HOURS:
Monday - Friday, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Copyright © 2024 CACCC - All Rights Reserved