Quick Summary
Main focus: conducting interviews with Gliding Stars leadership for a COMM 230W feature story, learning much more about the organization behind the scenes, and using journalism and interviewing skills to tell the story of the upcoming spring show.
Turning an Internship Into a Story
This week, Gliding Stars once again became part of one of my class assignments—this time for COMM 230W: Writing for Media.
For the assignment, we were tasked with writing a feature-style news story that included:
- Background research
- Multiple interviews
- Multimedia elements
- AP-style writing
- Photos and/or video
Naturally, I decided to once again “kill two birds with one stone” and focus the assignment on Gliding Stars and the upcoming spring show.
At this point in the internship, I had already spent several weeks attending practices, talking with volunteers, filming content, and getting to know the organization more personally. Writing a feature story felt like a perfect opportunity to take everything I had been observing and turn it into a more complete narrative.
For the story, I interviewed:
- Linda Althof—Executive Director
- Linda Allen—Secretary/Treasurer
Both interviews were conducted over the phone and ended up teaching me far more about the organization than I expected going in.
Final COMM 230W Feature Story
Gliding Stars of Erie to host ‘Ice Dancin’ Party’ spring show at Mercyhurst Ice Center
[Video 1]
On Monday nights at Mercyhurst Ice Center, more than 70 “kids”—as director Linda Althof calls them—take to the ice to build skills that culminate in one night each spring.
That night is coming at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 21, when the Gliding Stars of Erie present their 26th annual end-of-season performance, branded this year as “Ice Dancin’ Party.”
[Photo 1]
Gliding Stars of Erie Inc. is an adaptive, “handi-capable” ice skating program for individuals with disabilities. Skaters practice weekly for approximately 26 to 27 weeks before performing in a full-scale public show.
“Our mission is to make them the best possible skaters and make them feel the best that they can about themselves,” said Althof, who has led the program since its founding. “They have so many challenges, and it’s important for them to be acknowledged for their accomplishments.”
Preparations for the show typically begin in January, when skating skills practiced since September are woven into choreographed routines.
[Video 2]
About six weeks before show night, skaters are divided into smaller groups to allow for more focused rehearsal time and more space on the ice.
[Photo 2]
Althof said her biggest concern each year is volunteers.
“If we don’t have volunteers, we don’t have a program,” she said. “The kids can’t skate.”
That worry has never materialized in 26 years, she said, “and it won’t happen this year either!”
Behind the scenes, Linda Allen ensures the event runs smoothly. Allen, secretary-treasurer, has been involved with the organization for 19 years and has seen it evolve from a subordinate chapter under Buffalo to its own independent 501(c)(3).
“As secretary, I keep the paperwork and make sure we’re all legal with Pennsylvania and the federal government,” Allen said. “As treasurer, especially on show day, I’m the one running around collecting money, making sure everything’s accounted for.”
Allen coordinates show tickets, raffle tickets, medals, hotel arrangements for guest skaters, sanctioning through U.S. Figure Skating, and communication with the live band, Tennessee Backporch. She also formalizes the running order and distributes music cues to the band, sound crew and master of ceremonies.
“Pretty much all the little details that make the show fly,” she said.
On show night, she hopes for one thing: not hearing her name called over the public address system.
“If it goes wrong, everybody looks at me,” Allen said with a laugh.
This year’s performance marks the return of live music after several seasons with a DJ following the COVID-19 shutdown.
“Coming back to having a live band on the ice is exciting,” Althof said. “It just enhances the whole entire thing.”
For many families, the show represents far more than entertainment. Allen estimates that about 85% of attendees are family members and friends.
“They’re amazed that the kids will do this at all,” Allen said. “We’ll have standing room only.”
Althof and Allen both recalled a parent telling them after the first post-pandemic show that she never imagined she would sit in the bleachers with her typically developing children watching her child with disabilities perform in front of a packed arena.
“You know, this really wasn’t that much work after all,” Althof said joyfully.
Growth is visible from September to March. Some skaters begin the season relying heavily on adaptive equipment such as walkers. Over time, many gain the confidence to skate independently.
“They’re very apprehensive at first,” Althof said. “But then they’re so proud.”
The emotional high point comes at the show’s conclusion. Volunteers and skaters line the center of the rink. Each skater receives a gold medal before the group repeats its signature phrase: “I can do it! I can skate!” The evening closes with Queen’s “We Are the Champions” and a balloon drop.
“Parents have told me their kids sleep with their medals,” Althof said. “They won’t take them off.”
