Winter 2022 Newsletter

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Denver Alumnae Chapter, Xi C Province, Region 1 | Winter 2022 | Volume 71, Issue 2

Dear Denver Alumnae SAI sisters,

It is with a collective sigh relief that we see the coronavirus numbers decline and we look forward to returning to see each other in person once again. At this time national headquarters advises that each chapter meets in person at their own discretion based on State and local guidelines. Due to a post-holiday spike in COVID numbers, we have not met in person in the new year but we look forward to returning for our first hybrid meeting in the month of March.

As the weather warms and we venture back outside, we look forward to new opportunities to explore and enjoy our sisterhood. We have lots of great activities coming up this spring and so many new (5 affiliates so far this year!) and old members of our sisterhood to enjoy them with. Spring brings new life and new connections. I challenge each of you to reach out to a sister you haven’t connected with recently. Bring a smile to someone’s face with a small act of kindness, it can go a long way. As our chapter grows, the bonds of sisterhood keep us close.

Province Day Reflections

Sunday, March 6 was a beautiful day to stay inside and celebrate the sisterhood of Xi C province. Sisters from all across the state watched the snowfall outside their windows as Sigma Upsilon hosted our 2022 Virtual Province Day.

We kicked off the day by baking a breakfast. The University of Denver sisters provided a delicious recipe for us to follow along with. While cooking we chatted about province day, life updates, and our excitement for National Convention this summer. The day then officially kicked off with opening remarks from our very own Province Officer, Megan Nugent. A wonderful anecdote was shared about enjoying the journey rather than anticipating the destination. Something to remember next time we ask ourselves “are we there yet".

A musicale featured works by women and non-binary composers with many wonderful woodwind instruments featured. Next, Sigma Upsilon Chapter led us in an origami craft where we made beautiful flowers. The group broke for lunch and we all returned for a lively red book sing-along of all of our SAI favorites. The afternoon saw guest speakers dive into topics such as history of the muses in Greek mythology and more.

After closing remarks from our host chapter and our province officer, the winner of the JoAnne Kyhl Memorial Performance Competition was revealed. Jenna Moore of Mu Tau chapter at Colorado State University was this year‘s winner. Her performance of Mei by Kazuo Fukushima and Bach's Sonata in E, Mvt 1-2 earned her this honor and her audition recording was played for the group.

While we missed being together in person, everyone enjoyed a day full of sisterhood laughter and music. We thank Sigma Upsilon for hosting such a wonderful event which we were all able to enjoy safely from the warmth of our own homes.

Many Roses, Jessica Knieff - Denver Alumnae Chapter President

Our Incorporation Day celebration and gathering was held on December 11, 2021 at The Cheesecake Factory. 10 sisters and their family members gathered.
Sisters, Donita Banks, Mary Hanson, and Marion Talley performed at the Gathering Place for their Holiday program on December 14, 2021.
Sisters gathered via Zoom for a formal meeting held on January 22. Amber Sheeran was affiliated. 17 members were in attendance and a program was presented by Krista Aliga.
Sisters gathered via Zoom on February 12 for a Galentines/Valentines Day celebration.
Sisters gathered via Zoom for a formal meeting held on February 19. 18 members were in attendance and a program was presented by Jessica Knieff and Shelby Pence.
The Kyle Scholarship competition was held on March 5. Jenna Moore from the CSU chapter, flute, was the winner and Hana Flood, flute, was announced honorable mention. Jenna Moore performed at Province Day on March 6.
Sisters gathered via Zoom on March 6 for Province Day. Province Day was hosted by Sigma Upsilon.
Sisters gathered at Donita Bank's home and via Zoom for an informal meeting on March 15. 16 members were in attendance. A program was presented by Donita Banks, Linda Rolf, and Anna Maria Manalo. The chapter's Executive Board for 2022 - 2023 was elected. Congratulations sisters!

President: Jessica Knieff

Vice President, Membership: Sarah Butler
Vice President, Ritual: Catherine Rands
Vice President, Programs: Shelley McClusky Goldberg
Treasurer: Kim Husted
Secretary: Mary Hanson
Editor: Krista Aliga

Sisters gathered at the Denver Nature and Science Museum with members of the Phi Mu Alpha chapter to see their Guitar Exhibit on March 26.

