To all Melosians, old and new:

Welcome to our new season of great music! You have heard from David Cameron as to his need to have surgery this September. I can only wish him well, and a speedy recovery.

Here are some mundane reminders on organization for starting night, and the beginning of the season.

Please come at 7:00 pm on Sept.14 , so that we can proceed with the paperwork: dues payment (dues: $50), tax-deductible voluntary donations (suggested amount: $100), and a postdated cheque for $25.00 as a music deposit. (All cheques can be made out to Melos.)

Our rehearsal space is at the Upper Canada Academy of the Performing Arts, corner of Brock and Clergy Streets, the old St.Mary's School. Things to note about the rehearsal space:

1. We are not allowed to use the parking spaces in the parking lot. These are rented to church members.
2. The door is locked at all times so try to be on time as we station someone to open the door for members.
3. If you are late we cannot hear the bell when we are singing. In this case go around to the right side of the building facing Clergy Street and knock gently on the window.
4. We have been requested not to wear wet or dirty footwear in the rehearsal space. Racks and trays are provided in the hall for shoes and boots, so please be prepared to remove your outside shoes in messy weather.

Melos's annual general meeting will be held Friday, Sept. 23rd following a potluck supper at Diane Kennedy's. Partners are invited.

Some of you may be aware that Melos did not have success in getting a grant from the City of Kingston Fund for the Arts. A grant request was submitted, even though the board was aware that it had only a small chance, given that we had reached the limit of consecutive project grants, and had not been incorporated long enough to get a grant based on supporting funding. This means Melos has greater than usual demand for fundraising efforts. If you have any ideas of people or corporations who might consider becoming Melos supporters or of other ways of raising funds, we, the board members, would appreciate hearing from you.

To start off this effort, we are planning a garage sale, to be held 8:30 am-1:00 pm, Saturday Sept. 10th at 40 Helen Street. We need workers from 7:30 am until cleanup, finishing around 2 pm. Please let Fran Harkness or myself know when you can work. All items are to be at Fran and David's, 40 Helen St., by 3:00 pm Friday Sept.9 . Please have the items you bring priced. If you are worried that you might overprice, garage sale buyers seem to like to negotiate.

Folding tables are needed. (We borrowed some last year. Whoever arranged this, could you please let Fran know if it can be done again.) All clothing, on hangers please, and textiles are to be in clean, usable condition. There are items at Qubit Systems that have been donated. I suspect Steve Hunt may need some help getting these to Helen Street. (A van would help here.) I too have several car loads of donated items in my basement. (Thankfully we did not have flooding!) These are all currently not priced. I may need help with both of these.

I hope I have remembered all. The program for the year is contained in the brochure attached to David's e-mail and on the Melos web site. It sounds exciting to me, and I hope to all of you.

Looking forward to seeing everyone on the 14th.

Maja-Lisa Thomson, Chair, Melos Music Society of Kingston