Official Publication of Atlantic-Gulf Region 9 Sweet Adelines International www.sairegion9 October 2013

Members of the Region 9 Membership Militia attended a breakout session at the recent M&A workshop held in Maitland. The Membership and Marketing chairs of small to medium size choruses are constantly fighting to grow their membership. They must attract new members while retaining their established members. They must overcome obstacles of time, battle the economy to make this an affordable hobby, and find creative solutions to challenges. Their mission, should they choose to accept it, is to aggressively attract, recruit, train and retain members in ALL choruses of the Region while supporting the missions of Sweet Adelines International and Atlantic-Gulf Region 9.

Part I – Attraction

The Membership Coordinator, Kelly Chism, and the Marketing Coordinator, Irene Zimmer, submitted Guerilla Marketing ideas that should help attract prospective members. Start conversations with subliminal messaging and branding of your chorus. These are powerful yet

easy weapons that don’t take a lot of effort or advertising money. In case you missed the class, due to some other covert operation, here are some ideas to put into your chorus battle plan.

Musical notes attract the eye and the curiosity of other musicians. When someone compliments your “abc” or “xyz”, don’t just say, “Thank you”. Say, “Thanks. Are you a musician?” Start the conversation!

On yourself:

Wear musical jewelry, wear a musical T-shirt, carry a musical tote bag, carry a musical umbrella, attach a musical button to your purse, attach a musical luggage tag to your luggage, place a chorus business card or photo next to your wallet ID, customize your credit card with a chorus photo or chorus logo. Always have a small supply of chorus business cards with you.

At home:

Fly a garden flag with SAI or chorus logo, decorate your mailbox, hang a musical wreath

on the front door, paint piano keys on stairs or sidewalk, cut a treble clef design into shutters, paint clay pots with piano design or musical symbols.

Your Car:

Place a bumper sticker for your chorus, place a “Singer on Board” sign in the window, place a “Caution, Driver Singer” sign in the window, place a traveling magnetic sign on your car.

At Work:

Use a musical coffee cup for drinking or as a pencil holder, display a chorus photo on your desk, depending on where you work, place old copies of the Pitch Pipe in the waiting room, post chorus flyers or brochures on the company bulletin board.

Electronics:

Create a customized automatic email signature that reads, “Proud member of…”, apply a “skin” to your phone, I-pad or laptop with logo or photo, assign a distinctive barbershop ring for your SAI friends.

Share other attraction ideas with us and we’ll make sure they are shared with all members of the Militia. Remember, this is our joint mission. Let’s help each other succeed.

Region 9 Membership Militia

Part I - Attraction By Kelly Chism, Regional Membership Coordinator

Featuring

Betty MeinholzBetty Meinholz

The Bron’s TonesThe Bron’s Tones

Picture 1946..... Birmingham, Alabama....no digital ANYTHING! But little (don't laugh...t'was waaay back there!) 7-year-old Betty Strickland was singing "Galway Bay" for her daddy's railroad engineers' lodge. She also was singing requiem masses at St. Clements Elementary school in Latin and listening to her daddy's barbershop quartet practice. She wanted to learn about ALL the parts, but BARITONE appealed to her most..... it sounded more like the requiem mass! Whoopee! Later, in public Jr. High and High schools, other music education was introduced and, through it all, she really dug 2nd soprano and alto. In 1958, her Mom, Louise, founded the first Sweet Adeline chorus in Birmingham. The first night, Betty and her best friend, Joan, met LuJean and Betty (#2) and decided to have a quartet! The "Dixie Misses" were formed and when Daddy took us to the S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. (now "The Society") to entertain at the Dixie District competition, we met "The Confederates"....1957

International Champions. They were so great to us, and Bill "Buzz" Busby (the bari!) taught us all sorts of intricate tags and harmonies way into the night. We were mesmerized by the arrangements and the "ring"....of course! My parents met Bobbie Bostick's folks at a convention and, when they had car trouble, came to stay with my family. Her quartet, the famous "Cracker Jills" won the International Competition in Miami that year. They sent me the "Jills'" record album, and I made it my business to learn all four parts. I LOOOVED that quartet! (Renee Craig, lead, Bobbie, tenor, Judy Rowell, bari

and Jan Saundry, bass). The "Dixie Misses" went to the Region 9 Competition and Convention in Orlando that year, drew first on stage, sang for a panel of male judges (our program wasn't in place at the time!) and won.

The only female quartet we'd ever heard were the "Big Four" who sang on Arthur Godfrey's show! Anyway....we won first place, met Harlan Wilson (later to be the bari of "The Suntones") and sat around the pool at "The Cherry Plaza" learning more tags from him! When you're young and cute, all the guys want to teach you tags....heee! We went to Peoria, Illinois to compete at SAI's International Competition. The "Sweet and Lows" won and we were devastated to come in 11th....we thought surely we'd win! Ha!

