Guild Newsletter 2011 June

Pat Manko, President

Bonnie Clutterbuck, Editor

June 2011

It seems like I was just writing my message for the first newsletter of the 2010/2011 season and here I am writing my last message for this season. I want to use this message for thanking so many people who have made this a successful year.

Because it is so fresh in our minds I think I will start with the Showhouse. No matter what the final figures are I think we can all say it was a successful Showhouse. First we need to thank Sandy Borntraeger, Cletia Bowron, Ouida Walker, Susan Kelley and Brenda Lutin. They toured several homes and finally decided on one. A great deal of thought went into this decision: Do we give an older home a try? Do we give the far West side a chance. They had faith that we could make this a success and decided to go with the house. Thank you ladies for making that decision. Then there is Rose and Marge. They spent many hours coming up with a plan and what a plan it was. They transformed a beautiful home into a breathtaking home. Thank you Rose and Marge. And finally, there were our volunteers. Once again they came through for us. Thank you to all of you.

Next I want to thank Terree Hays for her many years of being in charge of the Instrument Zoo. I hate to think how many miles she put on her car transporting those instruments to the different schools. Terree has decided she needs a break from this job. I am sure she will still be involved somehow. Thank you Terree.

I want to thank Taffy Rogers for all those years of baking potatoes for the “potato luncheon”.

This is one of the musicians favorite events of the year. Taffy has decided to throw in her apron. We expect to see you at the luncheons Taffy, even if is just to socialize.

I want to thank Bonnie Clutterbuck for the Newsletter.

I want to thank those of you who are experts in folding and stuffing. You answered each plea that went out from Sherrie. The 2nd floor may not thank you individually, but believe me, they thank you.

Finally I want to thank those current board members that are getting off the board – Robin Berenberg, Jeanne Ward, Ellen Thorne, Donna Keathley, Terree Hays, Dianne Wilson, Gail Horowitz, Martie Yohe, Carol Halliwell, Barbara Fuller and Carolyn Gaspard. I thank you for your service to the Guild.

Along this same line I want to thank the new members of the board. Thank you for saying yes when you got that phone call.

As we take a short summer break I ask you all to enjoy yourself. September will be here sooner that you think and the board will be asking for your help with various projects. Part of being a Guild member is saying yes when you get these calls. We need everyone to be an active part of the Guild. I assure you there is something for everyone.

Pat Manko, Guild President

“SOUTHERN GRANDEUR” After the crowds were gone, after the designer’s moved out and after everyone took a deep breath, we both reflected on what it took to open the doors to this magnificent home. Words are not enough to express what we feel towards everyone that worked so hard.

We will never forget the “Showhouse Committee” that made this year so successful. Years of experience and knowledge really added up to our once-in-a-lifetime Showhouse!

Sandy Borntraeger and Cletia Bowron turned the Program into a work of art. How proud we were when we opened the Program for the first time. Negotiating every detail with the Florida Times-Union, proofing every word that went into print, physically washing tables and chairs and volunteering as docents………this team is amazing. Do you know I believe they are actually already looking for next year’s Showhouse? Once again we say we could not have done this without you both.

Bonnie Ennis and Pat Manko once again teamed up for Staffing and Day Chairs. They did a fabulous job with all the docents. We even had volunteers from the Chandler Oaks neighborhood. Bonnie and Pat gave us the greatest gift they could have when they covered for us the first two weeks of the Showhouse. What would we have done without you? Our energy left right after the Preview Party! As President, Pat Manko represents the Guild so well!

Susan Kelley and Ouida Walker………so much combined experience we think they could do a Luncheon blindfolded. Always willing to give us advice and guidance. Did we ever learn from you both! What a successful and beautiful Luncheon! What pearls of wisdom you shared with us. We will never forget what we learned from you both.

Eleanor Maxwell takes on the job of Online Sales and Showhouse Treasurer. She made the trek daily at closing time to gather tickets and check on the Boutique. Her always-pleasant demeanor does so much to ease the fears of everyone asking for Numbers and more Numbers! Can we add she kept us laughing?

The Ticket Committee came together and did this job so well, we hardly heard from anyone. Headed up by Joy Storms, this team got tickets to Outlets, Designers, Guild Members and Group Sales. Dottie Cahill lined up the Ticket Outlets, Faith Jorgensen mailed tickets out to Guild Members, Allene Groote promoted Group Sales and the TV and Radio Stations and Marge Medina headed up Door Sales again this year. We thank all of you for all the behind-thescenes work.

Our secret weapon this year was Dotti Cahill. We originally said no to the Thirsty Thursday events…then at the last minute said yes…and Dotti came to the rescue, donating all the wine and snacks, serving and educating. Thank you for jumping in for any and everything we needed.

Geri Godfrey was as gracious as always and quietly kept records and got the minutes out to everyone. What a beautiful, calming presence.

Brenda Luten pulled all the designers together, reviewed their plans, and watched over this talented group to make this Showhouse a true home of “Southern Grandeur”. Brenda did all of this while creating an absolutely beautiful room enjoyed by all.

