Date: June 26, 2000 Hope you had a great long weekend!

The Lead Section was under populated last Monday! There were lots of basses, however. "The Bass Section is the one to beat right now," says Rob Mance, our musical director par excellence and connoisseur of fine sections. The members of the Bass Section concur. Members of the other Section's are holding their collective breaths to see if this phenomenon will last for the rest of the month, or if the baritones will try to stake a claim on this prestigious designation. The Tenor Section claims a foul since they sparkle in all the right places and with reduced numbers they plan to be note perfect all the time.

Do I detect a competition within the competition? Will there be a best row within the best Section? Will there be ice cream for Michael Frolich (who had his tonsils removed on Monday last)? Will there be some new songs to learn, with learning tapes by Chris Arnold? Stay tuned.

Here is some information regarding our singout on July 15 in Drummondville. The Address:

We will be singing for 1/2 hour at approximately 2.00pm and the Practice hall is available from 10.00 am to 12.00

There are restaurants in the village for lunch or you can bring your own. Don't forget that wives or girlfriends are more than welcome and will be admitted free. You may also bring friends along but their is a village entrance fee for them.

It is great area to spend the day and a chance for everyone to hear, once again, how good we are.

Alan Kenley will have maps and info on the village at Monday's practice

Summer arrived last Tuesday! Actually, it arrived officially on Tuesday evening at 9:48 pm. You know that summer is an ideal time to invite someone that you know loves to sing and is able to carry a tune. We are one of the few singing organizations that does not quit for the summer. Invite people from your church choir, or other choirs that are on summer hiatus. They may like what they hear and want to stay, or perhaps they may want to join us for our Christmas sing outs. Remember that membership starts with ME.

So, you want to raise $3,000? Let's have your ideas! Since the show didn't quite bring in as much as we budgeted, we need to have some successful fundraisers. Obviously singing is an ideal way to raise money. If you know of a group that is looking for some excellent entertainment at a reasonable price, refer them to Alan Kenley at 514-341-7171.

In addition to the sing-outs we will have between now and December 31, 2000, we need to have some other fund raisers. If you have a suggestion, call me (514-993-4673) or send me an email (imphillips@sprint.ca). All suggestions will be considered.

Learn more about our hobby, meet barbershoppers from other Chapters and have a great time doing it. Harmony Pilgrimage will be taking place at Westfield College, Westfield, MA on August 11-13, 2000. This is a great opportunity to learn more about our hobby. Some excellent coaches will be there and will share their expertise with the attendees, who come from around the Northeast. Quartets can receive coaching as well.

This year, the guest quartet is Revival, 1998 International Champions. On Friday evening, the members of Revival will be telling how to be a great tenor, lead, baritone or bass. Rob Mance will be teaching Tag Singing, and you can learn Vocal Techniques.

Saturday there is quartet coaching and classes on How to Balance Chords, Beginning Directing, Sight Singing, Basic Choreography, Emceeing (with Mike Maino), Vocal Techniques and more. Ask Steve Wheaton or Murray Phillips for more information, or go to http://www.nedistrict.org/schools/hp/.

Pay-as-you-go-Joe. Get a jump on next years Annual Dues. Don't forget the easiest way to pay is in small instalments. The $14 Monthly payment hardly hurts. (Nor does the $42.00 quarterly payment.) All cheques are payable to "Island City Chorus." This is encouraged for all members of the Chapter. If you pay $14.00 at the first rehearsal every month, you save a couple of dollars, but you also make the payment process painless. Start NOW. Post-dated cheques can be given to Ray Watkins, Chapter Treasurer. Cheques should be payable to Island City Chorus.

• I'll get a world record for this..
• Are you sure the power is off?
• Yeah, I made the deciding vote on the jury, so what of it?
• I wonder where the mother bear is.
• I've seen this done on TV.
• These are the good kind of mushrooms.
• I'll hold it, and you light the fuse.