Doris Anne Russell probably wasn’t expecting anything out of the ordinary for the Motones vs. Jerseys concert Friday night at the Alhambra Theatre. As the longest serving employee of the Pennyroyal Arts Council, Russell has seen and heard more talent on the historic downtown stage than just about anyone in town.
But Russell’s co-workers decided it was time to put her on the stage to honor her talents as a reliable, behind-the-scenes staffer. So they planned a surprise and asked Mayor Wendell Lynch and Judge-Executive Steve Tribble to proclaim Friday as Doris Anne Russell Day in Hopkinsville.
Lynch was on hand to announce the proclamation, and Russell was applauded before the concert began.
Russell has worked for the arts council for 25 years. During that time, she’s welcomed hundreds of thousands of guests to arts council events.
Executive director Margaret Prim estimated Russell has personally folded and sealed more than 25,000 fundraising letters. She described Russell as “a champion of the arts.”
“She continues to earn the admiration and respect of her co-workers, city and county officials, and the general public for her unfaltering commitment to the betterment of downtown Hopkinsville,” the proclamation states.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
