GOLDEN VOICE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA CHAPTER

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY ────────────────────────────────────────────────────── President: Roe Darnell

Volume XVI

Edition CLXXVIX February 2016

Editor: Miles Sutter

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GVC 19TH ANNUAL INSTALLATION

AND AWARDS BANQUET What a FANTASTIC evening! To officially begin 2016 with our installation and awards ceremony on February 2nd at Covenant Village…..it felt like a coming home celebration! This was our first time back since moving to Mancini Hall in Modesto. It’s a wonderful venue; and who knows. It might be the beginning of many installations to come. The festivities began with the singing of The Old Songs, directed by HOWARD BARBER. CHUCK ROOTS followed with the welcome and invocation.

RON BLACK was our installing officer for 2016. The usual awards ceremony followed immediately after dinner, and they were as follows: PRESIDENT’S AWARD, presented by ROE DARNELL, went to GRADY WILLIAMS. DIRECTOR’S AWARD, presented by BRUCE SELLNOW, went to STRATT RIGGS. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD, for 2015, presented by BRUCE SELLNOW, went to T.J. Hardy. STRATT RIGGS, standing in for last year’s BOTY recipient MARC JANTZEN, announced that the Barbershopper of the Year for 2015 is PETE SUST. Under the direction of HOWARD BARBER the chorus sang “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” to the waitresses. RON BLACK taught us a new tag for “When I Leave the World Behind”. BRUCE directed the chorus in the singing of What A Wonderful World and Sweet Mae. The evening’s festivities ended with CHUCK ROOTS directing “Keep The Whole World Singing”. Congratulations, guys! We now have a great new GVC board to head our chapter. As great as 2015 was, I’m very much looking forward to 2016. IT REALLY IS GREAT BEING A BARBERSHOPPER!!

BOTY ….. PETE SUST

RESOLVING TO SUCCEED

EDUCATION GOALS LAID FOUNDATION (The following article is by 209 staff reporter Glenn Kahl, as it appeared in the Turlock Journal) Chuck Roots was resolute when he went to college to become a counselor after high school and entering the work world. During his military career he earned his doctorate degree in counseling. Resolving to go back to college, he made a difference for countless men and women in the U.S. Navy and in his church family when he later accepted the pastor’s role of the Ripon Free Methodist Church. His character and ethics have been appreciated by those he has served during his career. Joining the U.S. Marine Corps in the early ‘70s and reaching the rank of sergeant, he prayed for the notion of getting more education, and while stationed in Alameda with a Marine air squadron – working nights in a jet air wing – he opted to sign up for day classes at the age of 24 at Alameda Junior College. He received his AA degree and went on to Stanislaus State where he earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and Radio and TV Broadcasting – well on his way to satisfying his resolution. It was his second chance to excel after four years in high school and he took it on with a great passion after deciding he was going to make the world a better place. Admittedly, he was not there to party, but to make good grades in the process.