I went on the International Faculty of SAI in 1967 and coached and taught the barbershop craft all over....what fun memories! My last name was "Luckett" back then. At the 1967 International, I watched the "Hurricane Honeys" (Region 9!!!) sweep up all the points with their

"Cinderella" packages....back then there was no chorus competition.....quartets sang three separate sets to get to the medals! They were fabulous! Also, that year I met "The Bron's Tones" from Mobile (Region 9's 1957 champs). They came in 26th (the same place they'd finished in Houston the year before). They brought me on as their coach and, after only a few sessions with them, lost their baritone. They were headed to Oklahoma City for competition when they lost Jane Meadows. I was asked if I'd sing bari with them and design the costumes and pick the songs....they had a lot of blind faith, didn't they?! Mercy! Anyway, we developed our "Southern Belle" image, with costumes and songs to go with them. We placed 3rd, 5th and 10th respectively, coming in 7th. We didn't dream we'd get to the end, and had to get a couple of songs off paper in order to compete! Ladies from the Mobile and Birmingham choruses pitched in and changed our costume up....lovely! The following year, we got a new tenor, Judy Wood (now Wallis) because Betty Fletcher,

“When you’re young and cute, all

the guys want to teach you

tags...heee!”

2 (Continued on page 10)

The Bron’s Tones

3

Excitement Is In The Air in Sebring! By Connie Bates

Heart of Highland

eart of Highland Show Chorus, Sebring, FL, has a NEW director...Betty Meinholz. After having

coached Heart of Highland for several years, she signed on as the director a little over 6 months ago. Betty has brought an exciting new level of enthusiasm with her passionate directing and energetic personality. Betty also sings with the award-winning "Toast of Tampa Show

Chorus" and sings bass with "Sassy" quartet, 2012 Region 9 Champions. She directed the several-times regional champion chorus "Harmony Hills" from 1970 to 1983 and took them to two international chorus competitions. Heart of Highland Show Chorus is EXCITED!!! We have a new director, a new look and a new sound so watch out Region 9!!!!!

With the Global open house in mind I recently had the opportunity to interview two of the most seasoned ladies in our chorus. Their joy and passion for our art form really intrigued me especially after they have been in the chorus so long.

Both of them were married with children and had careers, Phyllis having 3 boys and Chloe having

Meet Phyllis and Chloe! By Diane Jackson

Sound of Sunshine

2 boys. They both had such busy lives as Chloe says “I grew up singing in the youth choir in church and chorus in school but after that I didn’t think there was anything else I could fit into with family, house and job – until I found Sound of Sunshine.”

Phyllis is a charter member of Sound of Sunshine, she says “My daughter-in-law, Jane was

already a member.” Since Phyllis lived next door to the parents of Director, Nancy Lewis, she was caught up in the excitement of the beginnings of Sound of Sunshine. Chloe joined soon after. “I believe my first visit was in January of 1977. The chorus had already been in their first competition and placed 4th. They wowed the audience by showing up in farmer’s overalls, red checked shirts and were BAREFOOT! I so wished I could have been part of that. They sang Huckleberry Finn

(Continued on page 8)

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he Hilton Head Shore Notes are

excited to announce that on August 5 they welcomed a new director, Faye McLanahan, from Jacksonville, Florida. Former director Beth Green, who has been with the Shore Notes for the past 3 1/2 years, stepped down and is passing the torch due to schedule challenges resulting from additional projects and helping her son prepare to depart for college next year. Beth assures the Shore Notes that she’s dusting off her pom-poms to be in the front row for their exciting show next March 1 at the high school’s Visual & Performing Arts Center!

Faye’s Sweet Adeline experience started in 1974 in a small chorus in Wrentham, Massachusetts, where she sang for seven years. When she and her husband were transferred back to Jacksonville, she joined the Jacksonville Harmony chorus, and she is still a member there today. In her 39 years of singing harmony, she

attended every music school available so she could soak up all the music education possible. She also jumped right into the choreographer role in her first chorus. Shortly thereafter she discovered the fun of being in her first of many quartets. Her

love of this American art form is so encompassing, she has sung lead, tenor and baritone in her various quartets!

Throughout the years Faye has held many chorus leadership positions as well as a Regional education

faculty position for ten years. Not only has she been a member of five different Sweet Adeline chapters, she also directed Song of the Coast Chorus in Daytona Beach, Florida, for eight years. Faye is looking forward to helping the Shore Notes maintain their first-place status in the Small Chorus Division at Regional Competition and bringing them to new heights vocally – hopefully one day to International competition!

Hilton Head Shore Notes

Hire New Director By Marcia Cornell

Hilton Head Shore Notes

Faye McLanahan

We’re off! – well, we took July off but have returned to a busy upcoming season. Many of the ladies traveled during that month

and Bev Whitcomb (bari) tells us a picturesque story about four members of the Magic of Manatee chorus who traveled with Tropical Harmony to Europe in June.

“We met in Atlanta and then flew together to Munich where we

Patsy and her husband

met the other members of the group and the tour leader, Patsy Meiser.

After spending Saturday practicing the songs that had been learned ahead of time, on Sunday evening we sang outdoors at the Augustina-Keller

Beer Garden. We also enjoyed visiting with The Harmunichs, a

Europe! By Bev Whitcomb

Magic of Manatee

Beer Garden

King Ludwig’s Castle

(Continued on page 5)

Choruses

Gainesville Harmony

Gainesville, Florida Diane Sherley & Chanda Morris,

Co-Directors

Goldcoast

Miami, Florida

Iris Cokeroft, Director

Gulf To Bay

Largo, Florida

Denise Helbig, Director

Harmony Shores

Panama City, Florida

Barbara Heckerson, Director

Heart of Highland

Avon Park, Florida

Betty Meinholz, Director

Hilton Head Shore Notes

Hilton Head Island, S. Carolina

Faye McLanahan, Director

Jacksonville Harmony

Jacksonville, Florida

Ann Gooch, Director

Magic of Manatee

Bradenton, Florida

Lois Van Beek, Director

O-Town Sound

Orlando, Florida

Kay Webb, Director

Pensacola Sound

Pensacola, Florida Tara Smith, Director

5

(continued on page 8)

German chorus, who really knew how to entertain.

