Date: August 20, 2001

We will be recording our Christmas CD at the beginning of September along with all of the other Montreal choruses. We will be putting the following three songs on the CD.

• Go Tell It On The Mountain
• Eight Candles
• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

In all the CD will include about 15 numbers. Each of the 5 choruses will do three songs each. Sweet Adeline's Greater Montreal and West Island Chapters, Montreal Chapter of Harmony Inc, South Shore Saints and The Island City Chorus will be performing.

The price of the CD will be $20.00 CDN $15.00 US. $5.00 from the sale of each CD will be donated to a charity to be selected and agreed upon by all of the chapters.

We will be allocated approximately 275 CD's to sell and this will generate a profit for the chorus of approximately $3000.00. Our 5% commission policy to each member who sells CD's will apply and can be used to offset costs related to your chorus expenses. This works out to $1.00 per CD. Sell 75 CD's and you have $75.00 to apply towards competition, uniform costs, annual chorus dues, etc. for next year.

We can sell more than our allocation, so let's plan our sales program now. It's a fantastic way for us to make money and at the same time contribute substantial dollars to a good cause.

More news will follow shortly from the CD committee headed by Richard Frenette.

This is a reminder that we have planned to have Two "Guest Nights" this year and we have scheduled the next and last one for September 10^th, at 7:30pm in our rehearsal hall.

We are counting on ALL of you to invite as many INTERESTED acquaintances to come and join us in a fun night of song.

Our last Guest Night proved to be most successful. We were able to interest three people to join our Chorus. As you are aware we have increased our membership with five new singers to date, and we can use a few more good voices to bring down to Lowell this fall. So do your utmost, talk it up and lets see how many guests we can get to come out on September 10th.

Jerry Silverberg has made up a flyer that you can put up in places where singers may see it. He suggests trying your barbershop.

Competition will be October 26-28, 2001. The hotels in Lowell are being checked out for us and travel plans will be finalized shortly. We will keep you posted.

Starting last month, July, members are responsible for paying their own International and District Dues directly to SPEBSQSA International. Chapter dues are paid monthly to Ray Watkins.

Canadian members have the option of writing a check and paying in Canadian dollars at a designated exchange rate or charging their credit card for the U.S. amount. Canadian members are able to pay their Society and district dues directly to headquarters in Canadian funds.

Merchandise can be ordered from Harmony Marketplace in the same way. The exchange rate for the third quarter is 1.5381

We are looking for paid singouts. The chorus has budgeted for several singouts before the end of this year. We know we will be doing Christmas and Chanukah Singouts, but if you know people in companies, seniors' residences, running conventions, etc. the Island City Chorus will be pleased to provide a quotation for entertainment.

Please contact Alan Kenley. Do NOT make arrangements yourself.

We are going to be having a great evening of singing and food. We, with the other barbershop chapters from Montreal, will supply the music. The food will be coming from us, and our significant others.

We have had some new folks stepping in front of the chorus to lead us while Rob is on vacation. The last two weeks are coming up! Here is the schedule for this week I hope we will have next week as well. For the moment, it is a fill-in the blanks evening.

This week, again, we are going to spend more time on "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." We will also get in some practice on the other two songs for the Christmas CD.

Please check the list of jobs to ensure that your name is on the list in a place where you will be comfortable working for the week of the International convention.

The Chapter will elect the Board of Directors and Chapter Officers for 2002 in the next month or so. Have you ever thought of offering your services to the Chapter? Talk to Steve Wheaton.

As hosts for 2003, we will be in need of a good number of people in Portland to help sell registrations and to promote Montreal as a destination.

Practice is something we do at home, every day, between rehearsals!

Rehearsal is where we reinforce what we have been practising every day!