February 2010 - garden

January, 2010
www.PrincetonGardenStatesmen.com
Lock, Stock and Barrel
The Garden Statesmen upgrade their accommodations.
The chorus was informed in October that we only had a few weeks left at Pavilions, and nobody
was sure where we might relocate, or what we would have to pay. John Lambert had established a
business contact with Chris Harman at Meadow Lakes early in 2009, and was familiar with the
facilities. Chris was receptive, and two days later, Ray Walker and John made a site visit. WOW! A
letter of agreement was drafted, reviewed by Meadow Lakes administration, finalized, and signed.
Alan Hardy provided our Certificate of Insurance.
Very briefly, the agreement is similar to the arrangement we had at Pavilions. We will perform up
to two or three times a year at Meadow Lakes, in return for use of the auditorium, stage, dressing
rooms, and space to store our records and risers. It looks like we also have a good marketing
opportunity with other communities under the PHS (Presbyterian Health Services) corporate
organization.
We look forward to a long, friendly and mutually beneficial relationship with Meadow Lakes. We
owe it to PGS and Meadow Lakes to continue being good, cooperative citizens. Please make
yourselves aware of, and follow, all parking and security procedures.
Jim Darnell, Alan Hardy, Gordon Harrison and John Lambert
spent a day of hard labor to load up all our stuff in vans, drive to
Meadow Lakes , unload and place everything into Meadow Lakes .
John’s back is not good, so he did snap a number of photos,
however, and helped where he could.
It all fit into two van-loads, of course.
PGS brings holiday cheer to Princeton Medical Center.
Can you spot the celebrity?
Lan-cast'-ur or Lank'-uh-ster?
Maybe “lackluster” was the word that best
describes the District's first visit to the
Lancaster (PA) Convention Center this past
October. Maybe we just don't like change.
The Chapter Dinner at Loxley's was clearly a
highlight (at least for two guys... next time
let's all have what they're having).
Someone in Princeton
Sound married Elizabeth
Bradley on the Winter
Solstice, at the Chimney
Hill Inn in Lambertville.
Oh, and kilts are back!
Martha "Marty" Rankin Bensema Walker grew up in the Chicago
area. Marty and her family of five children married Ray Walker
and moved to Spotswood in late 1971. Marty's life revolved
around her family, her music and her gardening. As a teen, she
was a featured soloist in burlesque club shows (chaperoned by her
dad or her brother Jim). (And yes, she sang in many church choirs
in Illinois.) She was particularly proud of having soloed regularly
at the Great Lakes Naval Base USO Club. When Marty arrived in
New Jersey, she joined the championship Ramapo Valley Sweet
Adelines Chorus and also performed regularly with her own
quartet at Rowe Manse Emporium in Clifton. A few years later,
she joined the Roy Meyers Swingers, a modern jazz vocal
ensemble of 20 singers.
Marty and Ray sang with the Imperial Music Center Chorus, and
Marty joined the Millstone Valley Sweet Adelines Chorus, and
formed several quartets, the most well-known being Notorious,
which included her daughter Diane as tenor. Marty later joined
the Liberty Oak Chorus of Sweet Adelines, and maintained that
membership until just a few years ago. Marty was also an avid
gardener, as attested by the dramatic landscaping and plantings
at the family home on Main Street, Spotswood. She attended
Christ Memorial Lutheran Church, East Brunswick.
Tongue in Cheek finally got their picture
taken with then-Governor Jon Corzine at the
Cultural and Arts Festival in Trenton.
State Street spent their lunch hours spreading
holiday cheer at the Department of Health, the
Department of Labor, and the Plainsboro
Recreation Department's Seniors' Program.
Skipped a
Beat never
skips a meal!
Here they help
out the West
Windsor Plainsboro
High School
South Choirs at
a Pancake
“Stack-appella”
Breakfast fundraiser.
Frank the Dog versus Hudson Chronicles at
District Contest. Only one quartet made it all
the way... to our chapter Afterglow.
Upcoming Events
PGS Board Installation Banquet, January 29
Gala Singing Valentines Weekend, February 12-14
Concert, Monroe Village, February 20
Novice Quartet Contest, Rahway, February 27
Concert, Stonebridge, March 20
Princeton Communiversity, April 24
10th Annual Youth Festival of Harmony, May 8, Rahway Middle School
(www.festivalofharmony.org)
Atlantic Division Contest, May 14-15, Doubletree Hotel, Wilmington
High School A Cappella Festival, May 17
41st Annual Show, June 5, Yvonne Theater, Rider Univ.
Barbershop Harmony Society International Convention, June 28 – July 4, Philadelphia
Chapter meetings every Tuesday, 7:30pm, 300 Meadow Lakes, Hightstown, NJ