The Speaker Series was a great success. Thank you Anita Geiger and Jean Ward for setting up and introducing each speaker. We will never forget how the heat melted the chocolate teacup handles from Edgewood Bakery – but they sure were good!

Sherrie Calvert-Webb did what she is so good at……….she spreads all the “good news” and inserts the words Showhouse, Volunteer and Donate as many times as she can to anyone standing still. What would we ever do without Sherrie?

We certainly can’t forget the Music For Your Eyes Violins. This year Mary Jeannette Howle and Pam GarrishNelson headed up this program, along with many volunteers. Everyone sold tickets all year at every opportunity. You certainly have made this a year to remember. Thank you for sharing it with the Showhouse. We were proud to have you!

Thank you Carol Mehrtens for bringing your artistic talent to this year’s Showhouse and displaying your beautiful artwork. Once again Eileen Corse honored the Guild with her fabulous paintings. You are both so generous to always make your work available.

The Avondale Gift Boutique proved to be one of the most beautiful additions to our Showhouse. This wonderful family gave it all they had with laughter and much hard work. We were so lucky to have them represent the Guild! Our fabulous group of ladies, headed up by Sandi Hibbard, helped make this year so successful. Thank you to Sue Ashby, Margie Deegan, Gayle Banks and Carolyn Gaspard. What a team!

This year our Showhouse included The Village Shops. So much work for everyone involved, but such a fun idea. We thank you Pam Howard of The Village Design Studio and Gene Hittle of Gene’s Fine Finds, along with Heidi Hall-Jones of Punch Jones Last, but not least, Bonnie Hayflick, PR Counsel, our Public Relations Representative, did a great job of getting the word out everywhere around town and across the First Coast!

Camille Gregg tried to take us into this century with Facebook and Twitter. We will improve with each passing year!!

Thank you Camille.

To all of our talented Designers: Natalie Cordova, Talia Steiner, Jeanette Brunick, Heidi Hall-Jones, Gary E. Adler, Terra Kerley, Alice Atkins McCoy, Louise Johnson, Katrina O’Nan, Carson Phillips, Marie Pearce, Michael Parrish, Terry W.Adams, Charles M. Gardner, Kyle M. Williams, Marissa Napoli, Interior Design Students from Florida State College, Laura West Howson, Sharon Blank, Susan Boylan, Brenda Luten and Pam Howard.

To the many that helped us get the Showhouse ready, drove friends to share in the beauty of the Showhouse, swept, spread pine straw, washed tables and chairs and did everything it took to make the Preview Party picture perfect, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Rose and Marge, Showhouse Co-Chairs

PAINTED VIOLIN The priceless hand-painted violin by the late famed artist Christine Henderson Schmidt (1922-2009) has been awarded to Bernard Ross of Jacksonville. The violin was a gift to the person whose name was drawn from the entries in our complimentary promotional drawing at the Showhouse 2011. Barnard has been notified and will be our guest at the June Luncheon to receive his violin.

Marge Burgess

GUILD FRIENDS Is your name on this list: Sue Ashby, Eleanor Ashby, Robin Berenberg, Rita Cannon, Marilyn Carpenter, Marion Edwards, Bonnie Ennis, Jackie and George Fetherstone, Sandy Finch, Marjorie Fiore, Carol Fryer, Anita Geiger, Viki Grzelinski, Sandi Hibbard, Ellen Hudson, Sue Jarecki, Susan Kelley, Helen Lane, Eleanor Maxwell, Pat and Mike Manko, Marge Medina, Jeanne Moomaw, Mati Julvihill, Rose Littlefield, Joan Newton, Janet Nicosia, Georgianne Pionessa, Nancy Salter, Lorraine Scruby, Carol Shircliff, Suwannee Shuntich, Carolyn & John Solomon, Mary Love Strum, Erlane Tait, Mary Virginia Terry, Ellen Thorne, Ouida Walker, Suzy Wolff, Martie Yohe and Mary Ellen Young.

These are Guild members who have become a Guild Friend of the Jacksonville Symphony. There is still time to join this list. I know you will want to be a part of sponsoring the “Music of James Bond” concert in 2012. This year we have some non Guild members that are a part of this effort: Susan and Bud Bolebaugh, Ginny and Chuck Dunn, Becky and Gert Schumann and Singers By The Sea. We welcome them to our circle of Guild Friends. Perhaps you might have some friends or organization that would want to participate. To become a Friend all you have to do is contact Sherrie in the Guild office and she will take your information.

There can never be too many Guild Friends of the Jacksonville Symphony

EDUCATION COMMITTEE The Guild’s Education Committee has been very busy the past year trying to adjust to the best ways we can serve our community in the years to come while at the same time meeting our current obligations. For various reasons we find it difficult to attract enough volunteers to help perform as in the past, yet, we want to continues serving our schools and community.

Most affected is our popular Instrument Zoos when we take them into it into the public schools. In order to make it work we need at least 16 Guild members (plus other volunteers from each school) to give up a Thursday morning.

