Welcome to the first 1997 issue of your chapter newsletter.

Bulletins will be published monthly (well sort-of) for distribution at the first (or second, or maybe third or ...) meeting of each month (except July and August). Deadline for material to be included will normally be the last Monday before publication (unless advertised otherwise). You may want to save this bulletin for future reference since it also includes our current membership roster.

Terms of Reference of Service & Charities Committee?

Wouldn't it be nice to have some terms of reference, to guide the Chairman of this Committee as to what to do?

Maybe there are some, so what I intend in this little blurb is to raise a couple of questions, and in so doing I hope to smoke out those Terms of Reference, if they exist, but in any event, to get some feedback, and eventually get some guidelines operative.

For a number of years we have supported two charities; first, and foremost, the one that our Association sponsors, now called Heartspring, to which we contribute money and soup labels; and the other one is right here in Regina, the Central Regina Early Learning Centre, which we support financially as well as our means permits. Both of these charities deal with kids with speech problems.

Evidently, according to the LO'L National Service Chairman, Norm Barnard (Pitch Piper, Nov/Dec, 1996), we have another one: SingAmerica/SingCanada. It requires attention, too! Money attention, I mean.

How much we are going to do to support this new one is a good question.

We used to have a service that I was in charge of, that I thought did a lot for our society in terms of public relations, and I refer to the Award of Harmony. We bestowed this honor on a number of highly deserving people in our Community, and then, mysteriously, it vanished from our agenda. In a subsequent article, I want to talk a bit about it, and its merits, and see if we can get it reinstituted.

To get back to Heartspring and the Early Learning Centre, both of these agencies are in great need of financial support. I don't know how much more we can do for Heartspring, but I hope we can give it more help than we have been doing; and I don't know how much more we can do for the Early Learning Centre. We donated our services as a chorus at their fund-raising banquet last May, and we give them a token amount of cash from time to time. It is my hope that we may be able to do a lot more than we have done in the past to help this most worthwhile endeavour.

And we should get serious over the Early Learning Centre. For one thing, it is right here, in our own community. Second, the work that is being done there, not only for the kids with speech problems, but in terms of sowing harmony in the community, is truly exemplary. And I say "exemplary" and mean it. This is the pioneering effort of Anne Luke, which now, after 25 years, is being recognized as a model, and is being used as a pattern for the new venture undertaken by the Department of Education, to begin a formal "headstart" program - at last.

When I heard about all of this new money that the Government has put at the disposal of folks engaged in the kind of work that Anne Luke has devoted her life to, I thought, "Oh! Boy!, at last the money worries of the Centre are over!". However, the money is only for the school system; the Early Learning Centre, being independent, will get none of it. Therefore, it needs our support as much or even more than it ever did.

Since most of our members work through the daytime, it is not easy for them to visit the Early Learning Centre, but for anyone at all who can find the time, it is an experience that is unforgettable, and it will convince even the most skeptical of the value and importance of giving it our support.

There, then, are a few ideas on which to build some Terms of Reference. Any help would be appreciated.

Jack Boan, Chairman, Jan. 8, 1997

Thank You to the Golden Harvest Chorus

Thank you so much for singing at Dad's funeral. We felt it was a fitting tribute to him and we know he would have enjoyed the music. It was an important part of his life -- one he always treasured.

We appreciate your contribution to the mass.

Kathy, Chris, Liz, Nicole, Erinn

Acoustix was on national TV

GUEST NIGHT -- Every Monday Night!

More successful Bingo's

Bulletin Material

Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous? Well, not quite, but you can see your name in print and get your message out to the chapter membership and their families. Bulletin article submissions will be accepted in any and all forms at almost any hour of the day or night -- you can fax it to me at work (306 751-7002); email it via the internet (bfish@cableregina.com); save it onto a diskette (just about any format); or scribble it onto a scrap of paper (as long as I can decipher it). Email or diskette are preferred -- this save's me having to retype it and you can then get away with being a little past the official Monday night deadline.

This is your Chapter bulletin -- if you have something of interest, or some information to share with the chorus, pass it my way, and I'll see that it gets into the next available bulletin. You can also check out our Chorus home page, bulletins and coming events at www.gpfn.sk.sa/culture/arts/gharvest.

Bruce Fish

Upcoming Events

Thanks to all who replied to the recent email about dates for LOL events.

[I sent an email request to the Land o'Lakes internet mailing list and got a number of responses from all over the district, some of which I have included in this edition of the newsletter -- it seems my email and the numerous responses were also a catalyst for Thomas to update the events listing on the Land o'Lakes District web page. Many thanks to Thomas for maintaining this and the LOL mailing list for us -- ed.]

I managed to find a copy of the 1997 LOL Directory, and so I updated the seriously-out-of-date LOL Calendar on the LOL home page with the info I found in the directory.

I also converted the web page to use tables...I hope everyone's browser can handle tables.

I seperated the district-wide events from chapter shows. If you have info about your chapter show, please send me the date, your chapter, and the guest quartets by private email.

Tom Arneberg (toma@cray.com)
(LOL Home Page: http://www.mcs.com/~toma/lol)

Clear Lake Mini-HEP - June 6-7-8, Clear Lake, Manitoba

Joe Liles is coming up this year, also Northland Gold Quartet. Classes for: COTS, Chorus Directors class, Quartet coaching, vocal production, Show production, how to choreograph a song. And a great Saturday night show. (We loaded it up this year).

Del Ryberg (dryberg@juno.com), District VP-Events

Great Plains Harmony of Fargo

Paul Sandbek (psandbe@uswest.com), Bass and Chorus Manager,
Great Plains Harmony, Fargo, North Dakota

Say Bruce - Is Saskatoon close enough?????

