Their third place: Volunteering at Proctors Collaborative

Sharon and Trevor, a married couple find community through volunteering

SCHENECTADY—Where is your “third place?” If your first place is your home and your second place is work, your third place is where you gather with your friends and experience community. Since the pandemic, and the rise of the internet and social media, that third place has disappeared for many people. Trevor Oakley and Sharon O’Brien have defied this trend and found their third place as volunteers at Proctors Collaborative – a place where they can add depth and meaningful relationships into their lives.

According to Ray Oldenburg, an American sociologist who coined the term, “third places make us feel as if we belong to a society bigger than ourselves.”

For Oakley, volunteering brings him to his third place. “Schenectady is our town, and this arts organization has essentially, almost single handedly, brought an urban area back to life. We are arts lovers and so we’re able to participate in something bigger than us in that way—in our own tiny way, we’re contributing.”

O’Brien was the catalyst for Oakley becoming a volunteer. She started volunteering in 2012 as an usher, as she recognized the importance of supporting the theatre. “Being involved in really one of the largest arts organizations in the area is huge. We’re so fortunate that it’s right in our backyard. Most people don’t have this,” she said. Oakley joined her in 2018.

Beyond helping Proctors Collaborative itself, becoming a volunteer offers benefits to the individual as well. In addition to seeing the shows they serve; they often receive complimentary tickets to upcoming Proctors Collaborative shows, are eligible for a 10 percent discount to concessions at each venue and become part of a meaningful community.

“It’s turned out to be a big social outlet for me and I didn’t really know I needed it,” Oakley said. “I work at a public library, and I’m surrounded by people all day. I get along really well with a number of my patrons, a number of my coworkers. So, I feel like every day has a huge social component but there’s a big difference between work-social and social-social.

 “You’re meeting people that are somewhat like-minded—at least we have a similar interest, and that we’re all there for the same reason. Yeah, I know I’m going to do a job but at the same time I know that I’m going to have a great time,” he continued.

O’Brien added, “We’ve met a number of other volunteers that we definitely consider good friends of ours now, and people that we more than likely never would have crossed paths with, if not for doing the same volunteer gig.”

If you’re looking for your third place and want to become an invaluable part of the Collaborative, you might consider joining the volunteer cohort. There are a number of different duties from which to choose, such as ushers, concession stand operators and VIP Lounge hosts. Volunteers work at Proctors, Capital Repertory Theatre and Universal Preservation Hall. For more information and to sign up, visit https://www.atproctors.org/about/opportunities/