Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America

# Sharp Notes #

Publication of the Regina Golden Harvest Chorus

Golden Harvest Chorus meets most Monday Evenings, 7:30-10:00 at

Knox Metropolitan United Church, corner of Victoria and Lorne, Regina, Saskatchewan
Guests always welcome!

January 1999

Nostalgia & Singing Valentines

Before I raise the Valentine’s Day issue, let me tell you about singing with Nostalgia and Singing Valentines.

I want to talk about our Singing Valentine project, but in order to do so, I have to bring up the nostalgia. The latter starts with the attic. Well, it would, except I don’t have a useable attic: my stuff is stashed all over the place. Consequently, when I was looking for last year’s records of the valentine project I came across my membership certificates for Edmonton (1954) and Ottawa (1957). And there are some interesting differences in these documents, although only three years separate them.

The Edmonton one is signed by O.C. Cash, but not the Ottawa one. And the words describing the rights of the member are altogether different. One thing they have in common. They are both signed by Robert G. Hafer, International Secretary.

I wonder what Robert G. Hafer and O.C. Cash would have thought about our Singing Valentine project. I believe they would have led the parade of those in favour since it is such a neat way of bringing four-part harmony to a decidedly appreciative audience.

And believe me, when you see the tears rolling down the young lady’s cheeks, as she looks at the personalized valentine card, and the rose, and the chocolate, and then hears the gorgeous love song, you know you have before you, one very decidedly appreciative person! All of the folks within hearing distance of the young lady’s serenade appreciate it too; why else would they continue to stand around, smiling, and enjoying the moment?

Something else those two old-timers would have approved of is the fact that our singing valentine project is a way of being of service to the community. Whenever the flames of joy and love are fanned, the community as a whole benefits. And there are a lot of flames burning as we belt out those singing valentines.

We are getting organized. We have three or four quartets to carry the message. The forms are all ready to take to the customers. We need every member of the chapter to get out there and sell. In fact, some are already sold, by word of mouth. I have accepted two orders already, long before the sales forms were printed. Questions as to details can be handled at our weekly meetings, and by phone in between.

This year’s effort is going to be bigger and better than ever. R.G. Hafer and O.C. Cash would be proud.

Jack Boan, Chairman.

A Standing Invitation to All Former Chorus Members and Friends

Come sing with us -- we would be glad to have you come out and join us on any Monday practice night. This would be a great opportunity to come out and see what we're up to, and a chance to renew friendships with former colleagues. Drop in and see us any Monday night, or give any member a call.

And to all current chapter members - don't be shy - extend an invitation. Give 'em a call and offer to bring them out. Both of you will be glad you did.

Welcome Ken Cameron

Welcome to our newest member -- Ken Cameron. We're glad to have you with us. We hope you're as thrilled as we are to have you singing on stage with us.

Welcome Guests

Welcome to guest Joel Knouse. We're glad to have you come out and sing with us.

Guests Always Welcome!!

BINGO's

Thanks to those of you who came out on Sunday January 17^th and to those of you volunteering for Wednesday February 17^th (Hint! Hint!). Bingos continue to be a significant source of income for the chapter.

Prairie Gold Show

From preliminary reports, the Prairie Gold show on Saturday January 23rd was a hit. Our Chorus presented an entertaining package in our new tuxes. The audience loved our Lion Sleeps Tonight. The chorus didn't sing at the afterglow, but for any of you who weren't able to attend the afterglow at St. Andrews -- you missed out on a fun time.

Music and Leadership Forum - Virden, Manitoba

Five us were up before the crack of dawn on a cold and blowing January morning. Wayne Keys, Ron Evans and Bob Jarvis met at my house, piled into our van, and then promptly got lost trying to find Ken Holzer's house.

A few minutes after six in the morning, and we were on highway 1 headed east to Virden Manitoba and the first (hopefully annual) Canadian Music and Leadership forum. This was a one day session, attended by chapter presidents, music & performance vp's chapter development vp's, music directors and a few secretaries and treasurers. There were representatives from Regina, Saskatoon, Virden, Brandon, Winnipeg, Dauphin, Swan River and Bismarck.

Executive Meeting

The Executive met on Tuesday January 19^th at the home of Gord and Marg Gardiner. The warm hospitality was greatly appreciated on that blustery and snowy night. Highlights from the meeting follow. For more details, please see the President, Secretary or any other member of the executive. The recent International dues increase was one subject of much discussion and debate. For further details on this particular item, see the accompanying article in the newsletter.

