Do you know a Sweet Adeline who brings a joy of singing, a wealth of experience, total commitment to chorus goals and a sense of humour to rehearsal every week? Do you have someone in your chorus who leads by example while encouraging you to dream “big”, work hard and help others? We do! It’s our very own Denise Lindenbach and we are proud to nominate her for the Spirit of 26 Award!
Denise’s love of four part harmony began in 1985 when she joined Prairie Gold Chorus. Her musical journey has lead her in many directions including the world of quarteting. She sings lead with A Touch of Gold who have been together for 14 years. During the last 10 years she has been a member of the chorus music team as music chair, co-director, assistant director and vocal production. She has also completed the Directors Certification Program. She has held numerous board positions including Treasurer, Education Chair, Membership, Bookings, Vice President and IES Competition Co-ordinator.
On the regional scene, she has participated extensively in Fall Regional Workshops, Conventions and Directors/Leadership Forums. She has served as Treasurer of the Regional Board of Directors, Off Board Liaison, Nominations Chair, Secretary and has been Regional Management Team Finance Co-ordinator since 2001. She was Chair of Regional Convention in 2000 and a Fall Workshop Committee Member in 2003.
Denise has international experience with attendance at 9 International Conventions and 3 International Education Symposiums, all within the past 10 years. She also participated in a Small Chorus Festival in 1996. As a member of Prairie Gold Chorus, she has both 4th place and 2nd place International Small Chorus Medals. The term “overachiever” comes to mind!
When not busy with chorus life, Denise is involved with her church as a worship leader, was Chair for the United Way canvass at the University of Regina, as well as volunteer work with the Alzheimer Society.
Denise readily shares her talents and enthusiasm with her riser buddies. Vision for the future and growth of the chorus are priorities. She is a team player who takes a mentoring approach to the development of new people. She encourages, she inspires and most importantly, she makes vocal warm-ups fun! If you ask Denise what she likes best about being a Sweet Adeline, she would tell you “the joy of music, recognizing and developing potential in others and building friendships.” We value that friendship and the tremendous contribution Denise makes to our chorus. We feel she is most deserving of this award.
It is with great pride that Prairie Gold nominates DENISE LINDENBACH as Region 26's Spirit of 26 SWEET ADELINE OF THE YEAR!
Week after week one can see Cammi MacKinlay at the rehearsal hall, helping to set up risers, taking her turn doing warm-ups, singing and dancing in Lions Gate's energetic front row, perhaps discussing new chorus costume designs, or leading a sectional... you name it - she does it!
A member of Lions Gate since 1986, Cammi has been involved in so many different ways that it's really hard to mention Lions Gate without mentioning Cammi in the same breath. She is universally loved and never hesitates to be the first to lend a hand to any project. She has that very unique combination of high-level administrative AND creative skills and to put it formally, has served on the Chapter Board of Directors in Executive positions for 13 years, 7 of which as President. She's been Membership Chair, Vice President, Secretary, and PR Chair. She's a Certified Director and one of Lions Gate's Assistant Directors. Baritone Section Leader, Costume Committee Chair, member of the Music Team, and not content to merely sing with the chorus, is currently singing baritone in Fandango Quartet.
At the Regional Level, Cammi's skills have also proven to be invaluable. She has been Vice-Regent, Chair of the Regional Convention, Convention Housing Chair, PR/Promotions Chair, and Marketing Coordinator for Region 26. On the Regional Management Team she's been Events Coordinator, and is currently in her second term as Education Coordinator. As such, she is responsible for bringing us such fabulous coaches as Dale Syverson, Ase Hagerman, Lori Lyford and Karen Breidert, Kathy Carmody, Peggy Barnes, Diane Porsche, Erin Howden and June Dale for both past and future Regional workshops. Most recently, Cammi has been appointed as Region 26 liaison to the International Young Singers Foundation.
In her non-Sweet Adeline life, Cammi works full time teaching adults English as a second language, still somehow managing to find time for husband Don and two teenaged children, Christie and Callan.
