By Lezlie Laxton, Eiteljorg director of human resources

If you have ever volunteered at the Eiteljorg, you are familiar with Deborah Kish. Deborah began her time at the museum in 2008 as the manager of volunteer services and will be retiring in October 2020. Deborah brought strong organizational skills to the museum, along with a fresh perspective and enthusiasm, and made a big impact on reorganizing the volunteer program. She was essential in guide and volunteer recruiting, and scheduling all our volunteers for Jingle Rails, Indian Market and Festival and many other events. Over the years, under her leadership, the volunteer program has grown to an average of 432 volunteers per year, and the volunteers have given more than 181,000 hours of service to the museum. She recruited and retained the strong corps of volunteers while recognizing their invaluable contributions.

Deborah has had a long career in volunteer and community services, including her work with the Central Indiana Association of Volunteer Administrators, Junior League of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Please join us in celebrating Deborah’s retirement and wishing her well.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the October 2020 issue of Storyteller magazine.