We are having a sunny day after 31 days of rain!  It makes me appreciate what Noah went through!  I haven’t had to turn on my sprinklers, but it has been gloomy.  There are quail at my bird feeder right now, and I look forward to the chicks. 

 My “day job” is at a bookkeeping service, so I have been busy preparing other people’s records for taxes.  I have that all done and now need to work on first quarter reports for payroll and sales tax.  Is the government really on our side??

 On March 25 over 200 ringers met in Cupertino for the annual Spring Ring there.  I was able to go and fill in with one of Michelle Sharik’s choirs.  There will be photos available after April 15 on www.choraegus.com.

 The Belmont Conference is full with 311 ringers and assorted non-ringers, directors, groupies, etc.  We have started a waiting list if you still want to go.  Rehearsal notes and other information are on our website:  areaxii.org. 

 I had a sampling of my historical display at the Cupertino Spring Ring, and I’ll have the full display of Area XII memorabilia, so please stop by the vendor area and meet me.   There’s a huge photo poster of the 1984 Festival at University of California, Davis, and a photo album of our first 15 years.  I hope to have another album of our more recent Conferences to display at Belmont.

 If you have any items you could contribute for our silent auction, please contact me and I’ll forward your donation item idea to Norma Rose.  We use this method to raise funds for our education program.

 The American Guild of English Handbell Ringers is celebrating 52 years and has a campaign going to raise funds for them and at the same time for our own area.  AGEHR invites you to contribute $26, $52, $104, $208 or more. Your gift will help them expand our educational outreach programs to new cities, and continue to reach new membership markets. For more details about how your gift can  help the Guild, see our website at: www.agehr.org/donations/  campaign2006.asp

  To contribute to our 2006 campaign, please go to the online contribution page at the AGEHR website. You can designate your gift for the 2006 Campaign. Then either contribute online using a credit card or print your form to mail with your payment.

  Also, the National office will send $10 of your contribution back to AREA XII if you indicate this as your preference on your donation form. (Note: If you are using the online contribution form, you can indicate "$10 Area donation" in the field labeled "This gift is in honor of".)

 Tricia Welter is working to get a date at her church in Santa Rosa for a Spring Ring in May, 2007 (St. Eugene’s on Montgomery and Farmer’s Lane).   This year the Cupertino event started at 11:00 and ended about 6:30, so this would work for groups who need to travel and don’t want to get up at dawn on a Saturday.  If there’s anyone in the Sacramento or north area who has a facility to handle a few choirs, we could certainly plan more than one event. 

 The Area XII board meets April 21 – 22, so let me know if you have any concerns for the Board.

 Financial help is sought for Tim Waugh, the dynamic educator and composer, who had a kidney transplant in February.  A 503c3 organization has been set up and you can get more information at kidneykronikles.blogspot.com.

 Well, this is already long, but the Events Calendar follows!  Please let me know of your events and I will put them on the list for the E-News.

 Diane

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

 

April 7, 2006  8 p.m. Sonos at Old First Church, 1751 Sacramento St., S.F. Tickets: $15/12/6.  Contact http://www.oldfirstconcerts.org/tickets.html

 

May 5 and 6, 2006  Rogue Valley Handbell Festival in Medford, Oregon. Contact Marcy Winters at marcywinters@budget.net

 

April 29, 2006  Velocity in concert in South Bay Area.  Location to be announced. For more information http://www.velocitybells.org

 

April 30, 2006  3 p.m. Ruben Mendoza, handbell soloist, in concert.  Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church, 49 Knox Dr., Lafayette.  Free will offering.  Contact Ruben at ruben2003@hotmail.com

 

May 13, 2006 7:30 p.m. Velocity in concert at Our Savior's Lutheran, Lafayette, CA. Freewill offering.  For more information visit http://www.velocitybells.org

 

May 21, 2006  3 p.m.  The Ringing Belles and LVS of the Walnut Creek UMC in concert.

Walnut Creek UMC, 1534 Sunnyvale, Walnut Creek.  Contact JaneEPatty@aol.com

 

May 21, 2006   2:00 p.m. Golden Gate Bellringers  in concert. Saint Vincent de Paul Church, 2320 Green Street, San Francisco.  Freewill offering at the door.

 

June 3, 2006 Velocity in concert in Walnut Creek Area.  Location to be announced. For further information http://www.velocitybells.org

 

June 4, 2006 3 p.m. Canto Bello in concert at the Clayton Valley  Presbyterian Church, 1578 Kirker Pass Road.  Free will offering.  Contact carolsmith2@comcast.net

 

June 23-25, 2006  Area XII 2006 Belmont Conference on the campus of Notre Dame de Namur University.  Shosh Meyer and Fred Gramann conductors.  For more information http://www.areaxii.org

 

June 23-25, 2006 National Festival Conference, Dayton, Ohio. http://www.agehr.org

 

July 12-15, 2006 National Seminar, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  For more information    http://www.agehr.org

 

August 1-5, 2006 INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM, Brisbane, Australia. Contact: www.agehr.org

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