A Hallowell gathering

Yesterday afternoon, about 25 Hallowell members gathered at the home of Kathy Leo and Tom Goldschmid, and had a chance to sing together and share experiences. Kathy talked fairly exstensively about how Hallowell is evolving organizationally, due to our aging, Kathy's personal pulling back from her central role as founder, and the restrictions created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hallowell is twenty years old, a milestone we will mark on August 26th with a celebration. It has a strong commitment of support from Brattleboro Area Hospice to continue. But others will be taking over what Kathy has been doing, and there will be a concerted effort to recruit younger members: a new generation. There was a time when Ellen and I were involved in virtually every sing, many of which we led, and we jointly led several workshops with Kathy and Tom, helping to create new groups like Hallowell in other parts of Vermont, and in Maine, Massachusetts, Washington D.C., añd Indiana, etc. Those days are over. But they were wonderful while they lasted.

Gathering and visiting. L. to R.: Val, Patrice, Connie, Gill, Kathy, Mary Cay, Mike, Bonnie, Tom.

Tom and Kathy's house.

Part of the circle of song: Jamie, Tom, Mark, Peter, Manny, Susan and Terry.

Another part of the circle: Calvin, Hans, Mike, Walter, Gill, Bonnie and Tom.