Getting Ready for Contest

Here we are at our next to last rehearsal before we go off to Lancaster Pa for our District Contest. Of the 100 chapters of the Barbershop Society in our District we are among the 23 chapters that will be part of the contest following success in the Division contests of this past Spring.

Also three of the 25 quartets in the contest will be partly, or all, from our chapter. We are proud of them as well as being proud of our singers for representing our chapter, The Hunterdon Harmonizers, as well as they have in contest.

We look forward to the contest and to the fellowship with singers from Washington DC to New York City and from Long Island to Harrisburg Pa that will be part of the contest with us.

Successful Craft Fair

Even better weather for the second day of the Harmonizer Craft Fair than the first day. The photo shows the group of people that joined us for the last song of the day — America one of everyone's favorites.

The guys did well performing. A few missing people were substituted for by able singers who carried on with good success. We did not miss a beat.

I talked to a number of people who had craft booths. Each one I talked to looks forward to being back next year. This is a good event for the Harmonizers and perhaps an even better one for the merchants on Main Street. One of them told me her business was better for our being on the scene this weekend.

Flemington Craft Fair

A great Craft Fair Day in Flemington on the Main Street. The crafters seemed to be doing well. They look forward to an even better day tomorrow.

The weather was not as clear and bright and blue sky as the weather report predicted, but never the less it was a very good day. Bright over cast day, not rain, and warm without being as hot as some years.

Of course the Harmonizer chorus, and a couple of their quartets, performed a free show for the crowd. This has been a tradition of the Harmonizers for all the years I have been involved.

And the first tickets for our December 3 Holiday show were sold to some of the people who heard and saw the show today. IF you want a ticket you can get one from any Harmonizer or by called 908-806-NOTE.

Come out tomorrow and enjoy the crafters and hear and see the show at 1:00 in the afternoon.

10th anniversary of the 9 / 11 tragedy in Lebanon Township Park

Those who died in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 will be honored on the 10th anniversary of the tragedy with ceremonies in the Lebanon Township Memorial Park. We will be there and part of the ceremony.

This year’s commemoration begins with a gathering in the park pavilion at 3:30 p.m. The Hunterdon Harmonizers will sing and the Somerset County Police Pipes and Drums will perform pre-ceremony music at 3:45 p.m. After the pledge of allegiance, Richard Cudina’s widow, Georgia Cudina, will give a welcoming speech.

The Most Rev. Paul Bootkoski, bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen will lead opening and closing prayers.

Brittany Hill will sing the national anthem, and the Harmonizers will sing several songs throughout the program.

The keynote speaker will be Congressman Leonard Lance. Guest speakers are Sen. Mike Doherty, Christie Whitman and Michael Rubright, principal of Woodglen School.

The Somerset County Pipes and Drums Corps will escort attendees to a Field of Flags where Brianna Hill will play taps.

Then there will be readings of In Remembrance by Lieutenant Tom Robinson, read by Patrick McCluskey and What Happened? by Gwen Loiacono, read by Kelly O’Reilly. The Pipes and Drums will then play while they leave the field of flags to conclude the ceremony.

The photos show what was in place yesterday in the pary. The flags in the field represent the 3,000 people who lost their lives in the tragedy. The Memorial includes a steel girder salvaged from one of the towers. 

Rolling Thunder Sept. 11 memorial motorcycle ride

We will be singing at the the 9/11 activities in the Borough of Flemington on Sunday at about noon. 


Rolling Thunder Chapter 3 of NJ is holding a Sept. 11 memorial motorcycle ride starting and ending at Cheeburger Cheeburger, 100 Reaville Ave. in Flemington. Line up is from 9-10:45 a.m., a bike blessing is at 10:45 a.m. and the ride leaves at 11 a.m. (includes a pass by the War Memorial in Flemington). 


The cycles will leave with a full police escort that will stay with the riders for their full loop. They expect to return by 12:00 noon for entertainment, food, guest speakers and a presentation. We will be part of the event singing our Armed Forces Medley and America the Beautiful. Then off to our next 9 / 11 event in Lebanon Township.
 

New Holiday Music

We have come to the time of year when we begin to prepare for our annual Holiday Show.

We still have the 9-11 events where we will sing. We still have to get ready for our own Flemington Main Street Craft Fair where we will perform on each Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon. We still have to do some more work to get ready for the fall contest. But one of the most fun things we get to do is to put on a Holiday Show.

In the picture some of our music leaders introduce a new song that will feature dancers and children and grandchildren of our singers. We project the new sheet music while a quartet introduces the song. Then the quartet leads their section through the song. The guys leave with the sheet music and a learning recording for practice at home or in their cars.

The show itself will help raise funds for the Hunterdon Medical Center, our local hospital. One more community service project for our Barbershop Chapter.