Anne Rittenberry is the Signal Mountain Community Guild’s 2016 Woman of the Year.
The award, presented by the guild each year, honors a woman who has volunteered her time in a variety of ways, benefiting civic life, education or charities. Rittenberry was selected for her extensive work with music and children.
Rittenberry has been an active member of the community since moving to Signal Mountain in 1974. She has written for four local newspapers – currently lending her talents to the Signal Mountain Mirror – and has worked with children in Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church’s Sunday School music program, where she is fondly referred to as the “singing lady.”
“I was taught as a child that if you were a part of anything, you contribute to that thing or don’t be a part of it,” she said. “If you’re in a community, you contribute to that community. If you’re in a church, you contribute to that church.”
One of the biggest recipients of Rittenberry’s service is the Signal Mountain Playhouse. She has been involved with the Playhouse for 30 years, serving as president for two terms, managing the theater’s publicity and serving on the board of directors. Though Rittenberry has played a significant role in the theater’s management, she has not been afraid to get her hands dirty, often serving on stage crews, setting up props, selling tickets in the concession stand and even acting in the occasional show.
“I think it’s inspired other people to get involved to see how much fun it is and how worthwhile it is to give a lot of children on Signal Mountain the opportunity to participate in live theater,” she said.
This isn’t the first time Rittenberry has been honored for her service. In 1989, the Hamilton County Board of Education elected her Volunteer of the Year for her work at Thrasher Elementary School, where she hosted a six-week enrichment class, taught fifth- and sixth-graders how to play the baritone ukulele and tutored grammar teams for the county competition, where they usually won first place.
Despite the previous honor, Rittenberry said the Woman of the Year award was unexpected.
“I was so surprised!” she said. “I thought the things I have done have not been the big, heavy jobs. They’ve been more fun-type things for me.”
Rittenberry said one of her more fun community projects has been her involvement with the Bandana Babes Washboard Band. With the band, she has sung at nursing homes, kindergartens, churches and other various local venues, and she hopes her involvement will inspire women to see that “you’re not too old to get out, put on some red lipstick, sing a song and cheer somebody up.”
While Rittenberry is still active in the community and plans to remain so, she says baby-sitting her five grandchildren is now her most important volunteer work because they are her passion. She encourages Signal Mountain women to do the same thing: seek out their passions.
“Find what it is you love to do,” Rittenberry said. “If you enjoy music and singing and pretty costumes, join the Playhouse. If you enjoy working in the yard, join the gardening club. You’ve got to volunteer at something you love and care about. Otherwise, it’s too much like work.”
Contact Myron Madden at mmadden@timesfreepress.com or 757-6502.