Page 11 - Winter 2024 Tags and Swipes Newsletter

Tags and Swipes, Winter 2024

A Region 1 first!

Region 1 is the proud owner of a brand new set of risers! We are fairly certain this

is the first time the Region has ever owned a new set of risers. The risers we have
used in the past had been donated from choruses no longer needing those risers.
They were used risers which have been put to good use for many years by the
Region. The Region has been so fortunate for so many years to have these risers

however last summer the RMT decided it was time for a brand new set of risers.
Our risers were very old, worn, creaky and squeaky, hard to set up without quite a
large set of muscles and some good old elbow grease.

The Region leadership over many years has been attentive to the financial position

of the Region and as such, the purchase of new risers was possible. In September
2023, the risers were delivered to our RMT Team Coordinator Becky King’s home
and she and her husband Ken spent a whole weekend unpacking the risers,
installing the wheels and the joining link bars and setting up the new risers. Thank

you, Becky & Ken. The risers were brought to Fall Regional Weekend in
Marlborough where they were used for the first time.

The story doesn’t end there – the region found homes for the old risers. The
Berkshire Hills Chorus was looking to downsize from 6 foot risers to 4 foot risers

so they took some of the old risers and with the help of husbands and supporters,
they refurbished the risers for their use. The Lowell Gentlemen Songsters of BHS
had their risers disposed of without their approval by the organization that was
storing the riser for them – they suddenly had no risers. This chorus too has taken

some of the old risers and put some love into them to refurbish them for their use.
So glad the Region is able to help fellow barbershoppers!

You all should have the opportunity to stand on the new risers over the course of
the next year and when you do, take a moment, look down, see how your regional

dues over the years have been put to good use and be thankful for a new set of safe
and sturdy risers. These risers should last many, many years. If you help set up and
take down the risers, treat them kindly and with care – they belong to you.

11 (continued on the next page)

North Atlantic Region 1 Sweet Adelines