Volunteer of the Month - Hank Ketelsen (March 2021)
The Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency is pleased to announce the Volunteer of the Month for March: Hank Ketelsen.
Helping out with even the smallest tasks can make a big difference. When the URA and Community Fine Arts Center needed a videographer for an online event, Ketelsen didn’t hesitate in lending a hand.
Ketelsen volunteered to create a video for the first ever Mayor’s Arts Awards recently.
He is currently the Instructor of Photography and campus photographer at Western Wyoming Community College. He received an MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design, and a BA from San Jose State University, both in Photography. He and his wife, Daisy have been in Rock Springs since the summer of 2017. They both are educators at the college.
Photography has been a part of Ketelsen’s life for the past 20 years.
“Teaching was something I inadvertently stumbled into, and I find it enormously fulfilling,” he expressed. “Helping students find their photographic voice and to become much more visually literate is something I hope my students take away from my classes.”
He added, “The interaction with students and their photography is what really excites me in every class.”
According to Ketelsen, Downtown Rock Springs has several excellent community artworks.
“I really enjoy spending time walking around and having a look at them,” Ketelsen said.
“Finding a good volunteer is like hitting the jackpot,” Maria Mortensen, URA Board President mentioned. “Often, we’ll find volunteers with a particular skill and we got lucky with Hank.”
The Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency is charged with the redevelopment of Downtown Rock Springs. As part of their mission, there are three standing committees – Business Development, Promotions and Arts and Culture. For more information on the program, contact the Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency at 307-352-1434 or visit their website at downtownrs.com.