Leaving Munich, we visited King Ludwig’s magnificent castle, Neuschwanstein. In the afternoon we traveled to

Oberammergau where some traveled on to the Linderhof Castle while some enjoyed cold treats on a very hot day.

Arriving in Salzburg, we enjoyed scenes from “The Sound of Music.” Here the chorus sang in the afternoon in the Mirabell Gardens. We had the opportunity to visit the Eagle’s Nest, which was at a very high elevation as the name implies. The Eagle’s Nest was Hitler’s getaway, later used by the Allied troops for “R and R” after Hitler was taken down.

Traveling from Salzburg to Vienna, we visited the village of Mondsee where we visited the church where the wedding from “The Sound of Music” was filmed. We were told that the actual church where the

wedding took place wasn’t “pretty” enough, so this

church was chosen for the scene. It truly was a beautiful sanctuary. While there, we sang “It is Well With My Soul.”

On our

way to Vienna, we took a cruise along the Danube, where we saw several castles and vineyards. Once in Vienna, we had a guided tour around the city, and then we visited the Schonbrunn Palace where we sang to a lovely group.

The main part of the tour ended in Vienna. Some left to travel back to the States while others traveled on to Budapest. The plan was to travel by train from Vienna to Budapest, but because of flooding earlier, that was not possible. We traveled on with our very congenial tour host, Eric. One of the highlights of this trip was traveling to a small village, Szentendre, a few miles out of Budapest. On the way there, we saw Roman ruins, something I didn’t expect to see.

If you’ve never traveled with

Tropical Harmony, you’ve

missed a good trip. Next year’s

trip is to northern Italy, with a trip

to Greece the next year. Visit

www.tropicalharmony.com for

more information.”

Tropical Harmony at Schonbrunn Palace

Street View

(Continued from page 4)

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It was Tuesday night and time to drive the twenty minutes from my home in Ellenton, Florida to my sister, Barb Laino's, home in Sun City so we can meet up with our car pool and drive the additional 45 minutes to get to our rehearsal with the TOAST

OF TAMPA SHOW CHORUS.

Barb lives in a gated community in Sun City but there is a back entrance to her community that I use to get there.

I turned right off the main highway to get to the road that leads to the back entrance. Glancing in my rear view mirror, I noticed a car that had turned left off the same road. I remember thinking, the car was just like mine; same make, model and color. I hadn't noticed the car on the main highway but suddenly it was right behind me.

The back entrance that leads to Barb's community is long and narrow with several turns and it can be quite confusing if you're not familiar with the route. I glanced in the rearview mirror again.........the car was still there right on the back bumper. I remember thinking "Boy I hope I didn't turn in front of it!" Each time I turned I checked and the car was still there and still very close.

I turned on the side street leading to the neighborhood where Barb lives, the car turned is right behind me and I was

getting just a bit worried. "What had I done that this car is still right behind me." I turned into my sister's driveway and looked..............the car had stopped right behind the drive way. Now I'm really worried but figure I'm pretty safe, it's still light out and the door to go in isn't that far.

I looked, the person getting out of the car was a woman. As I got out of my car and started gathering the items I needed to take inside, the woman approached and asked, "By any chance are you a Sweet Adeline? I noticed the decal with the Sweet Adeline logo in your back window."

My fear changed to delight. "Yes," I answered. I belong to TOAST OF TAMPA." The woman, said she had been a Sweet Adeline many years ago in a chorus up north and had been thinking off and on about finding a chorus but was hesitant to just walk into a rehearsal alone. When she

The Stalker By Marge VanDyke

Toast of Tampa

noticed the decal in my back window, she made up her mind to follow me and find out about my connection to SWEET

ADELINES.

I was only to happy too tell her all about TOT, our weekly rehearsals and our upcoming trip to Hawaii to compete in the International Contest. I invited

her to come to a rehearsal to check us out. I jokingly added, "The car pool is leaving in an hour to drive the 45 minutes to Tampa if want to come with us tonight". It turns out that she

was free and said she would go home and drop off her groceries and be right back to ride with us.

When we arrived at rehearsal, I introduced her to our membership chairman and after being voiced placed as a bass she got on the risers to do our physical and vocal warm ups. She didn't need a

second visit, and requested to be put in the prospective status right away so she could get the music and the learning media to start practicing for the audition. Two weeks later, she passed the audition and hasn't been off the risers since. Judy Lutzenberger is now a member of the TOAST OF TAMPA

“I hadn't noticed the car on the main highway but suddenly it was right behind me.”

(Continued on page 7)

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SHOW CHORUS, and has qualified on all the music so she can sing with us on stage in Hawaii. What a great addition to our chorus and all because of a Sweet Adeline decal in my back window.

I related the story of being stalked on that first night, and she is now known as Judy the stalker. We laugh about it often as the car pool helps to learn the music and choreography to all the show numbers we will be singing in October. I have no doubt that she will be fully qualified to sing on stage for that as well.

Get those decals in your window. You never know who might be looking for a Sweet Adeline home and become a stalker to get more information about your chorus.

