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A reception honoring outgoing Theater Manager Debbie Ayerst, center, for her years of faithful service, was held Tuesday in the theater lobby and was attended by numerous well-wishers and Touchet Valley Arts Council board members. Board members present included, from left: Mary Lenox, Regina Weldert, Jim Kime, Leah Stockton, Mary Luce, Debbie Ayerst, Michele Collins, Glenn Mendel, Robert Carlson and Michael Luce.
DAYTON–Debbie Ayerst started with the Touchet Valley Arts Council and Liberty Theater as an intern from Walla Walla Community College helping with a summer film series, then advanced to assistant manager and later was hired as theater manager. That was some three years ago, and now family obligations are pulling her back to her hometown of Hoquiam, Wash.
Ayerst was honored at a farewell reception Tuesday in the Liberty Theater lobby with local well-wishers and TVAC board members gathering to convey their gratitude to Ayerst for her devotion and faithful service over the years.
The move to Hoquiam will be to be closer to her son and grandson, and other members of the family.
The event also welcomed incoming Manager Michele Collins.
She first became involved with the Liberty about three years ago when her now 16-year-old son Casey became involved with theater, first through the Missoula Children's Theater, then productions of "The Sound of Music" and "Disney's Little Mermaid." "We fell in love with the theater from the get-go," Collins said.
When Casey was cast as Friedrich von Trapp in "The Sound of Music," TVAC's live stage production in 2022, Collins was "thrown" in to the role of backstage manager. "The theater quickly became home to us," she said.
Collins moved from western Washington to Walla Walla about three years ago.
