CFSA Announces 2022 Annual Award Recipients

Buddy Amos Founders Award

CFSA is pleased to share that the 2022 Buddy Amos Founders Award recipient is Andrew (Andy) Rush, artist and founder of The Drawing Studio.

Created in 2015, this award was established in honor of George H. “Buddy” Amos Jr., a CFSA founder, for his vision and ability to inspire. The award recognizes nonprofit founders who have demonstrated inspirational leadership in the areas of community service, philanthropy, mentoring, collaboration, or systems change that reaches beyond their organization.

Founded in 1992 by Andy and a core group of Tucson artists, The Drawing Studio brings art and the benefits of creating art to the entire community. They offer classes and workshops, host events and exhibits, and foster awareness of the positive effects of creativity on individuals and the entire community. Under Andy’s leadership, The Drawing Studio envisions the world as a better place where art and creative spirit are fostered as cultural necessities.

An artist himself, Andy shared, “At The Drawing Studio, I take great pleasure in working with people from all walks of life who bring incredible life experience and richness to the study of art, a richness that informs their visual expression once they have the tools and practices to inform their work.”

A former professor of art at the University of Arizona, Andy is a printmaker, sculptor, and drawer. He has been active as an American artist since 1959. His art has been included in many national exhibitions, especially of prints and drawings, and he has been a book illustrator and public artist. In 1981, he took an interest in tile and relief sculpture, especially in public places, garden settings, and other architectural applications. He is a resident and founder of the Rancho Linda Vista art community in Oracle, Arizona, established in 1968.

Diane Lynn Anderson Memorial Award

CFSA is pleased to announce that Talon Duncan, Ranch Manager of Echoing Hope Ranch, and Jim Roden, Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, have been awarded the Diane Lynn Anderson Memorial Award for 2022.

Established in 1990, the Diane Lynn Anderson Memorial Award honors individuals in Southern Arizona who exemplify the same qualities that Diane Lynn Anderson possessed: active acceptance, respect, compassion, devotion, and caring for people with disabilities. One of the original contributors to the Diane Lynn Anderson Memorial Award shared, “Because Diane knew firsthand the difficulties that people with physical disabilities are confronted with, she made herself available directly to those facing problems; she never wanted anyone to feel lost. Diane was also involved in helping to get systems set up that would continue to provide help.”

Talon Duncan, a Southern Arizona native, began working at Echoing Hope Ranch upon graduating high school. He has since become the Ranch Manager. Echoing Hope Ranch’s mission is growth, discovery, and lifelong learning in safe and respectful homes and communities for adults and teens with autism and other developmental disabilities. The guiding philosophy of Echoing Hope is to acknowledge each person as a dynamic human being and to help them build as full and satisfying life as possible by recognizing each individual with autism’s strengths and putting them to good use.

Regarding his experience working at Echoing Hope Ranch, Talon shared, “My oldest sister is developmentally disabled, and I was fortunate to grow up being around her because it made me more understanding and compassionate towards others with similar disabilities. I’ve now worked for the ranch for almost six years. I love my job and the amazing people I work with.”

Jim Roden and his family have been part of The Journey Church for 19 years. The Journey Church, an Evangelical Free Church, offers a special program, Friends for Life, which provides opportunities for adults with disabilities to develop relationships with each other and the volunteers that serve in the ministry. Friends for Life meets twice monthly for participants to spend time together, have fun, share in small groups, and learn about Jesus. They are also provided with an opportunity for bible study and a social outing each month to help deepen relationships.

Jim recently received his Doctoral Degree at Talbot Theological Seminary, where his dissertation focused on the relationship between disability ministry and church health. Upon being notified as this year’s Diane Lynn Anderson Memorial Award recipient, Jim shared, “I am deeply honored to be nominated for this award, but I cannot accept it alone. This award belongs to the staff, leadership, and congregants of The Journey Church–especially those with disabilities. They are the ones who have embraced the disability-inclusive gospel message of Jesus and created a culture of love, acceptance, and reciprocity.”

Southern Arizona Civic Leadership Award

CFSA is thrilled to share that Betsy Bolding is the 2022 Southern Arizona Civic Leadership Award recipient.