Looking to the future we are now currently setting up a Music Instrument Lending Library which school teachers can borrow instruments to use in the classroom. Also, we are exploring other new ways of presenting the Instrument Zoo including taking the instruments by family groups to the schools. This could require far less volunteers at any one time.

Our Eleanor H. King Tuition Scholarship is doing very well. This year we’ll reach our $5,000 goal and next year will aim for an even larger amount of money to work with. The students (and families) in the JSYO programs are most appreciative and deserving.

Our Painted Violin Funder raiser for Harmony Grants has been very successful under the leadership of Pam Nelson, Mary Jeanette Howle, and Debbie Grisnick. With pending school budget cuts the grants will be all the more welcome by Northeast Florida Educators this year. Thanks to all who bought raffle tickets for helping to support this worthy program. Also, many thanks to ten local artists who donated their talent and time to this successful project.

All of the Education Committee programs have been active this year and we welcome any and all Guild members who would like to be a part of our committee and its programs. These are the programs that give you a “feel good” feeling at the end of the day.

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS The Guild has established a fund to provide scholarships to members of the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra. This fund is to be administered by the Education Committee of the Guild. This year the scholarship certificates were presented to: Mitchell Kuhn, Likai He and Hannah Fell at the Major Minor Concert. The winners will be honored at the June Luncheon. We congratulate all the winners.

SPECIAL LUNCHEON RAFFLE From the creator of the hit television show “Dancing with the Stars”, comes – “Ballroom with a Twist” featuring dancers “Alec Maxo” and “Edyta Sliwinska” from the hit ABC show along with singers from American Idol and dancers from Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance”. The date of the concert is March 3, 2012. The Guild has two tickets to be raffled off at the Annual Meeting and Luncheon on June 14, 2011. This is a special one of a kind concert. Cost of the tickets will be $10 for one ticket and $20 for three. You will want to take part in this drawing. You may, of course, charge your ticket purchase. If, for some reason, you aren’t going to attend the luncheon you may get your raffle tickets from Sherrie at the office. We would rather, however, sell them to you at the luncheon, so make your reservations now.

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NOMNATING COMMITTEE

The 2010-2011 Nominating Committee, Suzy Wolff, Chairman; Mary Jeannette Howle, Gail Horowitz, Pam Gerrish-Nelson, Rose Littlefield, Margie Deegan and Gayle Banks presented the slate of officers and board members for 2011-12 at the May Guild Board Meeting. The slate was accepted unanimously. The new Officers and Board Members will be installed at the June luncheon. The slate is as follows: Executive Committee and Officers 2011 - 2012 President - Pat Manko President-Elect - Alberta Hipps Secretary - Joy Storms Treasurer - Eleanor Maxwell Special Events Treasurer - Jane Estes VP, Ways and Means - Allene Groote VP, Membership - Pam Gerrish-Nelson VP, JSA Activities - Marcia Gardini (Coffee Concerts) Pat Teems (RAKES) VP, Education - Mary Jeanette Howle Advisory Committee: Marge Burgess, Sandy Borntraeger, Rose Littlefield, Bonnie Ennis Parliamentarian/Past President - Anita Geiger Public Relations Officers: Camille Gregg (Facebook/Twitter), Teresa Eichner (Public Relations) 2011 - 2012 Board of Directors Term Expires 2012 Carol Fryer, Mary Coleman, Sandy Finch, Rita Cannon, Carol Mehrtens, Nancy Salter, Susan Gordon, Judy Ratcliffe, Faith Jorgensen Term Expires 2013 Sandi Hibbard, Beverly McKnight, Mary Ellen Young, Maggie Means, Maureen Kirschhofer, Marge Medina. Eleanor Hughes, Kathy Cosnotti, Judy Pujol Term Expires 2014 Hope Ferrigno, Martha Read, Dotti Cahill, Shirley Hanson, Kimberly Sisisky, Monica Boccieri, Lorraine Scruby, Estelle Chisholm, Gwen Tomic, Naomi Karkanen, Marlene O'Connor, Martha Jo Fender Suzy Wolff, Chairman

JACKSONVILLE SYMMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA On behalf of the 225 talented young men and women in the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra, we thank you for the Guilds continued support and love for our ever growing group!! You are truly an amazing group of volunteers!!

Scott and Camille Gregg

COFFEE CONCERTS – RAKES - STAFF LUNCHEON Carolyn Gaspard and Marcia Gardini would like to thank all the volunteers that helped with the different JSA activities. The coffee concerts were once again a great hit. Those concert attendees really appreciated those brownies.

The RAKES were definitely a big hit with the musicians. Because of the time change to their actual lunch break, more of the musicians were able to take advantage of the event. They so enjoyed it, not only the delicious food but the fellowship with Guild members. The Guild members of Queen’s Harbour provided food for the staff luncheon in February – another hit. So, as you can see, the Guild is not only known for raising money. We support the JSA in many ways but without the help of our volunteers this would not be possible.