Millenium Membership Drive

by Kevin Becker

Membership renewals have been arriving at a brisk pace as we approach the millenium! Thank God for the kind generosity of Folk Guild members and their families. The Hudson Valley Folk Guild is a non-profit, member-run corporation dedicated to preserving interest in folk music, contributing to community service by entertaining at benefits and giving its performing members opportunities to perform their own music. Over the last few months, Guild entertainers have given of their time and talents to perform for the Clearwater, the Alzheimers Association, 'Toys for Tots', Victory Lake Nursing Home. And those are just the ones we know about!

The Folk Guild needs you to show your support for its work by renewing your membership for the year 2000! As in past years, our membership renewal drive will run between January 1st and March 31st of the new year. All members shall be issued membership cards, be eligible for discounts to Guild events, and have the satisfaction they are helping to support folk music in the Hudson Valley. Performingmembers are also eligible to participate in Folk Guild special events and programs.

There are several categories for membership:

Individual ($10), Family ($15), Patron ($25), Sponsor ($50), Benefactor ($75), Angel ($100 or more).

As the Folk Guild develops different activities, the cost of operations always increases. There are several expenses the Guild pays regularly such as liability insurance for all who work on and attend our events. Each issue of the newsletter costs approximately $300 to publish. Also, with sound equipment for four chapters, plus a larger system for concerts and outdoor events, money is always needed for repairs and replacement of broken equipment.

If the Folk Guild is going to continue to meet its goals, your support is most necessary! If you think the work the Hudson Valley Folk Guild does is worthwhile, please mail the form on the next pagewith a special millenium membership donation!

The Editor's Ego

I hope that by the time most of you read this, it won't be by candlelight! Yes, this is the part where, as editor, I get to wax poetic (you should pardon the expression) about the whole millenial mishigosh. Pfooey. I personally refuse to bend to the pressures imposed on us by the flipping of the Western world's twelfth calendar page. Renewal and reform is available to anyone on a daily, even an hourly basis, and needs to be a personal and well-timed event in order to have lasting, positive effects.

As far as that Y2K stuff, rest assured that your HVFG newsletter is TOTALLY compliant. Even if it means our correspondents will have to get their articles to Kingston by Pony Express (there's an idea...). Even if it means future issues will have to be inked with quills onto papyrus scrolls. Well, let's hope for the best on that front....

And that's the nice thing about folk music. We don't need no stinkin' amps! Microphones only help us to hide in the shadows of the caves we perform in. Remember the fire we gathered around. Remember the flames dancing in the blacks of our eyes. Frankly, even guitars are optional, but with humankind's penchant for tools, we will always come up with something to bang on or strum. Folk music will survive. And folks have survived all this time in large part due to music, that which sustains us in the cold, feeds us when the can opener is missing, comforts us when it seems that all around is dark. Keep singing...CAR

HVFG Awarded DCAC Grant

by Linda Breithaupt

The Folk Guild has been awarded a Dutchess County Arts Council Decentralization grant for the 1999-2000 season. The focus of this grant will be an outreach project targetting those aged 16-22 who demonstrate an interest in folk music. Stay tuned for details in an upcoming issue...

Why Join?

by Les Herring

It's the time of year when the Hudson Valley Folk Guild asks you all to become a member or renew your membership. Why? Because it costs money to run the Guild, even with so many members who generously volunteer their time and effort on our behalf. The buildings where our coffeehouses are held have to be rented. The sound systems that enable all our great music to be heard have to be maintained. Like nearly everyone these days, we carry insurance. Postage has to be paid to let the local media know what we're doing and to get this newsletter to you. The admission we charge at the coffeehouses barely pays the rent, so membership dollars are essential to the Folk Guild's good health.

But we don't just take, we give back something for your money. As a member of the Hudson Valley Folk Guild, you receive:

• discounts on admission to coffeehouses and other Guild events;
• a free subscription to this very fine newsletter;
• the satisfaction of helping this fine organization help the folk music scene and musicians of the Hudson Valley.

I've been a member for 19 years (gasp) and nothing else I do gives me as much happiness. For the (cheap) price of a membership, you too can know some of that happiness, and we even provide a form to make it easy. Please consider sending it in--- the Guild will be very grateful.

HVFG Presence

Since the last newsletter, several of our performers have donated their time to the following worthy causes:

11/28/99- Roye Donald and Kevin and Carol Becker performed at the Dutchess Community College Craft Fair put on by the Dutchess Community College Foundation. This is the arm of the college, that among others things, funds scholarships for students.

12/11/99- Chris DePalma and Vince Sauter played for the Hudson Valley 'Toys for Tots' campaign at the South Hills Mall. As you know 'Toys for Tots' provides presents to needy boys and girls during the holidays.

12/12/99- Kevin and Carol Becker along with Cub Scout Pack 53 visited the Victory Lake Nursing Home and sang a variety of Christmas and songs of the season. We know many members visit nursing homes and other like facilities over the course of the year. Let us know if you perform for a good cause!!