• International portion of dues were increased by the Society effective December 1998. Executive motion that in future, all International and District dues be paid directly by the members as invoiced by the Society. Motion that Chapter dues of $25 be levied (with 1/2 rates for seniors and students as per International and District).
• Budget items from the various offices were tabled for discussion. A final consolidation of these items will be brought forward.
• Membership - ended the year pretty much as we started with 30 members on the roster. We've been pretty constant at this number for the past 3 years or so.
• Treasurer - ending the year pretty much as we started after expenses for new uniform. Finances in good shape. Ed Camrud will review financial records.
• Singing Valentines - in good hands with Gord and Jack
• Show - plans well underway. Script selected, Quartets lined up, committee meeting planned.
• Report from Leadership forum, Virden, Manitoba - January 9^th -- good representation from all Canadian chapters in the district. Ken, Ron, Wayne, Bob, Bruce attended on behalf of chapter.
• Potential music specialist (Kirk Young) visit to Northwest Division Friday/Saturday May 7/8 -- one day with local schools, one day inter-chapter with Saskatoon?
• Next executive meeting 2:00, Sunday February 7^th at Lynn Lowes'.

Talk Mail

When you hear a funny dial tone on your phone -- and aren't checking your TalkMail (*99) -- then you're missing out on important announcements. The chapter has used this for several recent engagements to remind members of important details. There is a small charge to SEND a message, but there is no charge for you to receive a message. With TalkMail now in place, we can easily, reliably and quickly send out announcements to the entire membership. Thanks Rod for your persistence in getting us all set up.

Every day a peddler pulled his cart of wool from his home to the village market. It was a long trip. He had to travel around the perimeter of a large lake that was owned by the town tycoon, a modern-day Scrooge. One day during the winter the lake froze over. The peddler realized that he could cut off two miles from his trip, if he crossed over the lake. He was spotted halfway across the lake by the tycoon. Scrooge came racing out of his mansion and screamed at the peddler, "I'll be danged if I let anyone pull the wool over my ice!"

Annual Show

April 24^th

We have a show Chairman - Lynn Lowes.

We have a committee.

We have a date - April 24^th

We have a hall - Darke Hall

We have a show script - Planes, Trains and Automobiles

We have a guest Quartet - Way Out West from Richmond, B.C.

All we need now -- is your commitment -- to learn your music, learn the choreography, post flyers, promote the show (and your hobby) with your friends, neighbours, colleagues, acquaintances, strangers...

Sounds like we have all the makings for a great show.

Music Visit

Regina has a shot at having Society Music Specialist, Kirk Young. We're working on arrangements to have Kirk come to Regina on Friday May 7^th to work with the local high-school music teachers and groups, and then on the Saturday, host an inter-chapter workshop with Saskatoon chorus.

Details are still being worked but it looks promising at this point. Watch for further details.

An Irishman named O'Leary, who loved to sing as he worked, bought a mule to farm his garden. The mule worked well, but was almost totally deaf. So, when his owner yelled, "Whoa!", the animal often continued plowing. Asked how the mule was working out, O'Leary shook his head. "There was a time," he said, "when all that the neighbors could hear was me singing my lilting melodies. Lately, I'm afraid, they've heard nothing but my riled Irish whoa's!"

Dues

As you will have read earlier in the newsletter, dues were a subject of discussion at the last few executive meetings.

For some years now, as the Canadian dollar value fluctuated up and down (mainly down) against the American dollar, the chapter has covered the exchange out of the $31 chapter portion of the dues. At one time (way, way back when the dollar was at par?) our dues were made up of $54 International dues plus $18 District dues plus $31 Chapter dues for a total of $103. As the Canadian dollar fell, the chapter ended up retaining less and less of the $31 "chapter portion" of the dues. Last year in fact, the exchange was such that the $31 no longer covered the exchange on the International and District dues -- it cost the chapter money every time someone renewed.

With the December 31^st 1998 dues increase from International, and projected future increases over the next 5 years, and the Societies move towards direct billing of members; and the Societies finally allowing members to pay in Canadian dollars -- the Chapter Executive decided it was long overdue for us to review our dues payment policy.

The chapter executive has decided that all chapter members should pay their International and District dues directly to International as billed (in either Canadian or U.S. dollars as indicated on the dues invoice). Since the dues invoice from International does not include local chapter dues, the Secretary or Treasurer will collect $25 Chapter dues from the members directly.

