Looking Back on the May 6^th Chapter Meeting

There was cake and a huge welcome back for Rick Wagner who was getting around darn well with his crutches.  He was singing from his chair.  His wife and daughter were there to help get him settled too.  TJ Jones was back too, also on crutches and moving around well.

After warm ups by associate director Tony Colosimo, director Joe Cerutti took over and offered congrats to Ben Roberts and David Jarzen for their successful run in Spamalot performances at West Potomac Hi in Alexandria.  Kudos to director Peelee Clark as well.  About a dozen Harmonizers were there to cheer and yell and applaud the great show by the high school students with our guys right in the limelight.  Great singing and dancing and lots of laughs.  Fun to see the strong support of parents and families.

There had been a huge crowd on the stage reviewing SP for guys working with Chuck McKeever.  Mick Stamps with help from the av crew, shared stories about the WWII efforts here in the USA mostly by women.

The first half of the nite we worked hard and successfully on all the music for the France trip.

Before break, the chorus welcomed our first ACA Challenge champs, WORD OF MOUTH, to this week’s rehearsal.  They sang for us and we sang for them.  Then we shared a big cake at break.  Thanks to Bob Blair for picking up the cake and for FRIENDS OF HARMONY helping serve it.

The membership team welcomed all of our guests and applicants. It was good to have Jeremy Knobel back after his law school work.

The music team conducted another Make Me Better session.

After the break, Bob conducted the chapter meeting.

WWII tribute chairman Randall Eliason asked each member to bring two dozen cookies to the retreat on Sat May 17^th at First Baptist.  There is also a need for large coffee urns and cold drink coolers – let Jack Pitzer know if you can loan us one.  Randall is also looking for a photographer and a videographer.

Music and performance vp Steve White announced the recipients of the chapter’s two scholarships to Harmony University this summer in Nashville: Randall Eliason to Harmony U, and Rich Hewitt to Director’ College.  Congrats to both.

President Terry Reynolds thanked Bob Blair and Bob Rhome for working with the city to get the AC working on Tues nites!!

He also thanked Dick Hall for his years of service as Sunshine chairman. Jack Pitzer will be the new chairman and is eager to get word from members and FIH of any personal family news from our Harmo family.  Also let Terry know.

Behind the scenes, chapter historian Martin Banks has been working hard to downsize our historical collection which fills one storage unit in Alexandria.  Recently he shipped a huge box of reference books about show business and musical theater to the BHS historian as a donation to their collection from the Harmonizers.  These books were part of the library of former member Dan Lyons, who had collected them.

In other news, Terry and Joe head to Germany this week to coach and teach chorus directors in Germany as part of the BHS affiliate BING.

Until next time – editorjack!

(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on each week during the 66^th year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. —YeEd.)