Created in 2016, the Southern Arizona Civic Leadership Award honors community members who have gone above and beyond to make Southern Arizona a more inclusive and welcoming place. Recipients have inspired others through their work, volunteerism, and advocacy efforts with diverse or underrepresented communities.

Known throughout Tucson and Southern Arizona for her leadership and dedication, Betsy has truly gone above and beyond to make a positive and lasting impact in our community. Betsy taught high school journalism and English for 15 years in the Tucson Unified School District in her first career. During this time, she also hosted a weekly television interview program, “Women’s Place/Every Place,” which fed her fascination with politics and her passion for women’s issues. In her second career as Special Assistant to Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt, Betsy managed the Governor’s Tucson office for Babbitt’s two terms. Recently retired from her third career, Betsy was Manager of Consumer Affairs at Tucson Electric Power Company, where she coordinated the company’s K-8 education programs and facilitated community outreach. She also managed TEP’s programs designed to assist vulnerable families and served as a liaison with local agencies serving at-risk customers.

Betsy is the immediate past chair of SARSEF and continues to serve on SARSEF’s board of directors, as well as on the board of The Loft Cinema and the Women’s Studies Advocacy Council, a member-based community organization that promotes and supports the students, faculty, and activities of the University of Arizona Gender and Women’s Studies Department. She is also an active member of the League of Women Voters and the Black Women’s Task Force. Betsy is a past president of the boards of the Community Food Bank, Arizona Theatre Company, The Loft Cinema, and Prescott College. She is also an Emeritus member of the Arizona Public Media Community Advisory Board and, as such, can occasionally be heard fundraising on AZPM’s radio outlets.

When asked to reflect upon what receiving this award means to her, Betsy shared, “I am completely overwhelmed and deeply honored to receive CFSA’s Civic Leadership Award, but also humbled when I remember not only those outstanding leaders who received this distinction before me but also the many amazing unrecognized civic leaders who hold our community together. Many thanks to the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona for this coveted Civic Leadership recognition.”

Igor Gorin Memorial Award

The 2022 recipients of the Igor Gorin Memorial Award are vocalists Emily Blair and Simone McIntosh.

The Igor Gorin Memorial Award was established in 1987 by Mary Gorin as a fitting way to honor the memory of her husband, Igor Gorin, a world-renowned opera singer. Since 1993, the Igor Gorin Memorial Award has awarded $338,000 to support young vocalists at the start of their operatic careers.

This unrestricted award is given out once a year to help gifted vocalists poised to begin successful careers with expenses associated with accompanists, coaches, and auditioning as they transition from school into professional careers.

Emily Blair is a versatile and engaging young artist originally from Chicago, Illinois. She joined the prestigious Merola Opera Program for the 2021 season and was previously a Benenson Young Artist at Palm Beach Opera for two seasons. She is a veteran of numerous young artist programs, including The CoOperative Program, Music Academy International, Canadian Vocal Arts Institute, and Up North Vocal Institute. Emily is a graduate of Mannes College of Music in The New School, and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. When not on stage, she can be found cuddling with her cats, teaching yoga, or browsing bookshops.

When asked how she envisions giving back to the performing arts community, Emily shared that she leads yoga classes designed for performers and is developing a course to support performers’ mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical needs. She stated, “Through healing ourselves and building a deep connection to our inner artist, we can share that with the world and deepen the profound impact of music.”

Simone McIntosh is an accomplished young artist originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, and currently residing in Paris, France. She was an Adler Fellow for the prestigious San Francisco Opera, an ensemble artist for the Canadian Opera Company, and an artist in the renowned Merola Opera Program. Over the years, Simone has received several distinguished awards, including the Wirth Vocal Prize, COC Ensemble Studio Competition, Ottawa Choral Society New Discoveries Competition, and was included in the CBC’s “20 Hottest Classical Musicians Under 30” in 2016. Simone is a graduate of the University of British Columbia with a BMus in Opera, and of the McGill Schulich School of Music with an MMus Voice.

In reflecting on her goals as a performing artist, Simone shared, “My goals are to strive for excellence and beauty in my music-making, not perfection. I want to let the music lead me to fulfilling places physically, mentally, and emotionally. I wish to provide space for audiences to experience and reflect on what beauty means to them.”