CONFESSIONS OF A SWEET

ADELINE STALKER

One day while driving near and far,

I stopped behind Marge Van Dyke’s car.

Her bumper sticker was a sign

that seemed to sing, “Sweet Adeline.”

I’d just been feeling sort of blue,

wishing life had something new.

So I decided then and there

to follow this car anywhere.

And Now...The Stalker’s Side of the Story

I didn’t know where this would lead,

just knew somehow I must proceed.

So every time she turned, I turned;

and when she stopped, I stopped…and learned—

She was, indeed, a

baritone who sang with T.O.T.

She said, “Rehearsal is tonight! Why don’t you come with me?”

“Why not?” I thought. “It sounds like fun. I’ll meet you here at six.

She said, “You’ll meet my sister then, and others in our mix.”

Her sister, Barb, was friendly too, and loved my “stalker” story.

Then Ellen Peck arrived, and off we went in car pool glory.

The whole drive there, they talked about their chorus and their singing,

and how much fun it’d be to introduce this guest they’re bringing.

When I arrived, I got a book with every chorus song.

Then Lois tested me, and said, “Bass is where you belong.”

Then on the risers I did go, and tried to keep the pace.

I learned that every singer has her own sweet square of space.

Those first three hours flew right by, with Tony’s great direction.

He’s the master showman with true leadership perfection.

He inspires everyone to laugh and work and try;

He made me want to be my best, and keep on aiming high.

The next few weeks I practiced hard, to try and make the grade,

And got so much encouragement through each mistake I made.

Finally I auditioned, and was pleased to learn I passed!

Then lots more songs to learn to sing; it all went by so fast!

Soon I’ll be singing my first show; then be Hawaii bound.

Still can’t believe I’m part of this great Toast of Tampa sound.

And all because I took a chance, and did one crazy thing.

I am the “singing stalker” now, with all the joy that brings!!!

(Continued from page 6)

Platinum Coast

West Melbourne, Florida

Elaine Haugan, Director

Song of the Coast

Ormond Beach, Florida Diane Johnson

Interim Director

Sound of Sunshine

Orlando, Florida

Nancy Lewis, Director

South Florida Jubilee

Plantation, Florida

James Kastler, Director

Southern Company

Brandon, Florida

Linda Verzosa, Director

Spirit of the Gulf

Fort Myers, Florida

Mike Slamka, Director

Summer Springs

Belleview, Florida

Judi Stygar, Director

Suncoast Harmony

Hudson, Florida

Amy Riddle, Director

Toast of Tampa

Temple Terrace, Florida

Tony DeRosa, Director

Venetian Harmony

Venice, Florida

Jim Shubert, Director

Women of Note

Wellington, Florida

Mitch Greenberg, Director

8

(continued from page 5)

which became a staple in our shows for years to come.” I asked Chloe what drew her to her first rehearsal. She answered “I had a friend who invited me to come visit them on Thursday. Since I already had a commitment on Thursday nights I had a ready-made excuse. But, every time I saw her she would ask me again. Then one time she asked and I was no longer involved in my Thursday night activity so I said I would go. She had been so faithful in asking me that I felt the least I could do was go for the evening. I immediately fell in love with the harmony and didn’t want to leave. I sang along while we learned a song and, afterward, sang tags with whoever joined us in the corner of the room. I’m not sure what happened to my friend but, here I am 36 years later and still singing.”

As one of the newer members of Sound of Sunshine, I was fortunate to have Phyllis be as consistent as Chloe’s friend. Phyllis sits in the same row at church as my mother does, so when I was living in another part of the state and would come to visit she would tell me about her wonderful chorus. Then as soon

as I moved back to this area she was persistent in asking me to come to a rehearsal. One night I went with her and I was hooked just like Chloe. Chloe told me “That first night I knew this was just what I had been wanting and needing. It just kind of filled me up inside. The icing on the cake was the director, Nancy Lewis, and the membership who made me feel so at home.”

I often wondered what it was that had kept them interested in the chorus for so many years. Phyllis told me that she comes to get lost in the music, that it eases her stress to just focus on rehearsing the songs. She also said that she has made lifelong friends and that they have helped her through some tough times in her

life. Chloe stated “The many friends I have made around the state and in the chorus, the constantly changing, fun music and, of course, our backbone, our director.”

So I end this article about these two special ladies and look forward to inviting my friends to a rehearsal. As Chloe says “I can guarantee them a fun evening, learning barbershop harmony… and it just might change their lives… just like it did mine!”

(Continued from page 3)

(L) Phyllis Suto and (R) Chloe Brown

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Hello Fabulous region #9!! Bling! Is having an incredible year as the Sweet Adelines International silver medalists! First, we would like to thank each and every one of you for you

continuous love and support! We really do feel like we belong to the best region in the organization! We would not be where

we are today without you behind us and we want you to know that we appreciate each of you more than you will ever know!

We had a very exciting adventure this year with the debut of our new CD, Bling! It On! This has been a project in the making for a couple of years! It all started with a little birthday celebration for Kim at a local wine tasting bar and our story is proof that being in the right place at the right time can change everything!!

During our evening at the wine tasting, we happened to sing a song for our table. This little song prompted a phone call from the owner of the bar to his record producer friend. The record producer friend came down to hear us that evening and then invited us to come into the studio to record a few songs…… just for fun.

