TAMPA, Fla. — April is National Volunteer Month and there is a Tampa woman who refuses to let her age get in the way of her passion, which is promoting music.
For the past 25 years, 92-year-old Dee Lobo has served as the program director of the Friday Morning Musicale in Hyde Park.
Lobo and the Friday morning Musicale have a lot in common, they’re both in their 90’s, they both give back to their community and they’re both champions for the arts.
“I always painted when I was a kid and my father was the one that kind of bragged about me so much that I decided, ‘yes, I’m going to go to art school,’” said Lobo.
Lobo’s specialty was portraits, going on to paint thousands, some of them award-winning.
“I just like different faces and people and painting their eyes,” said Lobo.
Lobo eventually transitioned her artistic drive to the stage: singing, dancing acting and even cooking.
“It was really strange because whenever I performed, I never got nervous at all,” said Lobo. “I taught belly dancing. It was very popular, until aerobics came in and just kicked it out.”
In the late 90s, Dee moved to Tampa and quickly became immersed in the Friday Morning Musicale. It was built in 1927 as the original performing arts space in Tampa Bay, but according to Lobo, time had taken its toll.
“Sometimes there were more people on stage than in the audience,” said Lobo
The non-profit organization was seeking a program director who could bring in new and fresh musical entertainment for their free monthly concert series. Lobo was the first to put up her hand.
“I thought it would be nice to have an audience,” said Lobo. “I would have to find performers that would do a show without getting paid so that was kind of a job”
For the next 25 years, Dee made it her mission to provide the community with top notch performances.
“Sometimes I go to a show, and I see them, and I say, ‘wow I’d like to have that guy at the Friday Morning Musicale,’ so I’ll go and talk to them,” said Lobo.
The Musicale’s long list of performers and members all say they couldn’t do it without her. They even hung some of her portraits in the lobby.
“She is absolutely a treasure, the dedication that she and the other board members have had to this club has kept it going for almost 100 years now,’” said pianist Haig Yaghoobbian.
“Well, she is the sole of our club,” said member Margaret Prosser. “She brings everything from bamboo orchestras to piano concertos, beautiful singers, just whatever you can imagine she brings into this club."
This month’s performance was particularly special for her because she is celebrating her 92nd birthday.
“I’m going to keep doing it as long as I can and if I need help, I’ll ask for help,” said Lobo.
Your Voice: Report card on President Trump's first 100 days in office
ABC Action News anchor Paul LaGrone went out to get your voice on President Trump’s first 100 days and to find out what letter grade you’d give his second term so far.
