Another great one is in the books – due to the efforts of FWD Events VP Chris Wilson, FWD Events Team General Manager Sam Barger, along with Ron Byrd and the Fresno Chapter Spring Team Members.

 

The Convention was dedicated to none other that the legendary Dr. Val Hicks, who has done so much and given so freely of his gigantic talent over the years.

4 Qualify for Portland

Congratulations to all the contestants who provided the Conventioneers with such a high level of entertainment.        

Four International Quartet contenders qualified to represent FWD in Portland:  Metropolis, Gotcha!,  Finale, and  Late Night Barbershop. Congratulations to the rest of the very talented and exciting quartets who graced the stage. (Freestyle is reported to be competing out of district for another FWD slot).  Full contest results posted on the FWD Website  www.spebsqsafwd.org).

 

11 Compete in the High School Contest

No less than eleven outstanding quartets competed in the High School Quartet contest with performance caliber of these young men continuing to amaze and delight audiences.   Special kudos are offered  to first-place achievers Fast Forward from Galena High School and Sparks High School.  from the Reno area

 

Peninsula and  SanFrancisco net slots in Fall Chorus Contest

Congratulations to the Peninsulaires Chorus on their first-place finish in the Small Chapter Chorus Contest.  The silver medal and another invite to the Fall contest went to San Francicso’s Cable Car Chorus.  

 

Fred Koch Newest FWD Hall Of Fame Member

Past District President, Events Chairman, past-everything, Fred Koch, was inducted into the Far Western District Hall Of Fame

 

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Chorus Director Development – DVP Jim Turnmire

Music Team Seminar August 16 – 18 in Hayward.  Guest clinician:  Freddy King.

At least three Directors’ College Scholarships are available – so far, two nominees have been received..

Two CDWI sessions planned for the first half of 2002.

 

Chapter Support and Leadershop Training – DVP Bernard Priceman

Twenty-four Chapter Coaches in place in FWD.  The goal is one Coach per two chapters

 

Check out the FWD Website (www.spebsqsafwd.org) for the latest Membership Services information.

COTS venues are in place – same venues as last year.

Contest and Judging – DVP Tom Raffety

Contestant Registration has gone electronic.  The registration form will no longer be published in WESTUNES, but will be available on the FWD website (www.spebsqsafwd.org).  The FWD listserv will continue to carry announcements of general interest regarding contests, i.e. 30 day advance call for contestants, 14 day order of appearance, results, etc.

 

Events – DVP Chris Wilson

Dick Whitten is the new Regional Convention Planner for

NoCal West and Hawaii.

 

The Events team is accepting hosting bids for upcoming conventions – both at the Divisional and District level.

 

Advertising space will be available in upcoming District convention programs.  For details, contact Events Ad Manager Bill Rosica (phone 661-589-4983, email brosica@kernoil.com).

Check the district website www.spebsqsafwd.org for complete details on convention related information.

 

Marketing & Public Relations -  DVP Clark Abrahamson

Look for first edition of the new WESTUNES under the editorship of Ray Rhymer to hit the streets in the next few weeks.

Check out the FWD Website (www.spebsqsafwd.org) soon – and frequently.  Webmaster Keith Eckhardt is updating the site almost daily with new features and information.

Look for a forthcoming Grant Writing Seminar – possibly in conjunction with COTS.

 

Member Services – DVP Peter Feeney

Membership in the FWD and the Society continues to decline.  FWD Membership at the end of 2001 was 3,560 – down 16 members from 2000.

 

A new membership program, 2002 Challenge, has a goal of increasing active membership by 5%.  (If each member asks just one man to join , the  challenge will be met!)

 

Welcome Joe Salz as the new FWD Harmony Foundation Chairman.  Joe asks that each chapter appoint a Harmony Foundation Chairman to help achieve the Charitable Mission: “To preserve our musical legacy through the support of vocal music education in our schools and communities”.

 

 

Music and Performance – DVP Jim Crowley

Bill Rashleigh, Society Music Specialist, will be visiting SoCal in April.  In addition to Chapter visitations, he’ll be judging in the SoCal West contest.

 

Harmony College West is slated for July 19-21 at University of Redlands.

 

Look for new developments in the Champs Assistance Program (CAP), under the direction of Stan Sharpe (vocalteacher1@juno.com).

 

Lloyd Steinkamp (unkalloyd@juno.com) continues to chair the Standing Ovation Program (SOP).

 

Dan Wilson (Dan.Wilson@asu.edu) continues as chair of the Song Writers Guild.

 

TopGun Invitational will again be held in conjunction with COTS, chaired by Brian Philbin BrianPhilbin@hotmail.com).

 

Young Men In Harmony – DVP Ed Bejarana

Youth Harmony Camps: June 21 – 23.

NoCal: Mt. Cross – Gary Bolles, Director. 

SoCal: Camp Buckhorn – Ron Black, Director.

 

Secretary – John Ford

Look for the HOD Report to be sent electronically via email to delegates, rather than mailed.

Look for the District Directory to be streamlined and condensed.

 

Treasurer – Jim Sherman

Chapter Audit and IRS reports are both due to be completed by May 15.

The FWD is financially sound, with 2001 total liabilities and retained earnings at $75,928.54. ,but cautioned that 2002 will be a year to minimize expenditures and maximize revenues, in light of an expected continued downturn in membership and rising expenses.

 

 

HOUSE OF DELEGATES MEETING HIGHLIGHTS:

 

FWD President John Krizek welcomed the delegates and remarked on the following:

 

The Number One goal is to return the District to it’s past growth path.  We can’t continue to provide the current level of benefits at the present rate of decline.

The effort starts at the local level – by focusing on more interaction among chapters (i.e. visitations, picnics, bean feeds, campouts…).

 

Society President Roger Lewis presented the Keynote Address, noting the following:

 

·            Motto for 2002 – “Singing Is Life – The Rest Is Just Details”

·            Membership is our Number one challenge

·            New tools in 2002: “United We Sing”, 292 Published Membership Ideas

·            85 – 90% of our members were attracted by seeing a performance or being invited to a meeting.

·            A net gain of 1 member per chapter will result in a gain of 550 Society members.

·            The Society is in good financial shape.

·            Riptide quartet will chair the Quartet Development effort.

·            Continued focus on YMIH – Harmony Explosion, MBNA, Youth Camps, etc.

·            Continued expansion of E-Business via Website, email.

·            Look for continued emphasis on new learning tools.

 

FWD Awards Chairman, Don McAvoy presented Chapter bulletin awards:

Large Bulletins (more than 6 pages):

Dick Cote – Fullerton “Barbershop Clippin’s”  (Entered in the International Contest)

Mike Martin – South Bay “Hey Hey Harold” (Entered in the International Contest)

Small Bulletins (6 or fewer pages)

Fred Koch – Tucson “Sunshine Sayings”

Neal Cavanaugh – San Jose “The Pitch”

 

LRP Proposal Approved.

The HOD adopted a BOD recommendation of a District Restructure Proposal by the Long Range Planning Committee to enhance and improve communications between and within the Divisions.  In essence, the proposal calls for a return to the Divisional Vice President structure, while retaining the current functional areas under committee chairmen.  Targeted to be enacted in 2004, the restructure will begin with current District Vice Presidents taking responsibility for communications with specific Chapters within each Division.  Look for details in forthcoming announcements on the FWD Website and other communications channels.