A few months later we were in the studio! Being in the recording studio was really exciting, especially after learning

about the history of Power Station Recording Studios and being told that we were using mics that greats like Mick Jagger and Madonna had once breathed into! AHHHHH! We recorded a few songs and

brought home a few CDs. We thought that was the end of our rock star recording life until Power Station held a Facebook contest. The prize was 20 hours of studio time. All we had to do was rally all our friends

to like their page and comment that Bling! sent them. Well…. THANK YOU region #9!! You all rallied together and completely BLEW UP Power Station’s Facebook page! But….. we didn’t win the studio time. Instead, we received a phone call from Rob Roy, the co-owner of the studio along with Tony Bongiovi (Yes…. He is related to Jon. Tony is Jon Bon Jovi’s uncle!)

Rob informed us that we didn’t win, but that he was intrigued by this whole world of barbershop that blew up his page. He had heard our recordings from our “just for fun” session and was excited at the possibility of working with us. We were something new and fresh and much different than his usual sessions with the Rock

and Roll crews that came through the studio. So Rob made us an offer….. “I’d like to produce a record for you”, he said. And that’s how it all began.

We spent the next year testing different microphones and different

set ups and mostly just experimenting. The best part about that first year was the friendships that we made! Rob and the crew at Power Station are some of the coolest, funniest, and kindest guys we have ever had the pleasure to work with! We can’t say enough about them and their generosity! Our studio time was some of the BEST rehearsal we have ever had! Imagine coming home every week with a high-quality recording to dissect and critique!

It was an amazing experience and now we have our debut CD, that we couldn’t be more proud of, as well as lifelong friends in the Power Station family!

Yes… we were in the right place at the right time!

Visit our Facebook page,

www.facebook.com/blingqt or our website, www.blingquartet.com to find out what Bling! is up to and to purchase our new CD!

We are so excited to represent you all in Honolulu this year! We hope to make you as proud as you make us to be from the MIGHTY AWESOME Region #9!!

our tenor had to have some cancer treatments and Judy's dad sang with mine in a quartet in Birmingham and Betty picked her to try out for our quartet. Judy was a "dream" tenor, and gorgeous! We came in 3rd in Boston that year. That was a lucky year in that Portia moved to Birmingham, so now three of us were 200 miles away from Bron, our bass! Bron Dixon directed the Mobile chorus, so she and I "duked it out" every year at competition! Also lucky for us was our decision to ask Ann Gooch if she'd consider being our coach. She told us that we'd get together for a weekend and she'd "decide if it was a good fit"....'sounds like Ann, huh? We were the first "long distance" quartet), so we flew her to Mobile. The rest is "history". We loved her and she loved us. We missed the Hawaii contest in 1970 (we couldn't swim well! SAI and the Dept. of Defense asked if we'd accept a USO Tour that year. The Viet Nam War was raging in the Pacific. We went for three weeks to Tokyo, Guam, Okinawa, Marcus Island and the Philipines, entertaining in hospitals and on military bases. That trip will always be with us, both the sad and happy times. Ann had given us a set of vocalises (unheard of at the time) that kept our voices and ranges in tip-top shape. People would ask "What's that funny sound coming from your rehearsal room?" We were so lucky to be able to sing together every day for three weeks on the tour. Then, in the fall of 1971 with Ann's excellent guidance and belief in our abilities, we won our crowns. We had huge

scores....I think the judges got slapped on the wrist later for nearly giving everything away, but HEY! Stuff happens! They didn't know then that "Ambiance" and "The Buzz" and all those other great and fabulous groups would come along! Ha! Following our win, we and Ann made a trip to Great Britain where there were no Sweet Adelines chartered, but the British Barbershop Association welcomed us warmly...what a trip! We met some guys from a Swedish quartet and one of them asked to buy our record album and wanted us to sign it for his wife....who turned out to be Britt Helene Bonnedahl, (sp!) director of the Ronninge Chorus! We made three of those big black CD's.....33 1/3 vinyl.....ha! A few of those songs are now on a re-mastered CD! After 54 years as a Sweet Adeline, 40 as a baritone and 14 as a bass, more wonderful quartets ("In The Mix" - 2007 and 2008 champions and "Sassy", 2012 Champions) and the thrill of singing for Tony DeRosa in Toast of Tampa and directing my wonderful chorus, Heart of Highland......those three "old gals" are still my very best friends. We have a reunion every year! Judy, Portia, and Bron........."The Bron's Tones"....what a ride! ___________________

Betty is currently a

member of the Regional

Educational Faculty

___________________

(Continued from page 2)

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Summer Springs Chorus has been attending a “Summer College of Musical Knowledge” over the past two months. Our Director, Judi Stygar, and the Music Team created mini classes, 20-30 minutes long, for each rehearsal. Classes covered such topics as: eleven chords of Barbershop; “sight” sing; intervals; pitch breathing; Sweet Adeline "jargon;" and the history of Sweet Adelines and barbershop. Not only did this help our newer members, but it was also a great refresher course for our seasoned members!

We spent some time doing “peel off” quarteting on our recent songs, which is a great way to lock in the chords, as well as hear the various “blends” for potential quartets. We welcomed three new members between August and September. How wonderful to have two “year-round” tenors!

One of our members, Karren

Summer College of Musical

Knowledge By Nancy Deforge

Summer Springs Chorus

Kirk, celebrated 20 years in Sweet Adelines. A few more will be joining her in the year ahead. Where do the years go when you're having fun?

