B is for Betty

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

B is for Betty

A post featuring Betty Cone is long overdue on Greensboro Daily Photo. In Downtown Greensboro, Betty Cone's name is synonymous with leadership, community involvement, and volunteerism, especially in the arts. She is known for her ability to take ideas from concept to completion, managing everything from finding sponsors to venues to volunteers. She is in her element when giant community events, like the Eastern Music Festival, Fun Fourth, and the Festival of Lights, are teeming with people from all walks of life. Inclusivity is important to Betty and something she finds appealing about Greensboro. Betty will see to it that anyone who wants to volunteer has an opportunity to do so, and she has always been impressed with the high level of volunteerism within the Greensboro community.

We caught up with Betty one day last week, in front of her beloved Carolina Theatre. She spearheaded the raising of more than half a million dollars to restore the Carolina Theatre. This vibrant theatre, built in 1927, is North Carolina's only remaining historic theater. Today, it is a thriving venue that attracts over 90,000 visitors annually.

While many associate Betty with the arts, not many know that professionally, she was a scientist; a math major in college and a computer programmer for Lockheed-Georgia Aircraft Company, back in the 1960's when few corporations had even one computer. In a nutshell, Betty Cone can do it all; however, lucky for us, she chooses to bring community events to Downtown Greensboro. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z People 2015 Series, "B" is for "Betty," the indefatigable Betty Cone.