Incorporation Day, December 11, 2021
Sisters gathered at The Cheesecake Factory with family members to celebrate our Denver Alumnae Chapter's Incorporation Day

Gathering Place Holiday Program, December 15
In-Person Left to Right: Marion Talley, Donita Banks, Mary Hansen

Sisters enjoying a Galentine's Gathering (left). Linda and Alyse were also present during the gathering.
Sisters at the Denver Nature and Science Museum for the Guitar Exhibit. (left to right: Keena Day, Hailey Moy, Marion Talley, Amber Sheeran, Sarah Butler, Jessica Knieff, Alyse Greenberg, Mary Hanson)

Several sisters joined us virtually for wonderful conversation and sisterly bonding. Mary baked a heart-shaped cake, and Sarah made some chocolate-dipped creations, but overall it was just a nice opportunity to chat and spread some SAI love!

- Sarah Butler, SAI Denver Alumnae Vice President, Membership

An executive board meeting will be held on Saturday, April 9 at 2:00 PM MT.
A chapter meeting will be on Saturday, April 23 at 2:00 PM MT.
An executive board meeting will be held on Saturday, May 7 at 2:00 PM MT.
A chapter meeting will be on Saturday, May 21 at 2:00 PM MT.
An executive board meeting will be held on Saturday, June 4 at 2:00 PM MT.
A chapter meeting will be on Saturday, June 11 at 12:00 PM MT.

Remember to check the calendar on our website or reference your monthly Noteworthy News for more information on upcoming events.

Welcome new affiliates!

Shelby Pence affiliated with our chapter at the May 16, 2021, meeting. Her Rose Sister is Jessica Knieff. Shelby lives in Castle Rock with her husband, Sawyer, and is a K-8 Music Teacher at ACS Academy, a charter school in Douglas County. She holds a Music Education Degree from Washburn University. Her instruments are clarinet and bass clarinet. Shelby was initiated in 2017 by Theta Chapter at Washburn University. She enjoys knitting and crafting.

Amber Sheeran affiliated with our chapter at the January 22 meeting. Her Rose Sister is Mary Hanson. Amber lives in Littleton and is a substitute teacher, this semester at Powell Middle School teaching Choir/Music Appreciation. She holds a BM Music Education/Music Composition from Colorado State University, Fort Collins. Her instruments are clarinet and string bass. Amber was initiated by Mu Tau Chapter in 2018 at CSU. Her family includes her mom, Nikki, her dad, Steve, sisters Kay and Erin, and brother, Josh and his wife, Julie. Amber’s interests are horticulture/plants, Dungeons and Dragons, reading, painting and playing any instrument she can get her hands on.

Sabrina Green and partner John Jungerberg are excited to announce their engagement! They became engaged on March 20, 2022. Many congrats to Sabrina and John! Your sisters are very excited for you.

Kim Husted has a side business called Wrapped Whimsey, which specializes in unique and beautifully designed jewelry...all created by Kim! Sisters can shop her items at her Etsy shop and use the code ROSES for 20% off. The link should automatically add this to your cart, but in case it doesn't you can enter 'ROSES' manually at check-out. You can also check out her work on Wrapped Whimsy's Facebook page or Instagram: @wrappedwhimsy

Marion Talley looking fabulous as she rang in a milestone birthday on January 16 and entered a new decade. We would have never guessed she's a day over 70! Wishing you a very happy decade to come, Marion!

Central City Opera Day | Magic in the Mountains 1983 - 2018
By Donita Banks

Mix together a mountain setting in an historic mining town, an Opera House built in 1878, musical masterpieces beautifully sung and staged and receptions in historic Central City Victorian houses and what do you have? Thirty-seven magical, memorable afternoons enjoyed by Denver Alumnae Chapter’s members and guests at the Central City Opera from 1983-2018.

Donna Ellison, a Denver alum member in the early 1980s, hatched the idea of our chapter attending as a group and hosting a reception for John Moriarty. (Please see obituary on John in this newsletter.) In early 1983, Donna had read in the newspaper of John’s recent appointment as Artistic Director of the Central City Opera and his initiation as an SAI National Arts Associate in Boston. Chapter member Dorothy Nelson, an avid opera buff, agreed to chair the event and persuaded fifteen SAIs and guests to attend a performance of “La Traviata.” A reception was held at the Johnson House, honored John and initiated a wonderful tradition!

Attendance grew by leaps and bounds as we attended a performance of the opera John was conducting each summer and the receptions which followed, for about 10 years at the 1868 Johnson House, and then at the 1884 Macfarlane House.

