NOTES ♫ NEWS and VIEWS for September 27, 2011

I bring greetings to one and all on this, the last day of the weekend already. Where does time go? Tomorrow is school or work or projects or whatever – and before you know it another week is on its way.

And this week brings the Hillsdale County Fair. There are always lots of exciting events going on to do and see. And we are one of them! Don’t forget we’re singing at the gazebo on Tuesday evening and parking cars all day on Wednesday.

Congratulations to Gene Taphouse on his 20 year membership in the Barbershop Harmony Society.

Wendy Ridenour was the thoughtful person providing the “Just Because Bag” last week – thanks Wendy! Darrold was the lucky winner of the treats.

Several weeks ago I mentioned that we should all become more familiar with our chorus website. The site address is: www.townandcountrychorus.com. More and more information will be appearing on our website. This includes weekly time dated information as well as general announcements. Roger Brook is our webmaster and is doing a great job in posting this information. Check out the site and see what you can find.

Yesterday Mike R., Curt E., Roger B., Gene T. and I journeyed to the campus of Central Michigan University to participate in a CACM (Compellingly Attractive Chapter Meetings) seminar. Chuck Greene, a member of the Ashville, N.C. Barbershop chapter, was the presenter for the event.

Chuck developed this program to make each and every chapter meeting a “Compellingly Attractive” event. It has worked for them and works in many other chapters across the country.

We have introduced several of these ideas into our chapter meetings over the last year. Some have been successful and others not. What you will begin to see immediately is a renewed effort to incorporate more elements of this program into our weekly chapter meetings.

Each of you is vitally important! You are important because you support this great hobby of Barbershop singing. You are important because of who you are and what you stand for. And you are important for the talents and resources that are yours and yours alone that enable our craft to grow.

Chuck Greene has designed CACM to accomplish one thing. And this one thing has been condensed into one sentence. Chuck feels it is so important that he prints it on every page of his workbook. That statement is, “Seek, develop, use and enhance the skills and talents of each member to such an extent that progress seems limitless.”

You see if the skills and talents that ALL of us have are appreciated, developed, and nurtured, then we ourselves will grow. And if all of us grow, then there is no way that our rich Barbershop heritage cannot grow too.

Thanks and see you Tuesday,

Gary

“Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.”

Confucius

COMING UP: Two (2) rehearsals until contest at Kalamazoo. Our chorus will be hosting and singing at the Sunday morning church service. Special guests that morning will be Four Man Fishin’ Tackle Choir.

5:45 – 6:00 Warm-up for our Hillsdale County Fair performance. Uniform is white shirt, black pants, socks and shoes. Let the weather be your guide on jackets etc. Park in the infield and use the purple and pink admission and parking tickets Mike R. passed out last Tuesday. Meet by the gazebo.

6:00 – 7:00 Showtime!

7:00 –> Enjoy the Fair! See you Tuesday, 10/4, back at the Senior Center.

Calendar for 2011

SEP 27 Tue; Sing-out Hillsdale County Fair. Warm up 5:45 pm; perform 6:00 – 7:00 pm.

28 Wed; Parking cars at Hillsdale County Fair – 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM.

OCT 14-16; Fri-Sun; Fall Contest at Kalamazoo – we are hosting.

NOV 5 Sat; Angola Barbershop Chapter Show featuring the Fort Wayne Summit City Chorus.

NOV 13 Sun; Sauk Trail Sound Sweet Adelines present “Singin’ The Blues” at the Tibbits Opera House, Coldwater.

DEC 4 Sun; Cambria Baptist Church Gospel/Christmas Show.

10 Sat; Union City, MI Gospel/Christmas Show.