May 9-10 Saskatoon Chapter Show. Undoubtedly a formal announcement due out soon from whomsoever it is that makes them.

Only minus 30 down there? A warm spell, eh? Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Steve Walker (swalker@link.ca)
Tenor, Chimo Chordsmen, Saskatoon, Canada

Hi, Bruce, You should be getting our newsletter soon.

Bob Hankins (rhankins@minot.ndak.net)
(Bulletin editor, bari in Hi Fidelity Qt and Nodakords)
Minot ND We know about dry cold!!!!

Hi, I'm a youth (17) in Grand Forks, ND.

You were asking about chapter shows and the such. Well, on May 10th, a week after contest, the Valley Chordsmen are having their (our) annual show. Just thought I'd let you know.

Jeff Young (kyoung@badlands.NoDak.edu)

Kaleidoscope Chorus at St. Cloud

I have a message to get out to the chapters on the net. We are planning a special chorus presentation Saturday night at the LOL Quartet Prelimsin St. Cloud, Minnesota on May 3, 1997. (This is held in conjunction with the 10,000 Lakes Division quartet and chorus contest.)

This is *not* the mike testing chorus, but is a Featured Chorus for Saturday Night. We will still have the mike testing chorus with District Officers and all New members in attendance.

Don't Delay! Act Today! We plan to make this a Special Event at each Spring Convention.

Dick Staedt (StaedtRL@aol.com)
LOL President

KALEIDOSCOPE CHORUS
Songs:        "Fun In Just One Life Time" and "Sweet and Lovely."
Director:     Russ Seely, Society Board Member, Pioneer District.
Who:          Any LOL Barbershopper who would like to sing.
              Must be registered at the convention.  Should have 100 men.
Rehearsal:    Saturday right after the Chorus Contest at St. Cloud.
Uniform:      Your Chorus or Quartet Uniform or white shirt, Dark Pants, WILD TIE.
Have your chapter order the music from Society HQ.
COUNT ME IN!  Please print this out and mail it in:
Name:________________________________________
Chapter:______________________________________
Voice Part:   __ Tenor    __ Lead    __ Baritone    __ Bass
Send to:      Pat Rydberg
              3133 Lindgergh Ave.
              Stevens Point, WI  54481.

Don't forget to save Campbell labels and UPC's for Jared.

NEWS FROM INTERNATIONAL

Society records growth in 1996

As of December 31, 1996, the Society has 34,225 members in its 808 chapters and 19 licensed sites. That's up 877 members from last year, or a solid 2.6 percent growth. Our retention rate also rose to 87.9 percent, an increase of more than 1 percent from last year.

Fifteen of the 16 districts grew, with Rocky Mountain leading the way at 8 percent, followed by Pioneer at 5 percent and five districts (Central States, Dixie, Ontario, Seneca Land and Southwestern) at 4 percent.

The growth in 1996 marks the first significant growth for the Society since 1984, when we reached our all-time high membership of 38,188. Who knows, we may be approaching those numbers again.

The two membership campaigns, Operation Harold Hill and Let's Make A Deal! had a great deal to do with the growth last year. Be watching for the new campaign, Barbershop Bingo, in the near future. This will offer even more fun and growth.

Registration for 1997 Harmony College/Directors College open

"Planes, Trains and Automobiles" is the theme for the 1997 Harmony College. Registration is now open for Harmony College and Directors College, July 27 - August 3, at Missouri Western State College, St. Joseph. MO.

To obtain a registration form and a comprehensive listing of courses available for study, call Lani Dieter at (800) 876-7464 or send e-mail to HCDC@spebsqsa.org.

Ideas wanted in support of our service projects

How is your chapter or quartet going to support our service projects, SingAmerica & SingCanada and Heartspring in 1997? Inquiring minds want to know.

In fact, Director of Marketing & Membership Gary Stamm wants to know and is willing to give a prize for the best idea.

Contact Gary before February 15, 1997, and tell him what you plan to do to raise money for one or both of the projects, or how you are going to raise awareness of these issues in your community. The best idea, as judged by a panel of staff members, will receive a $50 gift certificate from the Harmony Marketplace; second will receive a $25 certificate and third will receive a $10 certificate. Criteria for the judging will include: uniqueness, practicality, and ability to be duplicated by other chapters or quartets.

Perhaps you plan on staging a special performance, a silent auction, a golf outing or a pig roast. Maybe you are pledging a percentage of your show profits, or taking pledges from your members. Or, maybe you have a totally new idea. In fact, we would like to hear from each of you to find out what your plans are, so that we can best design materials to help the most people. Also, tell us what your donation goal is for 1997.

Contact Gary by e-mail: gstamm@spebsqsa.org; fax: ( 414) 654-4048; or write him at 6315 Third Ave., Kenosha, WI 53143-5199. Good luck!

[Note: this ties right in with Jack's article -- if you've got some good idea's, let Jack know, and maybe you can pick up some winnings for yourself as well -- ed.]

1997 Executive and Committees

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INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
June 29-July 6, 1997
Indianapolis, IN

Watch for your next bulletin on February 17th
(deadline for submissions -- February 10th)

Articles in this bulletin do not necessarily reflect he views of the chapter. Unless carrying a by-line, they are those of the editor. Items received may be referred to the executive before publication. All chapter officers and members are encouraged to submit articles to the Sharp Notes; submissions will be credited to the author. Please address any comments, suggestions or submissions to the editor -- Bruce Fish.

Chapter Roster

After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.