Page 15 - Winter 2021 Tags and Swipes

Tags and Swipes, Winter 2021

Farmington Valley Chorus (continued)

Thanks to our newest recipient of the "You Are Awesome" Award,
Tamara Hitchcock, who recorded EVERY rehearsal and EVERY
performance we are able to sing to/with ourselves and not a learning tape
recording. It's fantastic.

Every week Betsy Berman – one of our awesome Leads – does a
physical warm-up. She was a dancer in her former life so she has some
moves we can all do in a little space or even sitting down. Not that our
chorus is that large but when you’re always on the left side of the chorus
you don’t really get to talk to the people who are always on the right side
of the chorus. Pat Lary does a “What’s My Line” segment in our Zoom
rehearsals where she spotlights one person from the chorus and asks
them a bunch of questions about their lives (hobbies, family, some secret
we don’t know). We find out a lot about each other. One of our members
even wrote a book we didn’t know about until Pat got it out of her.

Speaking of Spotlight, we have been playing some fun Holiday games. Cathy Saunders did a Spotlight
Carol Sing where she would start one or two lines of a carol and our mistress of the Zoomage would
spotlight someone and you had to sing the next line. It’s funny how you can absolutely forget a line you’ve
sung a gazillion times when all of a sudden your face is huge on the screen. Sue Mollica MC'ed a Christmas
Kahoots and a “Name That Tune” game. We all learned with the fun of it how many carols start out the
same way.

We did a few outside clumps at members houses in the Fall and Winter complete with fire pit social
distancing, hot cocoa and more carols/holiday tunes. So fun just to see each other in person even though
we're " inside voice" singing so far apart and behind masks. Those sparkling eyes tell the joy of it all.

Even though we’re not physically meeting and all that entails, we still need to fundraise for International
(hopefully) and regional events (hopefully). Erika Leslie organized a really successful T-shirt/sweatshirt
fundraiser with a design by our own Rachael Meyer. Here’s a sample of it:

Pretty cool. We have our chorus name on the back too. Look for these
shirts at future regional events (hopefully). Corinna Grossman also
coordinated a successful gift card fundraiser that came in soooooooo
handy this year.

We really, really appreciate what the regional management team has
been doing for all of us in these weird times. They are amazing – virtual
Happy Hours and Geek Week were so much fun!!! We must be, by far,
the best Region of Sweet Adelines ever!! #1- who could argue that?

May the glorious sight of those “lousy, rotten, pain –in-the-patootie to
put up and take down” risers be upon us all in 2021.

Nancy Propfe
15

North Atlantic Region 1 Sweet Adelines