We will be approaching District / International as to whether they can now include our $25 Chapter dues on the Society invoice. In the past, this has been a losing proposition since we lost money on the exchange twice in the process -- once when the member paid the dues to International, and again when International sent our portion back to the chapter. Now that International is accepting payments in Canadian dollars (they've opened a Canadian dollar account in Toronto), it should be feasible to have all dues collected directly by the Society.

So, what does this mean to you the member? Basically it means two things -- first, and probably most important -- your dues are going up. The December invoices that the Society sent out indicated an amount of $119.54 (Canadian dollars) for the International and District dues. When you then add on $25 Chapter dues (which the secretary/treasurer will be collecting) -- the total annual dues will be going up from $103 to approximately $145.

This change will not affect December renewals -- only new members now joining, and future renewals. Since the Society will be setting a quarterly exchange rate, the Canadian dollar amount for International and District dues renewals may fluctuate from one quarter to the next.

If you have any questions, please contact Rod Schlosser (Treasurer) or Bruce Fish (President).

President Ed Waesche discusses recent Board action to adjust member dues effective December 31.

November 3, 1998

J. Edward Waesche III Society President 6 Vista Lane Melville, NY 11747

My Fellow Barbershopper:

I'm writing to inform you of an upcoming dues adjustment, the first since 1994.

The Society has maintained positive cash flows and held expenses under revenues since the last dues adjustment, even though costs for member services have risen more than twice as fast as the inflation rate since then, while membership and dues income have not. I'm sure you appreciate the value you've always received for your dues, especially in music education, including the many new services that have been added in recent years -- services that affect your barbershop experience directly, including

• Free & Easy sheet music and learning tapes provided to every chapter at no charge
• All newly registered quartets are eligible for a free additional year of sheet music and demo tapes when they subscribe to Music Premiere at the regular price
• Singing Valentines materials, music and learning tapes provided to every chapter at no charge
• Harmony College scholarships to young singers and music educators at reduced rates
• Increased support for youth outreach programs and public relations activities
• A far-reaching chapter coach program with intensive training for 181 men
• Chorus Directors Workshops Intensive
• A revitalized COTS program, with trained and certified instructors

We must all face reality: we can no longer ignore the stagnation in income that our recent membership trend has caused, nor can we continue to absorb the cost of living increases that we all have to deal with in our daily lives. So, to maintain the financial health of the Society, our Board of Directors has approved a $5 adjustment in SPEBSQSA dues effective with December 31, 1998 renewals. It will be implemented right now, rather than a year from now, to eliminate a projected deficit budget for 1999 and maintain the Society's financial integrity. Please feel free to contact your Society Board member or a Society officer to hear about the discussions that led to the Board's decision. We've also posted additional information on the subject on our website at http://www.spebsqsa.org/dues

I must also tell you that the impact of flat membership and annual convention attendance, coupled with a dues structure that ignores inflation and increases in the cost of doing business, would continue to erode our financial health unless we do something about it. A review of our five-year plan tells us that dues may well have to gradually rise by another $15 through 2003 to allow us to provide the services you currently enjoy.

Of course, an increased Society membership is the first and most important step toward controlling our budget balance, and the many services provided by your Society all point toward a better musical experience and greater public awareness of the Society -- and ultimately, even greater membership growth.

I want to ensure you of our commitment to serve you in future years, as we return to a growth in membership and musical ability while growing younger at the same time.

Let's grow young together,

Ed Waesche

Chapter Roster

All phone numbers are area code 306, all addresses are Regina unless indicated otherwise.

Please report any errors or omissions to Wayne Keys, Chapter Secretary.

Articles in this bulletin do not necessarily reflect the views of the chapter. Unless carrying a byline, 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, 761-2503 / bfish@cableregina.com.

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Once upon a time in England, a very mean witch was terrorizing the local population. They finally went to a wizard to see what could be done about her. The wizard gave them a potion that would turn the witch into a statue.

The townspeople managed to put the potion in the witch's food. When she found out about this, she turned green with rage, but it was too late and the potion worked as expected. The jubilant population had a big celebration and parade, and placed the petrified witch in a park as a public example. Pretty soon, people discovered that the witch had been frozen in a position that made her a perfect sundial, and started using her to tell the time of day. The custom grew and even today, people often refer to: Mean Green Witch Time.