The NEWSFLASH is our new meeting place. We invite anyone visiting or moving to the Ocala area to visit our rehearsal on Mondays, 1-3:30 p.m. in the hall of Ascension Lutheran Church, 5730 SE 28th Street at Baseline Road, Ocala. Call Director, Judi Stygar for updates on rehearsals, 352-624-2887. We've been fine-tuning songs for our Fall performances, as well as working on our musical program for our Christmas Show, December 7, at Ascension Lutheran Church.

Soon our Songbirds from the North will arrive, and then we can go full steam on our show. It seems strange to be singing “White Christmas” when it's 92 degrees outside! We wish our singing sisters a pleasant Fall "with a song in your heart."

Earlier this summer, Gainesville Harmony Show Chorus helped our quartet, On the Edge, celebrate their 10th anniversary as a quartet.

That wasn’t the only remarkable aspect to the celebration, however! Collectively the group celebrated their 230th birthday with Chanda, their Tenor, turning Four-Five; Jenny, their Lead, Five-Oh; Beckie, their Bass, Six-Oh and Diane, their Bari, Six-Five!

We also celebrated their collective 121 year tenure as Sweeties: Diane has been a member since the chorus was chartered on March 13, 1974 (39 years); Chanda 31 years; Jenny has been a member 29 years and Beckie for 22 years.

Then there is the remarkable notation that Jenny has been in a quartet with Chanda for 26 years and Beckie for 22 years! This is longevity at its finest!

On the Edge Celebration Gainesville Harmony Chorus

11

What do Roman Soldiers,

Bowling and Frick and Frack

Have in Common? Women

of Note, of Course! By Marcia Cornell

Historically a popular game with Roman soldiers, bowling evolved from stone rolling to bocce ball to ten-pin bowling. It was the ten-pin type that The Women of Note Chorus chose to partner with Sweet Adelines International in an online fundraiser to help advance the musical art form of barbershop music and have a lot of fun in the process.

Three teams, Add Air, Alley Cats, and Harmonizing Hurlers, bowled on Saturday night, July 26 on the lanes of the AMF Bowling Alley in Boynton Beach. With crowds of supporters cheering on the three teams, chorus members flexed and stretched their biceps and hurled those ten-pound balls down slick wooden alleyways, knocking down some or all of the pins. From time to time a few members scored a gutter ball much to the delight of the cheering section.

Prior to getting down to the business of bowling, Women of Note harmonized to the strains of “Glory of Love,” “Cabaret,” and “Red Hot Mama.” League bowlers and families alike enjoyed the melodic warbling.

That melodic warbling helped

the Women of Note raise $1615.00 to promote music education in women’s lives throughout the communities and schools in the Palm Beaches.

Apart from fundraising, muscle building, and heart healthy exercise, bowling has other positive benefits – strengthening friendships and creating new ones within the group.

On another note, Saturday

Night Live featuring the renowned Carole Kirkpatrick Persinger, a former SAI International President, Master 700 Director, Certified Expression Judge Specialist, International Board Member, and consummate coaching sensation, took The Women of Note by storm on Saturday night, August 24 from 7-10 pm in West Palm Beach.

Carole, along with Mitch Greenberg, director of Women of Note, rearranged Gershwin’s

“Love Walked In” right on the spot, bringing it back to a rubato/ballad making the piece more emotionally expressive.

To watch Carole and Mitch, two talented musicians, turn this original ballad from a sophisticated, swing time syncopation that Women of Note had sung previously, back to a ballad was a thrilling experience.

Sometimes they came off as Frick and Frack, the Swiss comedy ice skating duo. He’d look at her; she’d bat her eyelashes and move her body from side to side while demonstrating how to hold a word just before the very breathy, sexy passage in the

ballad.

Needless to say, at 9:00 pm Saturday night with one hour to go, Women of Note Chorus knew it had something to work with and was fired up to approach an old song with a new

strategy.

Women of Note intends to take the renewed “Love Walked In” to Region 9 Chorus Competition and bring home a medal in April 2014.

Team Add Air

The Alley Cats

The Harmonizing Hurlers

12

13

On July 10, 2013 Roz Williams, Spirit of the Gulf’s Management Team Leader, died of ovarian cancer. Hundreds of people shared thoughts and memories on social media which repeated over and over again "brave, a fighter, always smiling, strong, loving,

supportive, a leader, etc". To her family, she was an amazing wife, mother and grandmother. To us, she was a leader, a mentor, a teacher, a boss, a friend and a fellow performer.

Only after he death did we learn the amazing accomplish-ments of our quiet, unassuming leader, such as:

She received her B.A. in Developmental Psychology in 1972 at the University of Cincinnati and was Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She received her Ed.D. in early childhood special education in 1977, also at U.C. She had many jobs working with

Later in life, she decided to take on a new career and obtained a Master's degree in Social Work so that she could work as a child and family therapist.

August 6 was a special rehearsal for Spirit of the Gulf.

