[From the Ontario District's newsletter, The Trillium, issue 59-04, October - December, 2005 , Waldo Redekop, editor.]

COTS PLUS — TOP GUN

January 6–8, 2006

By Don Pyper, COTS co-ordinator

They all call it COTS (Chapter Officers Training Seminar) but I call it the greatest musical fellowship event of the year. You don’t need to be a chapter officer to attend. Most chapters will help their members financially to support the cost of the weekend which is really a bargain for the participant.

Six of the best meals in North America, two nights of excellent lodging, and the whole experience of being with the greatest people in the world for a whole weekend is a value worth serious consideration.

Three extra courses are offered, Director of the Future, Chapter Communications and Joe Barbershop to whet the appetite of the serious Barbershopper.

Society recognized Waldo Redekop has designed a new course in chapter communication which deals with communication of all sorts in your chapter and the impact it can have on your success(es).The whole game of electronic communication alone is worthy of development in our chapters.

It is possible to find new members to invite and communication is the key to success. No one will show up at your chapter’s door if you don’t communicate the invitation in a respectable manner.

I can only tell you that you ought to be there. If you love harmonizing with others in small groups or large, you ought to be there. You can’t buy the excellence of instruction, fellowship, fun, food, excitement of performance, Harmonize for Speech pride in helping others, small group idea sharing, beautiful surroundings, and the ultimate sense of accomplishment that you’ll get at COTS.

The Joe Barbershop course is a great one for new members or someone who wasn’t listening when they told you all about the Barbershop Harmony Society you just joined. You will be brought up to date on everything there is to know about barbershopping plus a lot of singing, You’ll also get to meet the new Society CEO, Ed Watson and our dean the incomparable Jim DeBusman.

If you have some members in your chapter who might be able to help with the directing duties, send them to the Director of the Future course. You never know what may come of it..

In addition to all of this is the TOP GUN quartet coaching program which puts our best district quartets on site with us for great fun and singing with the champs activity etc.

The evening show will be spectacular with our quartets, two great choruses and a big surprise headline quartet.

You should be there. k