EXTRA! EXTRA!
Debi Veder • Linda Ragsdale • Val Sweatt • Sandra Chance

Wow … did we have a great time in Vegas! What a thrill to be on stage with our wonderful CHANNELAIRE CHORUS. Hearing all the cheers of our fabulous Region 11 folks, we had over 500 people in our “group”. You are the best. We want to congratulate SHIMMER! and XTREME for representing us so well. They were fabulous and we’re so proud to have them as our own.

EXTRA! EXTRA! has kept busy with numerous performance over the past few months. We’ve had some great coaching sessions with Bobbette Gantz and Lynne Smith, getting ready for Spring contest. Along with all of the coaching we’ve had through CHANNELAIRE, it’s really keeping us on our toes.

December looms ahead of us and we’ve been booked heavily for the past six months. Once again we will sing at the Holiday Homes Tour supporting Cancer Research. This is our sixth year! The Las Posas Center has us strolling around again on a couple of dates. Several private functions coming up as well. We are so blessed to be able to share this wonderful harmony at any time during the year.

Our best wishes go out to those competing in the Double Quartet contest this weekend. Have a great time on stage. Happy and safe holiday greetings to everyone and we look forward to seeing you all in 2007.

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CHECKMATE
Cheryl Tobin • Marcia McEvoy • Billie Thasiah • Bea Knaapen

Congratulations to SHIMMER!, XTREME, and CHANNELAIRE on great performances in Las Vegas! What great representation they are for Region 11. And what an awesome competition. Congratulations to our new champs – SALT and RICH-TONES. A special congratulations to our own Martha Rasmussen, who sang with PACIFIC EMPIRE. It was wonderful seeing her on stage – and the enthusiasm she brought back to CALIFORNIA HEARTLAND CHORUS was fantastic.

We’re excited about Fall Festival and learning as much as we can from Jim Arns! What an opportunity! And CALIFORNIA HEARTLAND CHORUS is hosting next fall so we’re looking for ideas and tips this year. Good luck to all the competing double quartets – especially the doubles from the new and improved CALIFORNIA HEARTLAND CHORUS! It’s so much fun being part of this chorus!

Then on to the Christmas season – always the busiest time of year for CHECKMATE! This year we’re going to take very good care of our health so we’ll be ready for competition in spring! We can’t wait to get back on the competition stage!

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TAYLOR MADE
Erin Lunn • Karen Fish • Kristi Bispo • Wendy O’Connor

What a whirlwind summer we had! Lots of coaching, lots of traveling and lots of singing - what could be better. TAYLOR MADE had a blast in Vegas (our hands are still worn out from clapping!) and we've also enjoyed performing on the VOICES UNLIMITED and DIABLO VISTA CHORUS shows, in addition to participating in both Region 11 and Region 12 events. We're very proud to have our own Karen Fish assisting with Region 11's YWIH program this weekend and so excited that Region 11 gets to meet LADIES FIRST from Region 12! Now it's time to gear up for contest...and.... IES! The four of us are thrilled to be making the trip to San Antonio together and also to have Karen on stage with us as contestant number five at Harmony Classic.

Our little namesake, Taylor, is growing up so fast - she's crawling and talking (sort of!) and she loves to play the keyboard for us when we rehearse. Have a super holiday season and we'll see you all again in March!

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OOH LA LA
Barbara Adams • Mikal Sandoval • Jonni Anderson • Judy Hatch

Ooh La La! What a busy time this is for everyone! Our beautiful Judy-LaLa celebrates a very special birthday this week and we are busy getting ready for her really big bash. Friends and family will be coming from all over to pay tribute.

Since you last saw us, work and vacations have taken us to 4 states and 6 countries. Due to this whirlwind schedule, we are really sorry to miss this weekend's festivities but we wanted to be sure to say how proud we are of CHANNELAIRE, SHIMMER!, and XTREME for their amazing performances in Vegas. We were all there to cheer you on. Your work inspires us to new levels and we are so thankful for the example you set for the rest of us to follow.

