Bob Malos is awesome

Have you ever had an unexpected emergency that made it that much more difficult to work as artist? Perhaps your car broke down so you couldn't get to rehearsal anymore, or your computer crashed, or you needed immediate medical attention but couldn't afford it? Springboard for the Arts has been helping out with their Emergency Relief Fund since 2001. "The Fund supplies as much as five hundred dollars to cover an unexpected expense due to loss from fire, theft, a health emergency, or other catastrophic, career-threatening event. Since the inception of the Emergency Relief Fund in August of 2001, Springboard for the Arts has allocated over 40,000 dollars in funds to help 114 artists expedite recovery and get back to work," the press release says. Do you know where this wonderfully generous idea came from and who seeded it with his own start-up money? Yup, local actor Bob Malos. He approached Springboard with the idea, did the research, and endowed it with a $10,000 inaugural gift. So, when you see him, say thank you. Thank you, thank you! He's a shy guy, so he'll probably look uncomfortable, but thank him anyway because he deserves it. (Then, you might as well just keep talking about theater since he is also one of the most interesting, dedicated, intense, and talented actors around the small theater scene.) Here's just one quotation of what his idea and generosity provided: Says one anonymous artist, "Springboard provided me with relief funds to help pay the medical bills associated with the broken wrist / surgery. For someone who relies on both of his hands to earn a living, the assistance of Springboard has been like a life preserver." On June 25, Springboard will thank him more publicly as the first recipient of the Osgood Do-good award (named after local musician and arts advocate Chris Osgood) during their Springboard for the Arts’ BOUNCE Bash at the McNally Smith College of Music Café.