“It was a succession of classes over seven years.” He said, “making up for bad college work I had done previously.” There were three more years of education in his future at Western Evangelical Center in Portland, Oregon, where he would receive his masters in Divinity degree. He and his wife Isaura had met in a bible study on the San José campus and married two weeks after he graduated from San Jose State University in the Spring of 1975. She was a Home Economics major at the college. “Graduate school was expensive and the first year I was driving a school bus for extra money,” he recalled. One seminarian in charge of the bus barn said, “You are a Marine! – I know what I am going to do with you. You’re my new trouble shooter for my problem drivers.” Roots said he let the drivers know he meant business about driving their busses – and it all worked out. But after strict enforcement of the worst driver in the bus motor pool, the bus supervisor later decided to let him have his bus back, he mused. Tired of the bus assignment, he and a friend started a business office cleaning operation where the netted $3,000 a month each after their workers had all been paid. They called the janitorial service “King’s Custodians.” He remembers telling his potential clients, “When I work for you I have to give you the best in the service and analysis – the reference to the King in our business name.” With that presentation, he got the job with the business owner immediately responding, “:When can you start?” He graduated from the seminary in 1979 and had 15 people working for him and his partner in the cleaning service, paying above the average wage and presenting bonuses for exceptional work results. Roots sold his portion of the janitorial business to his partner when he was hired as the youth director for the Christian Missionary Alliance Church at a reduced income of $1,200 a month – serving there for two years. It was in that time period that he was contacted by a Navy chaplain who recognized his potential even as a Marine Sergeant in the reserves asking, “Ever thought about being a Navy Chaplain?” It all developed from there and he entered the U.S. Navy’s Chaplaincy Program – serving for 25 years. At age 54 he went back to war with the Navy in Iraq for a year. He was in Vietnam earlier with the Marines. It was while he was in the Navy that he was selected to go to the Post Graduate School and that is where he earned his doctorate in Pastoral Counseling. He took the required two years of classes in just one year. ‘’One thing I learned with the sailors and Marines – they were looking for somebody they could trust,” he noted. His lone prayer at the time was, “Lord, teach me how to listen.” Roots said his wife wanted them to grow old together but he continues to have too much heart and spirit not to be involved in the community and the military. She, too, looks exceptionally young in their retirement. Roots retired out of the Navy in 2008 and retired from the military in 2014 more than fulfilling that just out of high school- - and a brief stint in junior college- with that resolution to himself – still a passion – to reach out for success in helping others through his education. “I saw tons of people who realized if they wanted to make anything of themselves, they had to go back to college,” he said. “It is important to learn to function within the business community as well as knowing how to present yourself in an interview.” Last November Rev. Roots was asked to perform a wedding on the Mapes Ranch in Modesto for a U.S. Navy F-18 fighter pilot who flew his private plane into the ranch landing on a grassy runway. In addition to everything else, Roots has been writing a weekly newspaper column over the last several years that has been popular reading for the Ripon population with many saying it has been a breath of fresh air in his analysis of the contemporary happenings.

Turlock Community Theatre Theatre Benefit WOW! When given the opportunity to perform, it’s best to take advantage of it. As was the situation Saturday night – February 13th – when TCT asked if we would sing at their benefit. The invitation gave us an opportunity to perform, on stage, in front of 500 people in attendance at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in Turlock. The event was sponsored by 30 businesses, all of which were in attendance I’m sure, giving us the opportunity of performing in front of many people who may never have attended our performances before. Assisting us with our performance was Sarah Snyder of the Turlock Youth Performing Arts. We had 17 singers on stage, singing six songs, together with Sarah Snyder assisting us with America The Beautiful. Our director, Bruce Sellnow, together with Chuck Roots, did the job of MC’ing. Many thanks to the “Valengrams” quartets who had to work their schedule around tonight’s performance.

Absolutely super proud of the men in the chorus this evening with our appearance at the Turlock Community Theatre Benefit Dinner and Auction. They really stepped up in a very unfamiliar performance venue and made some beautiful music. The audience was impressed and provided plenty of compliments after the performance. Way to go guys! Bruce Sellnow Director- GVC



Bruce, I wanted to tell you how impressed I was with the chorus. The ensemble was professional and kind, and conducted themselves as true professionals. From my vantage point, when you were beginning "America the Beautiful" I heard you tell your chorus to "tell the story!" It's the mark of a consummate performer and director who knows that there is so much more to a performance than singing the words. In a world of modern vocalists who sing through their noses, use vocal fry, are ignorant to pronunciation and often follow fad/trend more than honing their skill, it was a welcome and refreshing experience to listen to your performance. Your chorus sounded together, focused and followed your direction...as did I from the sidelines. It’s wonderful to listen to a choral presentation of which the entire ensemble is the "hero," and not one or two individuals. Very well done! Please feel free to pass my comments along to Golden Valley Chorus.

Anthony Edwards (Sound man from Saturday night)

Hi Bruce, Stratt and Roe, On behalf of the Board of Directors for the Turlock Community Theatre I want to thank you, and the rest of the Golden Valley Chorus, for performing at our annual fundraiser. Your performance was great, and the words spoken about the Turlock Community Theatre and its staff were very much appreciated. It is very important to us to showcase to our supporters and benefactors some of the very talented groups that grace our stage, and the Golden Valley Chorus is among the best. It helps them to realize what it is they are supporting, the performing arts right here in Turlock. Thanks again, and we look forward to your next performance at the Theatre! Sincerely, Kit Casey Managing Director Turlock Community Theatre

