2/13/2008 150th Update, February 2008. Steve Ramsey here ('67), writing from my home office in chilly Lake Forest, IL...where the February snows are deeper than usual and the cold simply takes your breath away. It's sure pretty, though, and we know that it won't last.

The Club's 150th anniversary celebration is set for April 2010, so mark your calendars. That's just over two years away, and while that may seem a long ways out, it isn't from a planner's point of view. There's much to be done. We've been setting our game plan for a year now, framing up a team structure to handle much of the burden. I can tell you that the alumni who've stepped forward already are quite enthusiastic.

So are the students. The Exec Committee has appointed two energetic liaisons to help us plan--sophomore Scott Roffman and senior Phil Schettenhelm. Freshman Joe Wieciek is ready to step into Phil's large shoes this April once he moves on to alumni status. Scott, Phil, and Joe are now recruiting other students to sit on our six organizing teams, two per team. They'll be ready to dive in next fall when teams assemble.

We continue to seek alumni volunteers. A big "thanks" to those who've already reached out and said, "I'm ready to help!" Each team will comprise six or more alumni (plus the two students), and each team lead will need a batch of volunteers to contact and line up on his team. The extended endowment team alone will need 100 total callers come 2010 when the endowment campaign launches. Forty of you have already signed on to serve as "Class Leads" and now wait patiently to get underway.

Please email or call me (see below) to volunteer for team work. The teams will meet 2-3 times next academic year (mainly by telephone conferencing)...and at least that many times again in 2009-2010. You'll need to be prepared for that depth of commitment. But I can assure you that your brothers in song will be forever grateful and will surely reward you commensurately come the 150th anniversary weekend.

The six organizing teams are:

• Event Planning/Facilities (seeking two good organizers to serve as co-Leads)
• Fellowship and Song (Don Sanderson '67, Team Lead)
• Financial Operations (Chris Nordhoff '92, Team Lead)
• Fund Raising/Endowment (Rich von Luhrte '67, Team Lead)
• Marketing/Communication (Hamilton Chang '89, Team Lead...seeking a public relations/communications specialist to serve as co-Lead)
• Travel/Hospitality (Jim Walter '75, Team Lead)

All team leads together will comprise a Core Team which will be responsible for executing strategy and directing team activities.

Contact me by emailing xplorr@sbcglobal.net or calling 847/295-5650 (office) or 847/826-1169 (cell). Thanks in advance. I look forward to talking with you soon.

Michigan Remember... Made into a video trailer!

• "...this event (can be) a bridge between the past and the future...with a formal comprehensive (fund-raising) effort...to make another 150 years possible..."
• A way of "strengthening the legacy for others to follow in future generations..."
• "Further recognition of the Club as a world class men's chorus."
• "Public awareness and appreciation, fellowship, opportunity for alums to contribute recordings, photos, programs, etc. to archives."
• "Opportunities to talk, sing, drink beer-what else can we want?"
• "A chance to celebrate a milestone in the Club's history and increase UMMGC visibility."
• "Greater overall financial support for the Club from glee club alumni."
• "A growing consciousness...of the Club's integral role as a collective musical ambassador for the University."
• "Re-acquainting myself with long lost friends, basking in the music! Performing in Hill Auditorium."
• ...give current members a taste of just how important the club is to former members..."
• "Remind the University community and Ann Arbor what a rare gem the Club is."
• "...celebrate the unique male vocal blending that we all find so special."
• "Reconnecting with old friends and reliving the good old days."
• "It could lead to an alumni glee club of sorts which could participate on a semi-regular basis."
• Opportunity for "a comprehensive history with many extras-including a concert recording (which could be) marketed to all U of M grads."
• "...a strong sense of commitment from alumni to help create a future where the Glee Club can exist and thrive-a bettr connectedness that can benefit not only the Club, but also the University."
• "Recommitment to the perfection of musical performance."
• "Build greater involvement by GC alums-continuous involvement, not just periodic attendance at concerts..."
• "Development of an Alumni Council with a more active leadership role in the current strategic intentions of the Club."
• "Avenues to assist current club members with internships, job placement, etc."
• "Strong publicity for the Club and, more importantly, for the University."
• "Increased alumni engagement and involvement."
• "A new standard of practice to allow for a healthy, sustainable future while maintaining the great traditions and musical excellence of the past."