We had the pleasure of meeting 16 members of Roz’s wonderful family who came from as far away as Nebraska, Wyoming, California and Colorado. We were able to share a few hours with them and to let them meet us, her Chorus family and to show them what a special place Roz holds in our hearts. Members of her family spoke and shared tender thoughts and words about

Roz and from Roz. There were many tears but also there was some laughter through the evening. We sang through tears as we honored her with three songs: Friends Just Friends, When I Lift up My Head and Irish Blessing. We then had time to meet and greet individual family members and to

share our own personal memories and stories about Roz while we enjoyed refreshments. Spirit of the Gulf Chorus was pleased to present to Roz's husband Jim, with a check from the chorus members to be donated to Avow Hospice in Roz’s memory. It was truly one memorable evening.

children and teaching throughout her career. It is through this that she touched so many lives. Some of her positions included college

professor at University of Cincinnati and

Ohio State University, Coordinator of Early Education at the

Nisonger Center at OSU, and Director of Child Life at Columbus Children's Hospital.

Roz Williams: A Life to Celebrate By Linda Fairleigh

Spirit of the Gulf

14

Destined to Be a

Sweet Adeline! By Amy Kathleen McCord

How many people do you know who can say they were actually born into the hands of Barbershop? I am one of them

and I would like to share my story with my Region 9 sisters.

It started with my paternal grandfather, William McCord. He sang Bass in a chorus in Olean, NY. My dad’s brother, Bill McCord, sang Bass in the chorus in Olean and then took over as Director of that chorus. He went on to direct a chorus in Franklin, PA then one in Pittsburg, PA and he directed a chorus in Orlando, FL called the Orange Blossom Chorus. He also sang in quartets. While living in the Plantation in Leesburg, FL, he directed a woman’s acappella chorus called Friends in a Chord.

After many years of being asked, poked and prodded by my grandfather and Uncle, my dad, John McCord, decided to give barbershop a try. He sang with my Uncle Bill in the Olean chorus for a while. After a job to transfer to San Antonio, TX he

sang with the Chordsmen Chorus. He sang baritone in many quartets but his proudest achievement was placing 13th

on the International stage with his quartet “The Smiling Irish” in 1963 in Toronto.

In 1975, his company transferred him to Aurora, CO. He sang with the Mile High Chorus and then left that chorus with many other men to form a chorus now known as Sound of

the Rockies. His first

quartet was called The Continental Divide. His District Championship quartets were Colorado Gold, Quincy Avenue and Anybody’s Guess.

My mom, Sandy McCord, became a Sweet Adeline in 1969. She sang lead with The Mission Belles who later changed their name to Alamo Metro. Upon moving to Colorado, she joined Skyline Chorus in Denver, then sang with Mountain Melody, then went back to Skyline in 1980. She was very active on the Region 8 Board of Directors. She was Regent of Region 8.

On June 11th, 1972, my mom went into labor while my dad

was having his quartet rehearsal at our house. My mom’s regular OB/GYN happened to be out of town. My dad called the OB/GYN’s office and was told that Bill Locke, who happened to sing with my dad in the Chordsmen Chorus, was the on-call OB/GYN and to go to the hospital. After delivery on June 12th, Dr. Locke asked my parents what they were going to name me. They said Amy Kathleen. As Dr. Locke held me in his arms, he sang “Once in Love with Amy” and “I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen”.

I always wanted to go to rehearsal with my mom and when I was 16 years old, I joined

Skyline Chorus. I started out as lead but changed to baritone after a year. I was in 3 quartets and the highest I placed was 9th at Regionals. After moving to Leesburg, FL in 2012, I am now a proud member of the Toast of Tampa Show Chorus.

That, my fellow Sweet Adeline sisters, is how I was destined to be a Sweet Adeline!

Amy with her Mom and Dad

Amy and Showtime in ‘93

15

Aloha, Pehea’oe? By Julie Reeve

Jacksonville Harmony

In true Hawaiian spirit, we say Aloha, Region 9, Pehea ‘oe, how are you? We simply can’t believe that in just a few days we will see all of our Region 9 sisters and Contestants in that magnificent island archipelago of Hawaii! We send best wishes out to each and every one of you who’ll mount that stage and share your Joy.

Our Fearless Leader Annie Gooch, who has now returned from her fun and fabulous weekend at Sweet Adelines International’s A cappella Harmony Academy in Orange County California, brought home great tips and tools to fine tune us for the Hawaii Harmony Classic Contest. She recognizes the value of an effective Music Staff, and she and they have provided valuable PVI’s (Personal Vocal Instruction) to chorus members over the summer to polish their respective parts in the Contest performance package. A million thanks to the tireless Music Staff and Annie for the one-on-one; you can definitely see—and hear—the results!

We also know the importance of great coaching! Renee Porzel, Sweet Adelines International President and Showmanship Judge, visited us recently, and gave us final touches on the visual presentation to our pieces. Jean Barford came for two days and split us into dual sections (i.e., Tenor/Bass, Lead/Bari), then put the pieces back together the next day for a seamless musical performance. At Retreat, Lea Beverly gave us three days of intensive work in

the four judging categories and we’re sure to shine in Honolulu. Jacksonville Harmony appreciates all the coaches who came and worked so hard to make us better singers and performers!

Pupukahi i Holomua is Hawaiian for unite to move forward. Indispensable in creating the above dynamic is Choreography Team member Diane Parker. She patiently devised in-tempo recordings for each member to have and practice with for our up tune. It keeps us in the correct tempo while moving to the character of the song. Thank you Diane, for taking on this project that has produced amazing and instant results!

We’ve also had amazing results in the fundraising department. Through Judy Shea’s constant reminders for us to simply switch our searches from Google to Goodsearch, we can earn instant cash. The 333 Raffle that Sarah Bican chairs yields a cash prize every week to 2 lucky recipients. At season’s end, the amount goes up to $1,000 for one lucky supporter!