Cammi's complete love and dedication to this organization make her an exceptional candidate for this award. A woman who embodies the true spirit of Sweet Adelines - she's talented, accomplished, devoted, passionate, thoughtful, generous, intelligent and sexy. She's a leader in the chorus, a leader in the Region and aspires to become a leader at the International level as well.
It is with great pride Lions Gate nominates CAMMI MACKINLAY as Region 26's Spirit of 26 SWEET ADELINE OF THE YEAR!
The Greater Victoria Chorus is honored to nominate Marcia Pinvidic for the 2002 Spirit of 26 award.
When Marcia stands before us to direct, she may look as though she is alone ~ we know otherwise. You see, Marcia holds the people she cares for in her heart, and brings them to chorus every Tuesday. It's a good thing we rehearse in a gymnasium.
Through Marcia we've gotten to know her precious family, including 13 brothers and sisters; husband of 31 years, Dennis; two handsome and creative sons Brant and Shawn; beloved daughter-in-law Juliana; darling grandson & light of her life, Kahless; most of the choruses in Region 26 and a few international characters too.
When Marcia returns from coaching another chorus she is electric ~ itching to tell us how wonderful they are, how teachable, how hardworking, how much she missed us, how proud of us she is, and how glad she is to be home, "so let's get to work". And the chorus she's just visited takes their place in the ranks of those standing behind her, inspiring her to share the magic.
In the 23 years that Marcia has been a Sweet Adeline she has steadily developed an extraordinary set of music and people skills, a commanding presence, a signature style and engaging humour, an ear that hears everything and a toolkit that allows her to bring out the best singer each of us has within. She is a visionary with a remarkable ability to create a mural, one brush stroke at a time.
Whether it be in her role as director, coach, judge, judge specialist or international music faculty associate, the essence of Marcia is her generous soul ~ she gives and gives with love, passion and a profound respect for others. Though she would never see it this way, by letting her light shine, she allows each of us to do the same. The horizon has never been brighter.
If you've ever had a conversation with someone where you felt you had their absolute attention, and that in that moment you were the most interesting person on the planet, then you must have been speaking to Ellen Gallacher. for that is the essence of Ellen and a testimony to extraordinary way with people.
A Sweet Adeline for 16 years, singing lead, Ellen joined Region 26 a scant two years after she and daughter Pamela emigrated to Canada, with her then new husband Douglas, a man she had known literally from the age of 7, as the boy next door.
On arrival to Canada Ellen set herself an aggressive list of personal goals, and finding a job was one. Within a couple of months she joined Hansbraun Investments as an office administrator; 17 years later, she is President of the company.
Her growth as a Sweet Adeline kept pace with her career development, and during the past 16 years Ellen has served at the chorus level as choreographer (10 years), secretary, vice-president, president, show chair, education chair, membership chair and is a founding and charter member of the Greater Victoria Chorus. At the Regional level Ellen has served as secretary, by-laws and rules chair, nominations chair, vice-regent, regent, and was Region 26's first Team Coordinator under the new Team Management concept, and will be starting her second term in May, 2001. At the International level, she has, to date, served on the nominations committee.
Within her community Ellen serves on a safety committee, as well as a committee that looks at the long term planning and vision for a better District of Saanich.
Her secret to success is no secret: integrity, organization, determination, resourcefulness, diplomacy, a commitment to personal growth and excellence, and a genuine interest in making our organization the best it can be.
Ellen, the Greater Victoria Chorus is honoured and proud to nominate you for the Spirit of 26 Award!
Carol has been a member of the Burnaby/Westcoast Harmony Chorus since September 1975, and has been the most wonderful President, Treasurer and perpetual Costume Committee guru that ever was.
She has housed judges, and even housed the whole Regional Board when she was a member of that group. She served as Regent, Regional Treasurer and Membership Development Representative, starting up new chapters and assisting those already established.
She was Chairman of the Regional Convention many times and taught us all how to really run a convention, and how to be forever frugal with our members' money. At the International level, Carol is a respected and competent Panel Secretary.