Beyond skating, the program builds community among families. Parents connect, share resources and support one another throughout the season.
“I think it builds compassion and makes us better human beings,” Althof said. “A little applause, a cheer—that means the world to these kids.”
After the show, the skaters take a break for the summer. Althof and Allen do not.
“I’ll breathe for a couple weeks,” Althof said. “Then I’m back booking ice and doing inventory. It’s pretty much 12 months out of the year for me.”
But on show night, she said, “it’s about letting the kids shine.”
Photo 1: Gliding Stars of Erie skaters hold hands in a group formation during a Monday night practice at Mercyhurst Ice Center as they prepare for the organization’s annual spring show.
Photo 2: A coach speaks to Gliding Stars of Erie skaters gathered in a half-circle on the ice following a practice session at Mercyhurst Ice Center.
Video 1: My announcement video I recorded of Linda for the show
Video 2: Example of skaters practicing a choreographed number
Expanded Interview Insights
Because the final article had a fairly strict word count, there were a lot of meaningful details from my interviews that never made it into the finished story. Listening back through the recordings afterward, I realized many of those conversations were just as valuable as the article itself.
The interviews ended up becoming less about simply gathering quotes and more about understanding the history, culture, and emotional impact of the organization.
Linda Althof and the Origins of Gliding Stars
One thing I had never fully understood before this interview was how directly connected Linda Althof’s own background is to the existence of Gliding Stars of Erie.
Before starting the program, Linda had already spent years involved in both figure skating and special education. She was a competitive figure skater herself before eventually becoming a professional skating coach at around 18 or 19 years old. Outside the rink, she worked with special needs students in the Millcreek School District and had also volunteered with Special Olympics skating programs.
She explained that the original idea for Gliding Stars Erie came from Jack Schultz, whose grandchildren she had taught skating lessons to over the years.
According to Linda, he approached her after hearing about adaptive skating programs elsewhere and essentially asked:
“If I bring this to Erie, will you run it?”
Her response at the time was basically:
“Yeah, sure.”
Not because she disliked the idea—but because it sounded almost impossible.
She described the idea of obtaining consistent ice time, volunteers, funding, and enough community support for a program like this as feeling completely unrealistic at the time.
And then somehow, one year later, the program actually existed.
Gliding Stars Erie started with roughly 22 skaters. Today, the organization serves more than 70.
Linda has now spent all 26 years as executive director and head coach of the program.
The Transition From Buffalo to an Independent Organization
Another thing I learned during my interview with Linda Allen was that Gliding Stars Erie was not always an independent nonprofit organization.
Originally, Erie operated as a subordinate chapter under Buffalo, meaning much of the legal and administrative work was handled externally. Buffalo managed things like:
- bookkeeping
- legal paperwork
- communications
- organizational oversight
Over time, the Erie chapter evolved into its own independent 501(c)(3), which dramatically increased the amount of local responsibility required behind the scenes.
Linda Allen described how much of her role evolved during that transition.
What began as relatively informal volunteer coordination slowly became:
- recordkeeping
- state and federal paperwork
- organizational communication
- financial tracking
- fundraising coordination
- and general administrative management
Hearing about that transition helped me realize how much hidden infrastructure exists beneath what people actually see at the rink each week.
The Hidden Work Behind the Show
One of the biggest things these interviews taught me is that the annual show is an absolutely massive logistical operation.
From the audience perspective, the event looks smooth, polished, and exciting.
Behind the scenes, however, there are countless moving pieces.
Linda Allen walked me through just some of the responsibilities she handles herself:
- Printing tickets
- Organizing raffle items
- Coordinating commemorative program books
- Working with Creative Imprint on shirts and graphics
- Developing the official show running order
- Coordinating music cues with the live band
- Working with the MC and sound crew
- Coordinating hotels for guest skaters
- Managing U.S. Figure Skating sanctioning
- Ordering medals and awards
- Organizing fundraising logistics
- Managing show finances during the event
One funny thing she said multiple times was that her main goal on show night is:
“Not hearing my name over the PA system.”
Because if her name is called, something has probably gone wrong.
She also joked that while most audience members would never notice small mistakes during the show, she and Linda Althof definitely would because:
“We’re the only ones with the papers.”
Another thing that stood out was hearing how seriously they treat the show as a true live production. Linda Allen explained that once the show starts, it moves continuously from top to bottom.
If a skater or volunteer is late getting into position, the show keeps moving.
As she put it:
“We go on without you.”
That mentality honestly reminded me a lot of live television production and event broadcasting.
