The Cardinal District’s record of success, despite being a small district, continues! The Louisville No. 1 chapter, home of the 7-time international chorus champion Thoroughbreds, has earned the top spot in the Barbershop Harmony Society’s Chapter Achievement Program survey for the 2011 calendar year!
In 2010, the Lexington, KY chapter achieved 5th place, and the Louisville No. 1 chapter received “honorable mention” – they would also have placed in the top ten that year if they’d had positive membership growth (an increase in their number of members). Well, in 2011 the Louisville chapter did have positive membership growth, which contributed to their having the most points on the survey of all chapters in the Society.
The CAP survey tabulated a wide range of things the Society thinks are necessary to be a successful chapter. The Louisville chapter’s success last year was due in no small part to their efforts in putting together the Thoroughbred Youth Chorus, most of whom became members of the chapter in January 2011 before attending the Midwinter Convention and participating in the Youth Chorus Festival in Las Vegas.
In addition to chapter membership growth, other contributing factors were the Louisville chapter’s total number of chapter performances, their number of free chapter performances, their annual show and Spring show including participation in the Standing Ovation Program evaluation of the annual show, an active Singing Valentines program, our other Youth in Harmony activities (such as sending kids to Harmony Explosion Camp), other membership efforts (such as guest nights and open house and the “I Sing” buttons and other activities listed in the Operation Harold Hill program), their chapter web site & Facebook page, having a chapter mission statement, sending several men to the Cardinal District’s Leadership Academy (COTS), having monthly board meetings and monthly music leadership team meetings, weekly quartetting activities during chapter meetings & chorus rehearsals, as well as administrative matters such as having completed their list of chapter officers and a financial review and the financial filings in the Society’s eBiz web site, making chapter donations to Harmony Foundation and other charities (including the $10,000. they contributed as the first chapter in the Society to be a co-sponsor of the Youth Chorus Festival), quartet contest participation, District and International convention attendance, social events, attendance at Harmony University, their award-winning chapter newsletter, having annual awards, etc., etc. Each of these activities were scoring factors; and the Louisville No. 1 chapter got points in each of these categories.
The Louisville No. 1 chapter’s Immediate Past-President and current District President, Ron Brumleve, notes that their recognition for earning the top spot in the Chapter Achievement Program was the result of a team effort. Ron said, “All of our chapter’s leadership team members, and indeed all of our members, contributed to this success.”
Congratulations to the Louisville No. 1 chapter! Be on the lookout for a future article in the Harmonizer about their achievement.
Singer, father, computer geek, marketing specialist, two-time Cardinal District champion, 17 year society member. Seriously – I do have free time.