Like the Club's long history of upbeat audience reaction, alumni response to the 150th anniversary survey, too, was overwhelmingly positive! Of the more than 1,200 UMMGC alumni who knew about the 150th Anniversary Survey, 22% replied…and of those:

• 99.3% supported the idea of a 150th event in the spring of 2010
• 92.3% said there's a likelihood they would come
• 88.3% were positive about a fund-raising effort to boost club endowment
• More importantly, 84.4% said they would make a pledge
• 84.5% said they'd probably bring a spouse or significant other
• 83.2% expressed interest in singing in a 150th alumni chorus

The survey was posted on the Glee Club web site from late June until September 1. Almost 60% of respondents indicated a willingness to help with the 150th-including the endowment campaign.

Currently, work is underway to assemble a fund-raising team of alumni who would build and implement a campaign to help increase endowment funds. The team would be structured around class years. Alumni would be appointed to serve as class leads or co-leads and take responsibility for contacting others who finished their time in club during the same years as the team member. The concept is to have a caller re-connect with the guys he sang with while in Club with the intent of strengthening the prospect of getting positive responses and strong financial commitments.

The endowment campaign will be geared to raise sustaining support for club tours, wardrobe, and scholarships. The Club's current endowment is just over $1 million, and while that amount is significant, it pales in comparison to endowments for other well-known university glee clubs like Harvard's or Yale's. The Yale club's endowment exceeds $13.5 million and reportedly funds 100% of tour expenses for current club members.

The Michigan Club's endowment campaign will be organized and run by alumni with help from the University's Development Office, currently working on a global campaign to raise $2.6 billion for the University. Plans, teams, and initial prospects will be worked out over the next 12 months with the campaign launching in either late 2007 or early 2008. The campaign's financial target has not yet been determined, but the intent is to at least double-or even triple-our present endowment level.

Stay tuned to this web site for periodic updates on 150th Anniversary activities.

With the 145th Anniversary festivities now but a memory, focus has quickly shifted to the Club's 150th Anniversary. In five short years the Glee Club will be putting on a sesquicentennial year celebration; however, time is beginning to run out if this milestone is to be commemorated properly.

In addition to the customary reunion concert and festivities, a number of ideas to commemorate this year have been tossed around including publishing a proper history book, issuing a commemorative DVD and a CD compilation of the Club from the Duey years to the present, and publishing a new songbook. Other ideas include a commissioning of new works, a second Michigan Song writing contest, performing a large work with an orchestra, recreating a turn-of-the-(20th) century concert, and a possible return to Llangollen or a second world tour. It is unlikely that all of these ideas can be brought to fruition as they will each require considerable time and finances; however, with strong alumni support--both in terms direct work on these projects and through fundraising activities--it is quite possible that many of these ideas will be a reality in 2009.

In order to get the ball rolling on the early planning an e-mail group is being created for interested parties to freely discuss these ideas and to develop a more comprehensive plan for implementation. In addition, a new junior manager position, the 150th Anniversary Coordinator, has been created to serve as a liaison between the alumni committee and the executive board. Once the initial conversation via e-mail has run its course, the formation of a more formal alumni board will likely follow to oversee these activities, and committees will be formed to concentrate on specific projects. This next phase will likely begin with a face-to-face meeting in the fall, possibly on the weekend of the Fall Hill concert.

In the meantime, if you would like to be a part of the preliminary planning of the 150th, please send an e-mail at the address below and you will be added to the 150th e-mail list.