VALENGRAMS Valentines Day is the most sentimental day of the year, and this year we had three full days to express that sentiment for our Valengram customers. However, the most fulfilling emotion of the day had to be for one of our own members who had the opportunity to sing to his 100 year old great-grandmother. (The following article appeared in the Modesto Bee February 13th.) “ Modesto resident, Gladys Hersey, celebrated her 100th birthday among more than 100 family, friends, former classmates and students, and more, Saturday afternoon. The retired teacher has lived in the region for more than a decade and credits a couple of possible practices for her longevity. “I don’t know if this has anything to do with it, but I’ve always been a vegetarian since I was 6 or 7 or so,” said Hersey, whose birthday was actually Monday. “I’ve also walked a lot.” Hersey, who has three surviving siblings who range in age from 85 to 98, happily greeted all her guests. Now legally blind from macular degeneration, she remains alert and accepted hugs and handshakes throughout the day.

More than 200 people – traveling from five states – were expected to wish her well before her party was over at Modesto’s Trinity United Presbyterian Church. Among the well-wishers was a special Valengram from a Golden Valley Chorus barbershop quartet. For one of the numbers, one of Hersey’s great-grandchildren, 25-year-old T.J. Hardy of Modesto, popped in to sing baritone as a surprise for his great-grandmother.

Central California Chapter Golden Valley Chorus Chorus Board Minutes, Monday, January 11, 2016 PRESENT: Roe Darnell, Stratt Riggs, Pete Sust, Miles Sutter, Grady Williams, Chuck Roots, Bob Clark GUEST: Bruce Sellnow The meeting started at 5PM 1.

The minutes of the December meeting were reviewed and approved.

2.

The Treasurer's Report was reviewed and approved.

3.

The 2016 budget was presented and reviewed. It was decided to review and update the budget on a quarterly basis.

4. HS

It was reported that BHS turned down the grant requests for a chorus director's workshop and the HS chorus workshop.

5.

The Installation Dinner will be held on February 2nd, at 6pm at Covenant Village in Turlock.

5.

The Task Schedule for chorus officers was presented. It was requested that the board review the task schedule and revisit

it at the February board meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 6p.

LAUGHTER! Nature’s Remedy Today's Chuckle! THE WATER PISTOL WHEN MY THREE-YEAR-OLD SON OPENED THE BIRTHDAY GIFT FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER, HE DISCOVERED A WATER PISTOL... HE SQUEALED WITH DELIGHT AND HEADED FOR THE NEAREST SINK. I WAS NOT SO PLEASED I TURNED TO MOM AND SAID, "I'M SURPRISED AT YOU. DON'T YOU REMEMBER HOW WE USED TO DRIVE YOU CRAZY WITH WATER GUNS?" MOM SMILED AND THEN REPLIED..... "I REMEMBER!!"

GRANDMA'S AGE LITTLE JOHNNY ASKED HIS GRANDMA HOW OLD SHE WAS. GRANDMA ANSWERED, "39 AND HOLDING." JOHNNY THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT, AND THEN SAID, "AND HOW OLD WOULD YOU BE IF YOU LET GO?"

FEBRUARY FEBRUARY CHAPTER CELEBRATIONS ! HAPPY BIRTHDAY !

2/07 Ronald “Buz” Smith 2/09 Gerald Miller 2/19 Dave Wallace HAPPY ANNIVERSARY !

2/11 Dale and Linda Williams 2/26 Pete and Ann Snook









THE NAMES FOR LITTLE THINGS YOU NEVER NOTICE

It is better to understand a little than to misunderstand a lot. ///

In December employees everywhere are busily working their fingers to the bonus. ////

You can do anything you want to do in this world as long as you are prepared to take the consequences.

CALENDAR OF COMING EVENTS

THE LOOK OF ANTICIPATION! Feb 27 (Sat) – Novice Contest (Ripon) Mar 17-19 – FWD Spring Convention (Las Vegas) Apr 2 (Sat) – Northeast Division Contest (Alameda) May 14 (Sat) – Ice Cream Social (tentative – save the date) Jul 3-10 – BHS International Convention (Nashville) Jul 7-9 – GVC International Webcast Party (Ripon) Oct 13-16 – FWD Fall Convention (Riverside) Nov 5 – Fall Show (tentative – save the date) Nov 12 – Better Together (tentative - save the date) Nov 19 – River Lights High Tea: GVC appearance (Modesto)