Have a fabulous Holiday Season and we can't wait to see you in the Spring!

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SIERRA SOUND
Dianne Tuttle • Cheryl Borthick • Francine Stirling • Debby Fieber

SIERRA SOUND has been busy this summer. Besides being coached by Queen Dani Prigge in June and then Queen Peggy Gram at Summer Sizzler.

We were fortunate to have a song composed for us entitled "CHRISTMAS IN KERNVILLE". We had Dede Nibler arrange it for us in the barbershop style and recorded it, along with the composer, Butch DuBarri, singing his country version. We're so excited to have our own song about our town, because the town truly is lit up like a "CHRISTMAS TREE" in December. The folks get together and decorate Circle Park in the middle of town and Santa arrives the first Saturday in December. It's truly a small town Christmas with the live nativity scene on the first Friday and the Sweet Adelines singing and caroling with the town folks all around the Park.

Our congratulations to SHIMMER! And to the CHANNELAIRE CHORUS too! We were so proud of them at International and were so happy that all of us were able to attend the competition.

Good Luck to all Double Quartets this weekend and looking forward to seeing you all in the Spring!! –Cheryl Borthick

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SKY HIGH
Diane Rothberg • Lee Hays • Kathy Laderman Wright • Sandy Gilson

Hello Region 11! SKY HIGH is bringing you our latest update. Since Summer Sizzler, we’ve made some changes. Bron Latta left the quartet to enjoy retirement with her husband, Bob, in Arkansas and we all wish her joy & happiness in her new life.

Our good fortune is that we now have a new baritone, one that Region 11 knows well; Kathy Laderman Wright (who now sings with HARBORLITES). Diane, Lee & Sandy are thrilled to welcome Kathy to the quartet. When you see us, please stop and say hello, and welcome Kathy back to Region 11.

Congratulations to our Region 11 International competitors. Way to go CHANNELAIRE (9th), XTREME (6th), & SHIMMER! (15th). What wonderful & extraordinary performances.

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WILDFIRE
Patti Goin • Mary Jo Wheeler • Jan Sloan

First, congratulations to SHIMMER! and CHANNELAIRE! How proud you made us in Las Vegas!

Wildfire had a wonderful time in Russia at the 7th Annual Russian Barbershop Festival in August. We were lucky to work with a quartet from Perm in the Ural mountains, LADY MIX. They're all pianists at a conservatory, and a lot of fun! Singing "Fun in Just One Lifetime" with them at the closing concert (they had learned it in less than a day) was a highlight of the trip! We also were part of the Celebration Chorus (directed by Jack Pinto), with 17 singers from CELEBRITY CITY (including Kay Pearson, who moved to Arkansas from Las Vegas), 13 from TOAST OF TAMPA, 6 FROM GREATER RICHMOND, 4 from New Jersey (where Jack’s from), and a couple of others, for a total of 41 singers. Our first rehearsal was in St Petersburg, the morning of the opening ceremonies for the festival – and we sang at the opening!

As many of you heard during International, Suzanne (bari) has decided to leave WILDFIRE. We've had a lot of fun in the last 4 years, but things are changing for Suzanne (think wedding bells next spring, plus finishing school). She's staying on CELEBRITY CITY's front row, so we'll still get to see each other and keep up on any news!

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STAY TOONED
Tricia Hooton • Lou Schroff • Kathy Churchill • Linda Glover

Don't cha' know we're all happy just to be here.
We've successfully survived most of this year.
Lou is now a great grandmother twice.
Linda and Kathy just offer "g.g." advice.
Tricia keeps busy, constantly on the go.
However, it's time to get our ducks in a row.
After all, we're appearing on the SOUTHLAND HARMONY SHOW.
December 3rd's the date...Downey Woman's Club's the place.
We are looking forward to an audience face to face.
Then it's on with our holiday schedule - never fear.
We're thankful for a very full calendar every year.
Having said all of this, we want you to know
That being here with all of you is better than any show.
Sweet Adeline sisters is what we're all about.
It's a weekend to experience the meaning of "shout out".
Welcome back to all of our Las Vegas competitors.
We're proud to be part of the many congratulators.
Now enjoy the moment here - fun and education.
The faculty "man" of our dreams - in the right location.

