Sunday, August 17, 2014

Commitment


South Coast Folk Society

Dear members and friends of South Coast Folk Society,

This is a call to action.

The South Coast Folk Society is a group affiliate of the Country Dance and Song Society. Based in Massachusetts, the Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS) is an international, non-profit organization that offers support to its members and group affiliates. For the past 12+ years, our folk society has purchased low-cost insurance through CDSS for our contra dances! Over the years, CDSS has offered artistic, educational, and organizational support to members in various ways; through classes, camps, and conferences.

The Country Dance and Song Society was established in 1915. They’ll celebrate their 100th birthday next year! As part of their celebration, they plan to take their delivery of services a step further, by “taking it on the road.”

To accomplish this goal, has selected seven communities across the US and Canada where they will hold week-long community residencies. The community residency is a new model for strengthening communities.

These are the places where the Country Dance and Song Society will hold community residencies for their centennial celebration:
      Tucson, Arizona - April 25 to May 1, 2015
      Owen Sound, Ontario - April 28 to May 3, 2015
      Austin, Texas - June 23 to June 28, 2015
      Halifax, Nova Scotia - September 26 to October 3, 2015
      Coos Bay, Oregon - October 4 to October 10, 2015
      Morgantown, West Virginia - October 21 to October 25, 2015
      Lawrence, Kansas - November 17 to November 22, 2015

We applied for this opportunity and we were selected from applicants across the US and Canada. The Country Dance and Song Society hired staff (musicians, dance and song leaders) to come here during October 2015 to help us facilitate a week-long series of music, dance and song activities.

The purpose of the week-long series of activities is threefold: to build the skills of our musicians, dancers and singers; to strengthen the activities of our folk society; and to enjoy the party of a lifetime.

A tour planning committee was formed in November 2013. The committee consists of: Stacy Rose (chair), Jennifer Sordyl (outreach), Gail Elber (publicity), Lynn Danner (hospitality) and Karen Olsen (budget and fundraising). The tour committee has met regularly with Country Dance and Song Society staff since Dec 2013.

The committee recently finalized and unveiled the attached week-long schedule of activities for the centennial tour.

Now it’s time for SCFS members and friends to participate in this work!

1.     A speakers’ bureau is being developed – a cadre of ambassadors who are willing to visit with groups, churches, clubs, and organizations in the community to talk about the joy and life-changing experience that dancing, singing and playing music has brought about in their own life and in the lives of those in our community. If you are willing to participate on this speakers’ bureau, respond to southcoastfolksociety@gmail.com. We will equip you to be successful!

2.     Do you belong to a group, church, club or organization that would like to have a speaker? Respond to southcoastfolksociety@gmail.com.

3.     Read through the schedule of tour activities. Identify ONE activity on the week-long tour that you are willing to help coordinate. Respond to southcoastfolksociety@gmail.com and let us know which activity sounds most interesting to you. First come, first served! Many hands makes light work.

4.     We are collecting testimonials in response to the question “Why is this important to me?” Take a moment and answer that question, explaining why song, music and/or dance are your chosen activities and why are they important to you. What personal value does participating in these activities hold for you? We will rotate and feature these testimonials on our website/other publicity uses. Send a written testimonial (50 words) and include a picture to southcoastfolksociety@gmail.com

We’re very excited about the opportunity to partner with the Country Dance and Song Society! It’s going to be a wonderful year of planning. Come October 2015, we’re going to have a dance, music and song explosion on the south coast. 



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