Favorite productions included La Traviata, The Ballad of Baby Doe, La Boheme, Carmen, Gabriel’s Daughter (a World Premiere) and Orpheus in the Underworld. John joined us at our reception most years and we presented him with gifts, including rose bushes for his beloved “pink house” and engraved plaques commemorating his 20^th and 25^th years with us.
Upon John’s retirement in 2012 after 34 years with CC Opera, we held a catered luncheon at the Teller House, attended by nearly 20 members and guests preceding a performance of Britten’s “Turn of the Screw.” A special plaque from the chapter was presented to John by Dorothy Nelson and Mary Jane Frohardt. Donita Banks created a commemorative booklet about our 30 years of Central City Opera Day experiences

The Happy Land: Songs from the world of Laura Ingalls Wilder

Performers: Donita Banks, Anna Maria Manalo, Linda Rolf
March 19, 2022, By Donita Banks

In 2018, I discovered a new book at the library, “A Prairie Girl’s Faith” by Stephen W. Hines. He focuses on how faith is an integral part of her 8 classic “Little House” books, which trace Laura’s family’s history as pioneers in the Midwest from 1867-1885. It includes a chapter called, “Songs in the Night”, relating that 126 separate songs are imbedded in the stories. Her whole family sang a variety of songs to brighten their often long, wintry days at home, led by Pa, Charles Ingalls, on fiddle, sister, Mary, on a small organ, and Ma, Caroline Ingalls.

Music and singing were also important at community and holiday gatherings. Thus the idea for this program was born as a way to share a sampler of those songs. Linda and I both love the books and all the subsequent media and memorabilia that they have generated. And Anna is our perfect “Fiddler.” We're excited the program has finally happened after a 2-year delay!

JoAnne Kyhl Memorial Performance Competition
By Marion Talley, Chairman of the 2022 JoAnne Kyhl Memorial Performance Competition

The JoAnne Kyhl Memorial Performance Competition was held on March 6, 2022 in conjunction with XiC Province Day hosted by Sigma Upsilon at University of Denver. Province Day activities were via Zoom due to the COVID protocols. The music video of the winner was shown immediately following the events of province day.

This year there were four applicants, all were flutists. The essays told of their support of their SAI chapter. The videos of their music selections showed high musicianship and technique.
The judges were Anna Maria Manalo, Mary Nichols and Sarah Butler. Because all information was digital, the judges were able to read essays and hear the music performances on their own time. Saturday evening before province day the judges had selected the winner.

The Winner of the $500 is Jenna Moore, a senior at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Her major is Music Performance in Flute with a minor in Arts Management. In the Mu Tau Chapter she has held the offices of Scholarship Chair, Editor and now President. Her music selections were “Mei” by Kazuro Fukushima (1962) and “Sonata in E, 1^st and 2^nd movements” by Bach.

Honorable Mention was given to Hana Flood, a sophomore at University of Denver. She is a Performance major in Flute. She is Treasurer for the Sigma Upsilon Chapter and has put her skills into that position. Her music presentation was “Winter Spirits” by Katherine Hoover and “Morcaeu de Concours” by Gabriel Faure.

The Denver Alumnae Chapter is very proud of the high standards of all four applicants who displayed high musicianship and their love and support of Sigma Alpha Iota.

You can view all photos from our chapter events here!

Emily Murray - March 16
Cynthia Garrels - March 20
Rita Jo Tensly - March 27
Donita Banks - March 29
Debbie Kruckman - April 6
Krista Aliga - April 8
Molley Arney - April 18
Tina Phillips - May 3
Katie Nicholson - May 9
Nancy Johnson - May 10
Clarissa Constantine - May 29

We are getting snippets of Spring these days, and I hope you are all able to enjoy the sunshine and warmer weather. My last week was given a couple curveballs, but with the Spring weather we've been having, my 2.5 year old son and I decided to have a mom/son date to Wings at the Rockies followed by an outdoor lunch to soak up the sun.

When we got home we turned on Justin Timberlake tunes (Can't Stop this Feeling) and had a little dance party. I don't have a point to this story, but hopefully it gives anyone reading a little more Spring fever. After the holidays and winter season, along with still being in the midst of a pandemic, I think we're all beginning to become antsy to get out and about more and see familiar faces. Spring is the perfect time for us to reach out to a sister (or friends and family) to enjoy some of this lovely weather we're starting to get.

Thank you for all that contributed to this year's winter newsletter! Your contributions help make our SAI year successful, well communicated, and personable...and they are greatly appreciated!

Many Roses, Krista Aliga

Please always feel free to send any articles, upcoming events, & personal news, to the Editor for a feature in an upcoming Newsletter. (saidenvereditor@gmail.com). Announcements made at meetings may be included in future Newsletters. If your news is not something you'd like to be shared, please let me know during your announcement.

Any photos taken during meetings or events that you would like included in the newsletter can be uploaded at the following link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BLcSin4hjtBIrVKC3cERcfHUZwSFF01L?usp=sharing.

If you are not able to use this link, please let me know and we can discuss an alternative solution.

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