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SHIMMER!
Patty Cobb Baker • Missy Pearce • Judy (Jurdy) Ashmore • Mary (Marv) Ashford

Region 11 hit the jackpot in Vegas with SHIMMER!, XTREME and CHANNELAIRE CHORUS! We were very proud to represent Region 11 as we shared the stage with XTREME and CHANNELAIRE. As we stood behind the white curtain waiting to take the stage, we could hear you chanting “SSSHHHIMER!”. It was absolutely uplifting and the perfect way to send us out onto stage. And then when we came off of the stage, so many people greeted us, including our RMT and Winners’ Circle. Thank you for the hugs, congrats, roses and also for our new leopard mascot.

As we wound down this year’s journey to Vegas, we had a couple of excellent opportunities for rug time. In September we sang on both the CHANNELAIRE and HARBORLITES Shows. The CHANNELAIRE show ended with CHANNELAIRE and MASTERS OF HARMONY sharing the stage while singing Shendandoah and As The Parade Passes By.

While in Vegas, SHIMMER! sang at the wedding for Brande Manning, a chorus member from HARMONY SHOWCASE. The Flamingo Hilton was the setting for this very intimate and lovely exchange of wedding vows.

As for the coaches who have helped us on this leg of the journey, we’d like to thank Sandy Robinson, Jeff Baker, Erin Howden, Lynne Smith and Dale Syverson. Thank you, Region 11, for bringing RUMORS to Summer Sizzler.

A special thanks to the HIGH SIERRA CHORUS for hosting the Fall Festival Weekend featuring the talents of the mighty Jim Arns. We wish all the double quartets the best of luck on Friday. We look forward to being this year’s mic testers at Spring Regional, which is, but a mere five months away. Finally, we are very happy to say that we accomplished our goal which was to “get in and get out” and with that - the regional quartet championship is there for the taking! Happy Holidays!

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SERIOUS TREBLE
Melissa Hockenberger • Shelly Wilner • Debra Hockenberger • Jeannie Vercillo

Wasn’t Las Vegas amazing? We had a fabulous time becoming steeped in the highest quality barbershop we could imagine. SHIMMER! SHIMMER! SHIMMER! Congratulations! You looked and sounded FABULOUS. And big congrats to XTREME! The sounds coming from these 2 quartets were so inspiring. And…CHANNELAIRE – you captivated us. You rocked the house. You touched our hearts. And aren’t we lucky in Region 11 to have Dale Syverson and Jim Arns – directors of the top 2 choruses – instruct us at our regionals this year!?!?!? We are amped and ready to sing!!!

In Treb news, Debra & Melissa went to Hawaii for a… relaxing… vacation. (Can you really relax with a 7-month-old who climbs steps?!) Jeannie went to Italy for 3 weeks with Mike for a fabulous visit with family.

We’re singing for a host of holiday events, including private gigs, chorus shows, and charity events, such as the International MOMS Club, which provides monetary aid to mothers and families in need all over the world, as well as to the Pediatric Cancer Research Fund.

If you leave Fall Regional early, come down to Liberty Hall (at Forest Lawn) in Burbank on Sunday, November 12 from 2-4PM, as we sing for the first place 2006 SCW division chorus winners, THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEYAIRES’ CHORUS show. We’d love to see you there!

Best of luck to all double quartets – go get ‘em, Jeannie! And may everyone have a wonderful holiday season and a blessed 2007.

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