Looking Back on the May 14^th  Chapter Meeting Make Up

Because the Tuesday nite meeting had to be canceled, we had a makeup rehearsal on Thursday May 14^th at Plymouth Haven Baptist Church in Alexandria, down toward Mt. Vernon. Thanks to Harmonizer Rob Nutt for making it available to us.

Reed Livergood did the warm ups for the nite. Then director Joe Cetutti went right to work on the new show songs for the Icon Show this fall.  The church hall has a screen which we projected onto for the new songs.

And we worked hard on the contest package – some times to produce self-eval recordings, and a full performance for videos which Chuck McKeever reviews and sends to all of the members for own personal evaluation of their visual performance.  Thanks Chuck for all the extra work on the “Tuesday nite at the movies” project.

Operations vp Todd Ryktarsyk conducted the chapter meeting.  Pittsburgh coordinator Craig Kujawa offered to answer any questions following his recent convention news letter, “Steel City Countdown.”  He also stressed the need to alert him or his team if you have a room reservation or a convention registration that you won’t use – there are people in the chapter looking to get them.

Chuck McKeever asked us all to get in our payments for the retreat -- $55 for Sat and Sun, $85 for Fri, Sat, Sun.  Note that we will depart before lunch on Sunday.

Secretary Chris Buechler presented membership renewal cards to John Green for 4 years, Steve Murane for 13 years and Michael Gilmore for 23 years.  Austin Cotton received his 40 year membership card and lapel pin.  Then Chris and Steve White, music and performance vp, presented a surprise gift to retiring assistant director Will Cox – a name tag listing him as assistant director emeritus.

Chris also reports that several long-time members have renewed even tho they no longer sing with us regularly:  Jed Casey 60 years! Darryl Flinn 60 years! Burt Stueve 37years Bob Eckman 31 years

Steve then acknowledged that several men in our chorus are also singing in quartets and work at least another few nites each month to prepare for the spring division contests held in our Mid Atlantic District.  HANDSOME REWARD with John Reece, Mike Edison, Vince Lynch and Michael Gilmore sang for us as they prepare for appearance at the Southern Division contest on May 22^nd at Reston Hyatt.  Fri nite contest session starts at 6:57 pm.  You can get tickets on site.  There will be five or six othe quartets with Harmonizers in them singing in that contest.

President Terry Reynolds reported that Michael Schwartz is doing better and is at home.  Bob Wactcher stopped by the church to say hi and report in during his extensive period of caring for his wife.

Terry also promoted our participation in the Armed Forces show on Saturday, May 16^th and the flag pole raising ceremony at the Old Dominion Boat Club on Sunday, May 17^th. Community service chairman Clyde Crusenberry is coordinating that event. 

The second half of our meeting Thursday was to review the music for our standing Armed Forces/Patriotic package.  Joe suggested that we all need to keep these songs ready since we will be using this package at various times during the year for paid performances in the DC market.

Joe did a bandana check for the Class of 15 too!!!

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 67^th year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. —YeEd.