Thursday, December 22, 2016


Looking Back on the Dec 20th Chapter Meeting

This annual “pub crawl” event is really fun for all of us.  We met at Durant at 7 pm as usual.  A little warm up time for the singers, and a little admin time for any chapter announcements.

 

A major one – there will be no chapter meetings on  Tues. Dec. 27th nor on Jan. 3rd but come back on Jan. 10th for major announcements about plans for 2017 and beyond.  Director Joe Cerutti hinted that there are some major events on the horizon that are new to all. Also watch for the weekly announcement email so you can sign up for the annual Presidents’ Banquet that is on Sat. Jan.28th at 6 pm at Arlington/Fairfax Elks Lodge, 8421 Arlington Blvd.  See Art Medici to make your reservations. . Let’s all attend this year to kick off things for 2017.

 

Note that there is a guest nite on Jan. 24th at our chapter meeting that nite.

 

And mark your calendar to attend the BLAST party Tues Dec. 27th hosted by Dundalk MD Chapter – fun tag singing, pick up quartets, guest quartets, cold drinks and hotdogs to eat.  There is a $15 fee at the door. It goes from 7:30 to midnite at Michael’s 8th Avenue club, 7220 Grayburn Dr., Glen Burnie MD.  It is fun and there are always a lot of our guys and their guests there.

 

So about 7:30 pm everyone headed down into Old Town Alexandria and re-assembled at Market Square.  Bob Blair brought the Santa hats for guys to wear. Then we followed chorus manager Mark Klostermeyer from restaurant to restaurant where we sang two holiday songs and then left right away singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”  Mark and Joe Cerutti Sr. were downtown early and prearranged for us to make the stops, but this year, some of the firms called and wanted to be sure we were coming this year again, so they could alert their favorite dinner customers to be there.  Every year the customers in the restaurants are really happy to see us and hear us and sometime join in on the songs.

 

Alan Wile noted that all the members of the Alexandria Commission for the Arts were at Virtue Feed & Grain when we stopped to sing there.  Also the director of the arts for the City of Alexandria was there with them. 

 

After singing in six or seven places, those that wanted a little afterglow time stayed at our last stop to unwind.

 

It was great to see Ian Poulin up and about this past weekend for the show and at this week’s sing after the recent knee surgery.  Great to have Lew Klinge come along and sing with us this week too.

 

President Randall Eliason reports two items of family news:

 

Dennis Malone posted on Facebook that he has been diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer. He is currently on a "leave of absence" from the Sound of the Rockies. He will be remembered by many of our longer-time members; he was a musical leader in the chapter for 10 years back in the '90's. He was a member of the SIDE STREET RAMBLERS gold medal quartet in 1983. In his typical style, Dennis posted: "Been diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer.. got my first shot of a hormone loaded with estrogen. Estrogen shrinks the prostate and the cancer along with it. Side effects include hot flashes and having to buy a training bra. There is no cure but is manageable."

 

Terry Jordan's wife Ginger had what the doctors have diagnosed as a "full bore" (Terry's words) stroke this weekend. She has been moved from the hospital to a rehab facility, HealthSouth Rehab Hospital of NoVA in Aldie VA.  Meanwhile, Terry is still unable to walk or drive, so things are complicated. Friends and neighbors have helped get him to the hospital.

 

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 68th year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. —YeEd

1 comment:

Monty Mehra said...

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