Somehow in her spare time she has curled, and still plays bridge at the drop of a hat. She has managed casinos for Burnaby Hospital fund raising events, and for many years volunteered with the Burnabettes, a women's group that helped in the community wherever they were needed - such as child care, the mentally disabled, and more.
She raised three sons and one daughter (and eight grandchildren), visited hundreds of relatives from the coast to the Manitoba border, and still manages to keep tabs on husband Abie, a member of the wonderful "Model T-4", a SPEBSQSA quartet.
Carol is the epitome of the Perfect Sweet Adeline - someone we all want to be like when we grow up.
Susan McLean had a vision to make Chinook Winds the best Chorus it could be and in doing so, she turned her vision and their dreams into reality, making anything possible. She took Chinook Winds to International twice in the 10 years she has been their director. Who can forget their 12th place finish in New Orleans?
She has also been their mentor, motivator, supporter, educator and an extraordinary role model for a chorus that has almost doubled in size under her leadership.
Regionally and locally, Susan has tackled everything with a flair for adventure, a style for the innovative, a first as a risk taker and a great sense of humour.
Susan has gone beyond the job description of any commitment and has devoted countless hours, unfaltering energy and boundless enthusiasm in her automatic expectation of excellence.
As an administrator and musician, Susan helped to develop the fledgling new Region 26 into the dynamic and progressive force it is today. Some will remember how her dare for change revamped Regional activities. Business meetings became fun, informative and enjoyable. Her daily philosophy that one has the choice to make the best possible decision, combined with her positive outlook, has given us a musically healthy Region, and Chinook Winds Chorus continues to grow.
As a musician, director, coach, administrator and leader, she has completed her jobs with effortless ability and has served as a resource advisor for many. Her compassionate nature and counseling talents have transposed from her daily nursing career to her musical career.
Susan's obvious love for Sweet Adelines and her continued active involvement ensures that we all will be fortunate to benefit from her abundance of talents and countless skills far into the future.
The search for the first recipient of the Spirit of 26 Award began in the fall of 1997 when Region 26 choruses nominated those special members who they felt best demonstrated the qualities of an exceptional Sweet Adeline.
Nineteen fine candidates were nominated. The committee, after careful deliberation, proudly announced at the First Nite Gala, Honourable Mentions to Shirley Bleackley (Regina Chorus) and Audrey Gregory (Magic City Chorus). Loud congratulatory cheers to them, and to the top award winner, from Regina Chorus, Betty Green!
Betty's talents and contributions to Sweet Adelines are well known both regionally and internationally. Anyone who sings baritone for 35 years is well deserving of "Spirit of 26"recognition!
In recounting her career, the word first appears often!
- First joined Saskatoon (Magic City) Chorus in 1962 and served on the chapter executive and most committees.
- Moving to Regina in 1967, she jumped in as an assistant director to help prepare the fledgling Regina Chorus for their first contest.
- Betty went on to initiate the first novice quartet contest for Region 13 (which Region 26 was a part of at the time).
- Betty was much sought-after as an entertaining MC for regional events and chapter shows, and was invited to MC the 1975 International Contest in Milwaukee! She still keeps her hand in script-writing and training new MCs.
- Betty was the first Saskatchewan Sweet Adeline to be elected to the Region 13 Board of Directors, going on to serve as secretary, vice-regent, regent, and Immediate past regent. A very effective International Extension Rep (now MDR), she served there for two years, during which she convinced the Saskatchewan government to establish grant money to assist prospective choruses, ultimately resulting in four charterings.
- In recognition of her outstanding service, Betty won Region 13's prestigious Grace E. Woodward Award. One of the core administrators at the inception of our "Sparkling New in '82" Region 26, she continued on countless committees both at chapter and regional level, including chapter president (twice), vice-regent for 26, and twice chairing Regional conventions in Regina.
Retired in 1992, from the Saskatchewan Dept of Education, Betty now volunteers for the ESL program and with the Red Cross, and happily for us - still sings a mean baritone. Congratulations, Betty!
Region 26 continues to be a vital, exciting place to sing because of members like Betty, who generously share their talents, time, and unfailing "spirit"!
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