Putting the 'caravan' in Caroling Caravan
| Type of post: | Chorus news item |
| Sub-type: | No sub-type |
| Posted By: | John Braden |
| Status: | Current |
| Date Posted: | Wed, Jan 15 2025 |
"caravan (kar'e-van) noun. 2. A number of vehicles traveling together."
The two dozen Boys on the Bus found -- for reasons not entirely clear -- they had no bus for the Heart of America Chorus' annual Caroling Caravan, Dec. 14, 2024.
When time came to depart the Fairfield Inn meeting place in Overland Park, the curb out front was empty. Undeterred, they jumped in member cars and traveled by actual caravan to bring holiday cheer to residents of a half-dozen retirement centers.
"Despite the 'missing bus,' I think everyone had a great time, especially all the people we sang for," HOA President Mike Schumacher said.
Normally, this would be a bonding time in which the guys ride on the bus, talking, joking, singing and eating sack lunches. Instead, they rode in smaller groups and learned about things like the "whoopie cushion" feature programmed into Paul Camarata's Tesla. (If you don't know what one is, Google it.)
"It was a crazy, delightful, hectic, successful day!" Director Carter Combs said. "We didn't get to visit together as much as we had planned, but we all pulled together and made it one for the memories book."
In holiday attire -- mostly ugly Christmas sweaters -- the chorus sang holiday favorites at each retirement center stop and collected donations to the Love Fund for Children. Caravan organizers Ted Simon and Tony O'Brien were joined at several stops by Love Fund Executive Director Dionne Pleasant to explain about the Love Fund's mission.
Initiated by former Fox4 TV anchor Cynthia Smith, the Love Fund is dedicated to fulfilling unmet needs of children in the Kansas City area. The non-profit organization helps provide therapeutic tools, medical equipment, eye exams, clothing, shoes, bedding and other needed items. O'Brien also explained the friendship between Smith and the late Fox4 weatherman Dan Henry, a longtime HOA member.
In between chorus songs, the quartets Homeward Bound and a blend of Swing Shift and KC Common members inserted a couple of numbers.
Stops on the 10 a.m.-4 p.m. route included Meadowbrook Retirement and Claridge Court in Prairie Village; The Forum, Tallgrass Creek and Brookdale in Overland Park; and Silvercrest College View in Lenexa.
Thanks to Jeffi Combs, Carla Weisz and Carol Ramirez for preparing sack lunches and to the family of late member Gordon and Marilou Coleman for a substantial donation to the Love Fund and for providing funds for the, uh, bus.
The two dozen Boys on the Bus found -- for reasons not entirely clear -- they had no bus for the Heart of America Chorus' annual Caroling Caravan, Dec. 14, 2024.
When time came to depart the Fairfield Inn meeting place in Overland Park, the curb out front was empty. Undeterred, they jumped in member cars and traveled by actual caravan to bring holiday cheer to residents of a half-dozen retirement centers.
"Despite the 'missing bus,' I think everyone had a great time, especially all the people we sang for," HOA President Mike Schumacher said.
Normally, this would be a bonding time in which the guys ride on the bus, talking, joking, singing and eating sack lunches. Instead, they rode in smaller groups and learned about things like the "whoopie cushion" feature programmed into Paul Camarata's Tesla. (If you don't know what one is, Google it.)"It was a crazy, delightful, hectic, successful day!" Director Carter Combs said. "We didn't get to visit together as much as we had planned, but we all pulled together and made it one for the memories book."
In holiday attire -- mostly ugly Christmas sweaters -- the chorus sang holiday favorites at each retirement center stop and collected donations to the Love Fund for Children. Caravan organizers Ted Simon and Tony O'Brien were joined at several stops by Love Fund Executive Director Dionne Pleasant to explain about the Love Fund's mission.
Initiated by former Fox4 TV anchor Cynthia Smith, the Love Fund is dedicated to fulfilling unmet needs of children in the Kansas City area. The non-profit organization helps provide therapeutic tools, medical equipment, eye exams, clothing, shoes, bedding and other needed items. O'Brien also explained the friendship between Smith and the late Fox4 weatherman Dan Henry, a longtime HOA member. In between chorus songs, the quartets Homeward Bound and a blend of Swing Shift and KC Common members inserted a couple of numbers.
Stops on the 10 a.m.-4 p.m. route included Meadowbrook Retirement and Claridge Court in Prairie Village; The Forum, Tallgrass Creek and Brookdale in Overland Park; and Silvercrest College View in Lenexa.Thanks to Jeffi Combs, Carla Weisz and Carol Ramirez for preparing sack lunches and to the family of late member Gordon and Marilou Coleman for a substantial donation to the Love Fund and for providing funds for the, uh, bus.
