PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Ray Martens,
President
Austin Saengerrunde, after its
characteristic summer pause, is once again in its season of full activities. And
actually a fairly large contingent of the Damenchor has been rehearsing music
for the upcoming national Saengerfest with some frequency throughout the
summer. We enjoyed a well attended annual picnic at the
I have posted in the Maennerchor
rehearsal room the revised list of appointments of active members to our
standing committees. The prospect of some adjustments is still likely. As
customary, the list of appointees to the Entertainment Committee is long. Perhaps
the reason for that is not clear. Routinely, Ernie Becker, chairman of the
committee, puts out the call for people to help with preparing the
Most of you by now have heard or
read the plea from Al Holck to take into our homes for two nights members of De
Windjammers, the singing group from
Sadly, yet another of our faithful
members, Allen Steves, died during the course of the summer. Surely all of us
were favorably impressed over many years with how gentle a man Allen was - never
out of control or crude or bombastic - as he served us capably as President and
in other leadership roles. Whether in his demeanor among us or the way in which
he patiently bore his final illness, he was a fine example to us all, and his
absence creates a significant void.
On several occasions, and notably
at our picnic, much of the membership became aware that Brother Carl Tiedt,
formerly active with us as a first tenor, painted a picture of Gene Powell and
his grandson and gave it to the German Texan Heritage Society (GTHS) as an item
for their fund raising auction last spring. It did not sell, probably because
neither the artist nor his subjects were well enough known in that setting. But
then the GTHS with Carl's concurrence gave the painting to the Austin
Saengerrunde so that we, in turn, could present it to Mary Jo Powell, the very
person to whom it would be most meaningful. We were able to do just that with
real pleasure on August 12th.
The deaths of members provide a
harsh reminder that our membership is dwindling rather than growing. The
problem is compounded by the fact that a dozen or more of us have been or now
are hampered by illness or by failing stamina and mobility as a result of
advancing age. As a group we are graying
and slowing, and the impact is felt
in the level of participation of which we are capable. Simply stated, it is
urgent that we identify the new generation who can carry on beyond us in the
values and ideals which we count meaningful in our club.
The Kinderchor is at present in
the crisis of not having a director. I share this out of a sense of
responsibility about your need to know about such developments, although I am
optimistic that the problem may be resolved even before you read this.
Finally, let's lift our glasses in
a toast to Paul Kaschube, one whom the veterans among us would identify as a
new member, for agreeing to serve as Editor of the Newsletter beginning with
this issue. A few months ago he also took over the management of our website. We
value both his talent and his willingness to serve.