TRAILS COUNTRY TREASURE

By
Maryann Miller

On Sunday, September 27, the Winnsboro Center for the Arts (WCA) honored Helen Burlingham as the 2009 Trails Country Treasure. (Pictured here with Joe Dan Boyd)

The award has been given annually for four years to a resident of the Winnsboro area who has contributed significantly to the arts, as well as other civic and community efforts, and Helen certainly qualifies on all counts. She has been a strong supporter of the art center, formally the Trails Country Center for the Arts, since its inception in 2001, and prior to that was a supporter of a local community theatre. She is also a supporter of the James & Elizabeth Whatley Center for the Performing Arts in Pittsburg, as well as other arts and community organizations.

Helen is a talented artist, although she prefers to call herself a dabbler, and there is a display of her work at the Center, that will remain for a few more weeks. A watercolor painting dates back to school days and shows that she had a good eye for shape and color even as a child. She has "dabbled" in many forms of art since including terra cotta sculpture, writing, theatre production, and most recently photography.

When Winnsboro Mayor, Carolyn Jones offered her congratulations to Helen at the event, she talked about how the two of them took a sculpting class from local artist, Georgia Moore. "I had just lost a cat that we had had for many years and was heartbroken," she said. "Georgia suggested that I sculpt a cat in remembrance, and Helen decided to sculpt a cat, too.

" I remember that yours turned out so much better than mine," she concluded. (Helen's cat left)

There were many people in attendance at the award ceremony and the reception that followed, and a number of people stepped up to pay tribute to Helen. Joe Dan Boyd, who first conceived the idea of the annual award, was the emcee and he said what an honor it has been for him to serve on the board of the art center with Helen. "She is fearless," he said. "Whatever the challenge is, she will meet it. Even if she doesn't know how to do something, she isn't afraid to try."

Cindy Fisher, VISTA worker and past president of the board at the center, was not able to attend the event, but she sent a note that Joe Dan read. "It has been my privilege to work with you for three years. I value you as an artist. And when I grow up I want to be just like you."

By the enthusiastic response from the audience, I don't think Cindy is the only one who wants to be like Helen when they grow up. She is certainly a woman to emulate. In addition to raising a family, and now being very involved with her grandchildren, Helen has always found time to be a community supporter. There probably isn't a local organization that she is not a member of, or was a member of, from the Civic Club to the Friends of the Library. And not only is she a member of many organizations, she is an active volunteer in all of them.

Whew, it tires me out just to think about all that she does.

Just in case someone might have had the idea that Helen only became active in community affairs after her children were raised, her son, Richard Burlingham, quashed that thought. He dug up one of her high school annuals and found this, "The Gauntlet staff will say goodbye to Helen reluctantly. She was assistant art editor and associate editor. Helen has all 10 fingers in different pies."

Then in her university newspaper, Richard found this, "Helen just couldn't say no. She has an unselfish desire to serve others. Helen should be successful in a life of service."

Richard, pictured here with his son, Avery Carlos Burlingham,       talked about how much he appreciates his mother's love of the arts and history, and thanked her for fostering that in the family. "She has always loved family history," he said. "And she helped us to realize how important it is to know your roots."

He also acknowledged her creative talents and noted that she always did all she could to foster creativity in her children and grandchildren, but he ventured that perhaps she would consider her children and grandchildren her greatest works of art.

Anyone who knows Helen, has to agree, and when Molly Blair, her granddaughter, got up to thank her for the enthusiastic support for her creative pursuits, the circle was complete. Molly, pictured here with her friend, Touryn Vasquez, is a gifted actress, writer, and photographer. She thanked her grandmother for providing space for her "to be crazy. You are awesome."

Molly is not the only creative one in the family. Richard is a film producer and screenwriter, now living in Los Angeles. Molly's sister, Jennifer is an actress, who has had recent small roles in some films.

And when Helen stepped up to give her acceptance speech, she pointed out that creativity knows no bounds and acknowledged the many talents of her daughter, Dr. Kim Burlingham. "There is a real art to making a beautiful home and gardens, as well as the art of practicing medicine," she said. "So don't discount that when considering talents."

Helen went on to say that the award is not for her. "It is for all of you," she said, addressing the fifty-plus people in attendance. "You all do so much."

She concluded her lovely acceptance speech by saying, "If you put a seed in somewhere, it will grow, so you know that what you can do will inspire others to do something."

That philosophy drives everything that Helen does, from community involvement to supporting her family. "And I am so grateful to the community for letting me have my fingers in so many pies."

Among the guest who wanted to thank Helen for her years of service were Bob Hibbard from the Quitman Community Theatre, and Carol Franks from the Whatley Center.