RAMBLIN’ with Helen...
As I write our “monthly visit”, one knows that when the NY State Fair opens, fall is on its way! I hope all of you survived the HOT summer, and have been enjoying the beautiful weather we are having now.
Once again, I must say “THANK YOU” to Cathy and Ed Campbell for having my “home away from home” waiting for me when I arrived at the festival on Friday morning. Comments I’ve heard, notes received from members, and emails received, I fully agree that this festival was one of the best! The bands were all good; Carl Stump did a fabulous job with the sound; the food was far superior to the past couple of years; the Gospel Show on Sunday morning, arranged by Bob Simmons was excellent; the various Emcee’s kept us informed, and the continuous attendance under the tent was the largest I’ve seen in years. ED CAMPBELL and JOHN VanDUSEN are to be commended for a JOB WELL-DONE!! However, as you will note elsewhere in this newsletter, it was the cooperation of all who volunteered that really made it a success.
John Peterson, a long-time member, thank you for your kind words regarding the “Ramblin with Helen” in our newsletter – you are way too kind!! John also wrote that he was thrilled at the quality of the bands there as he brought a non-bluegrass friend, who was also very impressed. Yes, John, as you said – “we have come a long way from Frank Saplin’s farm!”
When Perry Cleaveland renewed their family membership, he wrote they are busy at their Bed & Breakfast, (see article relating to that elsewhere in this issue) and was also doing a lot of music as well between the various bands. He also said that his Mom, Maxine and his brothers and sisters were all doing fine. Perry, what a joy it has been for so many of us to see you grow up, become a talented musician, and best of all the gentleman you have become.
I have received 22 new memberships since the July/August issue, which leads me to believe we indeed must be doing some things right! One of the new family memberships are Howard and Fay Jennings, who belonged several years ago. They wrote they were doing pretty good as old folks; had been over to Marcellus a few times, and have the “Bluegrass Fever” again! WELCOME BACK, folks.
I learned at the festival that George Reese and his lovely wife will be moving to Tennessee the middle of September. He told me that is where the music is, and of course they will enjoy being near their daughter. We all wish them the best, and George, the breakfasts won’t be the same with you and Butch not being there to “pick” on me!
Herbert Phillips, brother of Ted Phillips, who is married to Andy Pawlenko’s sister Mary, needs our thoughts and prayers. I’m also sure a “thinking-of-you” card or note sent to – 731 Co. Rt. 85, Oswego, NY 13126 would brighten his days.
Vernon and Olive Loucks were missed by many at the festival – please keep them in your thoughts and prayers, along with mail to: 629 Lakeport Rd., Chittenango, NY 13037.
Due to a family reunion in Minnesota, Peg and Jerry Miller were also missed. I had a nice email from Peg after they returned, saying Jerry did all the driving, they had a great trip and saw cousins that neither of them had ever met. They felt badly to have to miss the festival, but there will be others, and one never knows who might not be around for another family reunion. On the way home they stopped and visited our member, Dave Prine, who works at the Seney Wildlife Refuge in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and had their own private tour of it, spotting several trumpeter swans. Upon returning home, the “WELCOME COMMITTEE”, (the triplets) greeted them with hugs, smiles and a “Welcome Home” sign they had painted! Their grandson, Justin is being deployed to Iraq the beginning of Sept., so please keep him in your prayers.
THANKS TO LOIS ARTLIP for her most generous donation of paying for the postage to mail our 300 newsletters this month, and to JACOBS PRESS who donated the printing of same. The cost of both have been credited to help pay expenses of our festival – thus helping to increase our profit.
Folks, John VanDusen is getting to be quite a computer pro, and is to be commended for the super job he did on our festival programs and questionnaires. We are still receiving the questionnaires in the mail, and assure you your suggestions for bands, and how to improve the festival are being considered. It was very gratifying to see that a big, big percentage of them had only positive remarks, urging us to continue what we are doing. Folks, we can only continue doing this festival if MORE MEMBERS WILL VOLUNTEER – don’t wait to be asked – speak up and ask “what can I do?” – I assure you there will be something just waiting to be done.
CONGRATULATIONS to Dale and Sarah Lyndaker, the chosen recipients for the Annual BUD ARTLIP Award – a wonderful choice and please see their THANKS elsewhere in the newsletter. The Annual IRENE THURSTON Award will be presented in the near future.
Speaking of that award, I had a nice long visit with Bill Szabo on the phone as we missed him and Ruth at our festival. His friend. Ruth Pforter has been undergoing many chemo and radiation treatments due to cancer of the bone in the mouth. It was found when she went to her dentist due to her dentures not fitting properly. She is thru with her treatments now, but at our festival time, she was in the hospital with a high temperature. PLEASE take a minute and send a card or note to Ruth Pforter, 1977 Co. Rt. 12, DeRuyter, NY 13052, as I know both she and Bill would appreciate them. Bill went alone to the Bluegrass Ramble Picnic and Pickin In The Pasture. At the Picnic, he was presented the FRANK SAPLIN Award for the many, many years he has been active promoting our music, organizations, and being a good-will ambassador in all his travels. Bill, this was long overdue, and all of the CNYBA members congratulate you – you are very special to us. He also told me that while being at Pickin-In-The Pasture Festival, he saw Jessica Mary Buck, who was a long-time active member of CNYBA years ago. He said she is still “cloggin” and even has special shoes, BUT couldn’t keep up with Bill, as he finished the song, and she didn’t! I am sure many of you folks will be glad to hear that Jessie is well, and now lives near the PA border – many of us have lots of varied memories of her!!
I had a long letter from Homer Reynolds, and he wants to be remembered to all. He may be a candidate for cataract surgery in both eyes in the near future, and is tentatively planning on retiring next year. Good Luck in both Homer, and indeed many of us still do remember you. He also wanted to know if I ever hear from any of Thayle’s family, as he doesn’t. No, I don’t either, and at times it seems like a lot longer than just last year when we used our 50/50 profits from the festival to create a Thayle’s Memory Fund, along with the many contributions from you members. I feel as tho I let you down, as her daughter promised me when she came to pick-up the check that she would contact each of you with a card-of-thanks, which I know never happened. Even a Thank-You to the Association as a whole would have helped a bit – but I do get some satisfaction in knowing that we all did our best for a dear, dear member, and that counts. (End of issue).
Well folks, this has turned into quite a long visit, but had a lot of “catching up” to do, so hope you aren’t all tired out reading it. Now that the festival is over, I will concentrate on the plans for our Annual CHRISTMAS PARTY which will be SUN., DEC. 11th, at the VFW Post in Baldwinsville, NY. MARK YOUR CALENDAR - N O W – and watch for all the details in our next newsletter. As you can see by the front page, our meetings start up on SUN., SEPT. 11th, and hope to see many of you there. Due to the rising cost, the Mason’s have had to raise their breakfast prices by 50 cents, but it is still a bargain. They give us good coverage each month, as their breakfast notices appear in four different papers, and each carries the notice about our meeting times, and that music lasts until 5 p.m. HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE 11th – until our next visit, please stay healthy, live life to the fullest, and give me a call if you know of anyone who needs a card. Thanks.
Helen
(Helen Weldon)
CNYBA
PO Box 491
Baldwinsville, NY 13027
www.cnyba.com
Copyright 2002
All Rights Reserved.