Volunteers in the Spotlight:
Reel People

Karen Wray

Konrad Noebel

Have you borrowed a film from the Film Society’s extensive collection? If so, you can thank Karen Wray for her dedication to organization. Karen says, “Because I am a retired librarian, I was asked to help organize many boxes of accumulated films into something manageable. I selected a library software program suitable for our needs. With the help of a few super-volunteers, we catalogued about 1,000 films. I modified the software to adapt to non-print media and set up a circulation system. We continue to add new films each year.”

Karen lives in Lewes and has volunteered for the Rehoboth Beach Film Society since 2005. During her first year of wrangling the film library into submission, she worked four to six hours a week at the Film Society office. She says now she typically logs two hours a week while she and other volunteers are transferring VHS films to DVD.

“Karen's skills at organizing are beyond compare,” says Wendi Dennis. “She is super smart, and has adventurous taste in film.”

Karen would like to remind members that the Rehoboth Beach Film Society office houses more than 1,000 films that may be borrowed by members one week at a time. The library is open Fridays and Mondays between 10:00am and 3:00pm. So stop by and take home a film. you might not otherwise have the chance to see.

“I enjoy working with the RBFS staff who are infinitely patient and dedicated, and the volunteers I've worked with are very special people,” says Karen. “It's been very rewarding and I've made great friends.”

When she is not volunteering at the Film Society, Karen enjoys a wide variety of activities including travel, reading, photography, film, kayaking, etc. “I always like to try something new!” she says.

So why not be adventurous like Karen and view a “new” film from the Film Library she has worked so hard to organize? You never know what gem you might find there.

“Indispensible,we would be lost without him when it comes to tent set up. Of course, all of our volunteers are indispensible,” says Wendi Dennis, Education/Outreach Coordinator for Rehoboth Beach Film Society.

Konrad Noebel lives in Rehoboth Beach and has volunteered with the Film Society since the very first Festival in 1998. In addition to assisting with tent set-up, Konrad helps with pre-Festival ticket sales, as well as volunteering in Theater Management during the festival with Teri Dunbar and Deb Appleby. Konrad says “I love working in Theater Management. It feels like the beating pulse of the festival. It is a great melting pot where people from all walks of life come together to share in their love of cinema. You can hear the excited buzz as total strangers share their views on the film they have just seen and been impacted by. New connections and friendships are made and old acquaintances renewed. As I work in the line or answer questions, I feel a strong sense of pride and joy at being a part of something that creates such magic in people’s lives — including mine.”

Besides being a Theater Management prince, in the past, Konrad has also been involved in the selection of films for the Film Society’s Another Take series. Wendi Dennis says, “I think people should know that Konrad’s knowledge of film is extensive. He’s excellent at matching the film and viewer, that’s why he’s so good at recommending films at the Festival.”

In real life, Konrad owns a massage and bodywork practice, Bodymind, that has been open since 1998 in Rehoboth Beach. His background is in psychology and movement therapy. “I enjoy the independence and flexibility of having my own business, especially when it is one that helps people feel better and find some relief from pain or the effects of stress in their lives,” says Konrad. “I feel incredibly lucky to be doing what I am doing and making a difference in people’s lives. I also teach Pilates which is a great complement to massage, for both myself and my clients.” Konrad’s website is www.bodymindrehoboth.com.

When he is not working, Konrad says he enjoys yoga, reading, movies and travel. “My partner Brian and I particularly love hiking in the National Parks in the Southwest and West. The Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon remain highlights and I can’t wait to get back there and explore new treasures. To be surrounded by such breathtaking beauty is truly awe-inspiring to me. It allows me to experience and appreciate the world and my life in a new way.”

So whether you need a good film recommendation, bodywork, a Pilates class, or just a few moments in the presence of a calming soul, seek out Konrad Noebel around town or at the Film Festival. He is not only indispensible to the Film Society, but to the community at-large as well.