RAMBLIN’ with Helen...

Ramblin’ with Helen:

Well folks, if January (so far) is indication of how the rest of our winter is going to be – here is one “happy camper”! However, I honestly have doubts, but can hope and dream it will be anyways. I had an email too late for last months ramblin regarding the hospitalization of our member Ron DePeyster to have a brain tumor removed. Results showed no cancer, and it was so good to see Ron and Rose at our January meeting, both jammin’ with those in the big club room. Thanks Joy for letting me know about this, and a card was sent to Ron from CNYBA.

I NEED HELP FROM ANYONE who can let me know where or what has happened to Joyce Rafferty, sister of Dusty Bevins. Joyce is always one of the very first to send me their December renewals, and haven’t received them this year. I tried emailing her, and the message was returned undeliverable, tried calling her and message said phone was not in service, and no further information was available. Her newsletters have not been returned, but my personal note has not been answered. I don’t have a phone number for Dusty; and am very concerned about them both. IF ANYONE in the TICONDEROGA, NY. area has any information, please call me at: 626-2603, or email me at helwel80@yahoo.com and put in subject area – news about Joyce and/or ‘Dusty, as I don’t open emails from unknown names/addresses. THANK YOU. Both of these folks have been members for well over 15 years and are a special part of our “bluegrass family”.

Along the same line, I had an email from John Hover, MD., Post Box 150745, Nashville, TN. 37215 asking me if I knew how he could reach Dave Folta, a former member of CNYBA. Dave hasn’t belonged in a couple of years, but I emailed the last known address I had, and told John I would mention this in our Feb. newsletter. If anyone knows of Dave’s where-abouts, please email: drjohnhoover@comcast.net, or phone 615-297-1933 (direct) or 615-268-3507 (cellular). I am sure both John and Dave would appreciate getting in touch with each other again.

CONGRATULATIONS to Sam Murphy, who was the chosen one to receive the Annual IRENE THURSTON Award given each year by Bill Szabo at our annual festival. Due to Sam not being present at the festival on Sat. for the presentation, and again at our Oct. meeting when Bill came hoping to be able to present it, President Campbell asked me to present it on behalf of Bill. It was an honor to do so, as Sam is one of those members every organization hopes for – always willing to do anything he can to help and usually ends up with those tasks no one else desires or offers to do. We all appreciate your efforts Sam.

At the January board meeting it was decided to recommend that CNYBA send a donation of $50.00 to Hospice and Palliative Care of Chenango County in memory of Bill Szabo’s dear friend Ruth Pforter, and it was voted to do so at the membership business meeting. I received a very nice “THANK YOU” card from Bill, which read – “It was so nice of you and appreciated more than words can say”. He also expressed his best regards to all the members for the donation and will convey our thoughtfulness to her family, especially her son Gary. Bill also wrote that Ruth, per her request, went to rest with her white clogging shoes. Thanks for your kind words Bill, and we are all thinking of you, and hope you will soon feel like joining us again – you are missed.

A big THANK YOU to Carl Stump, Linda & John Jackson and Ray Packard for your “extra” donations included with your renewals; Ted & Mary Phillips for the SASE; and long-time member Kathleen Mayhew sent some blank notecards along with her and her daughter France Campagnoni renewals – something I can always use.

WELCOME to new members Lou Cisconi from Odessa, NY. and the Mike Tirella family from Latham, NY.

I had a short email from Brenda Wrench saying that Ted is getting “settled in”, and is learning to live with the “zapping”, but is sure hoping that his doctor can help that when he returns in the spring. We all hope he can too.

Neil Shortslef was sick and unable to attend the January meeting, but since he had promised me at the Christmas Party he would renew his membership at the meeting, he sent it with Eugene Pritchard. Now folks, that is what I call true dedication, and a man of his word! A get-well card was sent to him from the association, and we hope you are doing fine now, Neil.

Bob Hayden and Bill Light were appointed as the nominating committee to get a slate of officers to be elected at our Annual Meeting in April. President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and 2 – 3 year term board members (to replace Neil Shortslef and Bob Simmions) will be elected. If interested, please contact them, or they will be contacting you! Remember, nominations are accepted from the floor (with prior approval from the person being nominated), and secret paper ballots will be taken.

Donna Walter and I email back and forth, and she told me that Bob Walter recently had cataract surgery, and expects to have the other eye done in a couple of weeks. He is doing fine after some anxious moments when the surgeon nicked the eye, and all the fluid drained out – there was a lot of swelling, but that is all gone now. We wish you “accident free” surgery on the other eye Bob, and pray this one will be a success too.

I don’t have to much to write about this month, as haven’t heard from anyone, and to be very frank, have been too busy to make a lot of calls. The following email was sent to me – ANOTHER FALL HOSPITALIZES JANETTE CARTER - Christmas Day 2005 started out to be a day of celebration and reunion of family members for Carter Family matriarch Janette Carter. Enthusiasm and eagerness to be ready for visitors caused Janette to bypass the cautions expressed by her caregivers to remain seated until they were able to return in a minute or two. Janette attempted to walk over to some clothing in order to complete dressing when, instead, she took a tumble and broke her wrist. Family members attending her immediately took her to the hospital, where she underwent surgery 30 minutes after arrival. She is now in a rehabilitation facility attached to the hospital and will remain there for the next two week, according to her daughter Rita Forrester.

In the Tuesday, Jan. 24 th Post Standard, the following article appeared: Daughter of A.P. Carter dies – Janette Carter, 82, the last surviving child of country music’s founding Carter Family, who in recent years preserved her parents’ oldtime style with weekly performances, died Sunday, Jan. 22 in Kingsport, Tenn. Carter was the daughter of A.P. and Sara Carter. Her parents and her father’s sister-in-law Maybelle Carter formed a singing trio discovered in 1927 when talent scout Ralph Peer came through the Tennessee-Virginia border town of Bristol to record mountain music. (I thought perhaps the above two items might be of interest to some of you.)

Well, folks, thus another visit comes to a close, and until next time, here’s a brain teaser: What do you throw away when you need it, but take it in when you don’t need it? (The answer will be found in the next month’s newsletter).

Helen
(Helen Weldon)

CNYBA
PO Box 491
Baldwinsville, NY 13027
www.cnyba.com
Copyright 2002
All Rights Reserved.