Volunteers Truly Make the Program Possible
Both interviews repeatedly came back to one central theme: Gliding Stars simply does not function without volunteers.
Linda Althof described volunteers as her single biggest concern every year leading up to the show.
Even after 26 successful seasons, she still worries about whether enough people will show up.
She talked about how post-COVID volunteer reliability has become more difficult and how younger generations sometimes struggle with communication and follow-through.
At the same time, she emphasized how grateful she is that the organization has never actually failed to come together when needed.
The interviews also helped me realize how many volunteer roles exist that most people never think about.
Beyond coaching on the ice, volunteers help with:
- costumes
- fundraiser coordination
- equipment
- registration
- administration
- programs
- ticketing
- setup
- logistics
- finances
- transportation
- and communication
The organization truly operates because dozens of people consistently donate their time and energy every week.
Growth Beyond Skating
One of the strongest themes from both interviews was that Gliding Stars is about much more than just skating skills.
Both Lindas talked extensively about the emotional, physical, and social growth they see in skaters throughout the season.
Linda Althof described watching some skaters begin the year completely dependent on adaptive equipment before eventually skating independently.
She talked about how scary that process can be for some skaters at first, but also how proud they become afterward.
Linda Allen discussed another kind of growth: the social transformation that happens over the course of the season.
She explained that in September, many skaters barely interact with one another and tend to stay isolated.
By March, however, many of them function almost like a team.
They become excited to see each other every Monday night, celebrate one another’s accomplishments, and grow socially alongside their skating development.
She emphasized that Gliding Stars is just as much about those social connections as it is about skating itself.
The Community Around Gliding Stars
Another thing that stood out throughout both interviews was how much the organization impacts parents and families—not just the skaters themselves.
Linda Allen explained that Monday nights also function as a support system for parents.
Families connect with others navigating similar situations and often help one another with:
- educational resources
- disability services
- local agencies
- advice
- emotional support
She described it as families realizing they are “not floating out there by themselves.”
That community aspect is something I had definitely observed while attending practices, but hearing it described directly helped me understand its importance much more clearly.
The Emotional Importance of the Show
The strongest part of both interviews was hearing the way they talked about the annual show itself.
Both Lindas independently described the ending of the show as their favorite moment.
At the conclusion of the performance:
- every skater and volunteer lines up across the ice
- volunteers present gold medals to the skaters
- everyone repeats the phrase:
“I can do it! I can skate!”
- Queen’s “We Are the Champions” begins playing
- balloons fall from the ceiling
Linda Allen described that moment as the point where everyone finally realizes:
“We made it through.”
Linda Althof talked about parents telling her their children sometimes refuse to remove the medals afterward—even sleeping with them on.
Another story that clearly still affects both of them involved a parent after the first post-COVID show.
The parent explained that she never imagined sitting in the audience with her typically developing children watching her child with disabilities perform in front of a packed arena.
Moments like that helped me understand that the show is not simply entertainment.
For many families, it is validation, confidence-building, celebration, and recognition all rolled into one event.
The Relationship Between the Lindas
One unexpected thing I loved about these interviews was hearing the relationship between Linda Althof and Linda Allen come through naturally in conversation.
At one point, Linda Allen joked:
“We share a brain.”
And honestly, after talking to both of them separately, I completely understood what she meant.
The two have known each other for decades.
Linda Althof actually taught Linda Allen’s son how to skate long before Gliding Stars even existed.
Over the years, their friendship evolved alongside the organization itself, and it was obvious during both interviews how much mutual trust and history exists between them.
A lot of the humor, stress, problem-solving, and emotional investment surrounding the program seems to be carried together by the two of them.
Reflection
This assignment ended up teaching me much more than simply how to write a feature story.
It forced me to slow down, ask deeper questions, and really listen to the people behind the organization.
Before these interviews, I understood Gliding Stars mostly through observation.
Afterward, I understood it through the perspectives of the people who have spent decades building and sustaining it.
The interviews also reinforced how important storytelling is for nonprofit organizations.
There are so many meaningful stories connected to Gliding Stars that most people in Erie probably never hear about. The more time I spend around the organization, the more I realize how much care, work, planning, emotion, and love go into creating what the public only sees for a few hours on show night.
Next Steps
- Continue documenting practices leading up to the spring show
- Begin preparing for larger-scale coverage of the show itself
- Continue gathering stories and media that could eventually support the website redesign
- Organize interview notes, footage, and photos collected throughout the semester
- Continue learning about the people and systems that keep Gliding Stars running