Robin Cotie has worked hard to ensure that our most lucrative fundraiser---working the beverage booth at the Jaguars games---has gotten off to a smooth start, and we are truly not worthy of you, Robin---thank you.

Last, we will have a Hawaiian Baseball Cabaret (we like to be Original) just before flying over to the land of Aloha. We will feature our Harmony Classic performance, serve food from

the Ball Park, sell themed baskets, and serenade our friends and family who have been so supportive of us during our Contest preparation. Without their love and cooperation our lives would surely be chaos.

Mary Breedon also sent out the love and tons of fun when she hosted the JHC Family Picnic at her house on August 25. We played games, swam in the pool, ate until we were stuffed, and sang for hours. As Associate Director for Jacksonville Harmony, Mary also knows how to direct a fantastic party!! Thanks Mary!

We also thank Kathy Haggerty and Sarah Bican for inspecting and revamping our Standing Rules. This is at best a tedious and painstaking job, and we owe a debt of gratitude to these Legal Eagles for their brand new and modernized version of the Rules by which we function every day.

Finally, we say Congratulations to Faye McLanahan, Regional Faculty member, on her new position as Director of the Hilton Head Shore Notes!

Jacksonville’s Barbershop Harmony Society’s local chapter of the Big Orange Chorus has requested Faye to be the Female Clinician at the upcoming Youth in Harmony program for middle and high school students. Barbershop principles will be taught and demonstrated.

Faye recently taught our chorus “Nuances and Embellishments”

(Continued on page 18)

16

Venetian Harmony Chorus has

joined the local Chamber of

Commerce and the relationship is

working out well. It's turned into a

great marketing tool for the chorus

and the Chamber enjoys having

ladies who sing at their events.

One of our quartets, String of

Pearls are the ever-present

representatives of VHC at Chamber

events. Those ladies are Rosaleen

Kinney, Lydia Church-Bunk,

Christa Rivette and Dale Douros.

Other VHC members are also active

Chamber members, including Gerry

Thomas, our official representative

on the Chamber, Jini Firda and

Mary Anne Freedman who attend

chamber events.

The group sings something at

nearly every event they attend. Of

course, they are usually in

matching outfits, with business

cards in hand, and chamber

members ask for Happy Birthday or

just "sing us a song" at monthly

"Business After 5", or monthly

"Network Lunch." The chamber

is working to get them to attend the

monthly "Wake Up Venice"

breakfast event, but the ladies say

that's pretty early.

They often prepare special songs,

sometimes with the help of Director

Venetian Harmony small group in action at a

Venice Chamber of Commerce event. Left to

right--in costume: Dale Douros, Marie Getchell,

Jini Firda, Gerry Thomas, Rosaleen Kinney,

Mary Anne Freedman. Partially obscured are

Christa Rivette and Lydia Church-Bunk.

Jim Shubert. Recently their

original music honored Chamber

Platinum Sponsors, which was

enjoyed by the audience and then

posted on the Chamber Facebook

page.

The ladies decorate their special

table at the "Business After 5"

event in Sweet Adeline style, with

flyers, other decorations and last

month, homemade musical

candies.

Currently the chorus is working

with a Chamber member who is

putting together a tribute to

veterans for upcoming Armistice

Day observance in November.

Other Chamber members have

called VHC for special music to

honor friends and relatives, or

businesses in the area.

Beside the fun, VHC has found the

Chamber a good marketing tool for

the chorus--and vice versa.

Chamber Benefits in Venice By Flo Eichar

Venetian Harmony

17

Team Coordinator LISA DEPREZ

Gulf To Bay

Membership Coordinator

KELLY CHISM Chapter At Large

Communications Coordinator RHONDA PAYTON

Chapter at Large

Events Coordinator SUE GIESLER

Chapter at Large

Education Coordinator DAYVE GABBARD

Women Of Note

Marketing Coordinator IRENE ZIMMER

Gulf To Bay

Finance Coordinator CATHY FREY

Toast of Tampa and Spirit of the Gulf

Directors’ Coordinator HOLLY ST. JOHN

Toast of Tampa

Your RegionalYour Regional

Management TeamManagement Team

18

Published Quarterly January, April, July

and September JANUARY deadline Dec. 15 APRIL deadline March 15 JULY deadline June 15 SEPT deadline August 15

Email submissions to: paulab902@gmail.com

in barbershop. Mahalo, thanks Faye for this valuable lesson. You provide such crucial educational information to so many people!

The untimely passing of Faye’s husband Walt filled us with sadness for a man with a huge heart and who was one of our biggest supporters. Known as the Bingo Man, Walt McLanahan founded and served as Chairman of the Board of the North Florida Lions Eye Foundation whose mission is to help those with special vision needs but do not qualify for conventional assistance. “One fond embrace,” as the words of Aloha Oe say, “Until We Meet Again”. Thank you Walt, we will miss you.

(Continued from page 16)

19

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semi-

sweet

Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets

with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the

white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the

mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time,

then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large

bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cin-

namon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the

flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips.

Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto

the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20

minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the

edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let

them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a

spatula and cool them on wire racks.

SERVES: 60 (PER COOKIE); Calories: 106; Total

Fat 5 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Protein: 1 g; Total carbo-

hydrates: 14 g; Sugar: 9 g Fiber: 1 g; Cholesterol: 16

mg; Sodium: 70 mg