PROBEmoter online
The quarterly newsletter for Public Relations Officers and Bulletin Editors
John Petterson, Editor

Vol. 35, No. 4 October-December 1998

The Association of
Public Relations Officers
and Bulletin Editors
of the
Society for the Preservation and
Encouragement of Barber shop Quartet
Singing in America, Inc.

ADVISORY BOARD

Herb Bayles W.Grant Carson Dick Girvin Mike Jones Brian Lynch Waldo Redekop

Escondido, Calif. Dallas, Texas Hemet, Calif. Louisville, Ky. Kenosha, Wis. Hillsburgh, Ont.

Deadlines for 1999 issues, first Monday of each quarter: Jan.4: Jan-Mar
April 5: Apr-Jun
July 5: Jul-Sep
Oct. 4: Oct-Dec

PROBEmoter editorship changes

By John Petterson, Editor

Have you ever been in a situation where you thought you were headed in one direction, but were actually going in another? That is sort of what happened in September when I was communicating by e-mail on one subject with one of the PROBE officials, then found myself saying "Okay" to jumping in as PROBEmoter editor. Well, it was a little more involved than that, but it just felt like I had turned in a different direction from where I was originally headed.

Most of you are probably saying something like, "Who the heck is John Petterson? Where is he from and what does he know?" It's time for introductions. As of early 1997, I became a non-singing Barbershopper. I have a non-treatable inner ear condition that causes severe pain in my left ear if I sing, talk too loudly, or am around loud noises. Because I love the hobby, I can still listen to the music. One doesn't have to play a violin to enjoy a symphony.

Soon after giving up my spot with the basses on the risers with the Des Moines, Iowa, Chapter, the Central States District president asked me to become the editor of the district bulletin, the Serenade. Also, I had edited the Des Moines Chapter's Harmony Overtones from January 1980 to September 1981, then from January 1993 to September 1998, a total of 90 consecutive issues during those two periods.

My start in barbershopping began in mid-1971 with the St. Croix Valley, Minn.-Wis., Chapter, where I was a regular contributor to the bulletin as PVP and chapter president. My really big claim to fame is having designed the Barbershopper of the Month certificate when I was PVP in 1975 and submitted it to the Society later.

The BOTM award was a big morale booster and we treated it in the chapter as a big deal, like the annual BOTY award. I'm pleased to see that the BOTM certificates are still being used throughout the Society as chapters still see the importance of recognizing their members for going beyond the call of duty. In the late '70s, my family and I moved to the Des Moines, Iowa, area and I immediately joined the Des Moines Chapter. A job change caused me to leave barbershopping from the fall of '81 to the spring of '92. I got back into the hobby and soon after rejoining I was asked to become the bulletin editor. My family consists of my wife, Kay, who has a solid background and degree in music. She assists and teaches middle school vocal music and is music director and organist at our church. Our two children are grown and live in other states. Son Mike is married and living near Los Angeles. I've been trying to get him to visit barbershop chapters there, but his musical interests lie elsewhere at this time. Daughter Susan is married and lives near Minneapolis, which is handy for Kay and me to drive up to see the kids and our first grandchild, Samantha.

I am employed as a camera repairman, specializing in studio and commercial equipment. Along this line, I write articles for three professional photographers' publications.

One area in which I have a very strong interest is bulletin editors' classes at COTS. This year marks the fourth year I have taught the class in CSD. As PROBEmoter editor, I will be promoting BE classes at COTS on a regular basis. You could consider this to be the "squeaky wheel" theory because of the fact BE classes are excluded from the COTS curriculum. Standby and prepare for the ram! That's an old saying I picked up during my days in the U.S. Navy.

Welcome aboard the PROBEmoter with the new skipper. Look for more from me on the inside.