Opera Volunteers International will present the Partners in Excellence Award in honor of Lucille “Luci” F. Gorski.

The Toledo Opera Guild led by co-Presidents, Barbara J. Brown and Celinda Niggemyer nominated Gorski for her leadership within the opera community since the 1980s. Toledo Opera Director of Marketing and Communications, Rachael Cammarn will accept the award on behalf of Toledo Opera and the Gorski family.

Gorski served on the Toledo Opera Guild board, playing an active role in advancing the organization’s mission. She also served on Toledo Opera’s Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, and on the Toledo Opera Board from 2007 to 2011.

As a major donor, her support ensured the financial stability of Toledo Opera for decades. Together with her husband, Theodore “Ted” Gorski, she established the Toledo Opera Endowment with a $1 million matching gift, laying the financial groundwork that continues to sustain Toledo Opera today. In recognition of their extraordinary generosity, this $2 million fund was named the Lucille F. Gorski Endowment, a lasting tribute to her commitment to securing the future of opera in our community.

In a press release Toledo Opera General Director, James M. Norman said, “Luci embodied the spirit of opera volunteerism at its highest level. Her passion for this art form was infectious, inspiring others to invest in the cultural fabric of our city. Through her generosity, advocacy, and leadership, she has left an indelible mark not just on Toledo Opera but on the greater opera community. It is most fitting for Luci’s enduring legacy to be recognized with the Partners in Excellence Award.”

The award will be presented posthumously on May 22, at the 2025 OPERA America Conference in Memphis, TN.

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