[Harp-L] goin' down south

[Garry Hodgson <garry@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

warning: only marginal harp content.

back in march, jason ricci and new blood played a benefit concert for
our high school youth group.  the event was to raise funds for our annual
trip to south carolina (from nj) to build a house for habitat for humanity.  the 
group will build our 14th house this year.  a number of you expressed interest,
and several actually attending the event, which was a high point in my musical
and spiritual life.  thanks to the band's and the audience's generosity, the show
raised about $3500 towards the roughly $18000 needed for the trip ( including a
donation to habitat for materials ).

so i just thought i'd let y'all know that we're about to put your money to its intended
use.  we leave friday morning: 15 kids, 5 adults, in 4 rented minivans.  a small
group this year; we normally have 25 kids or so.  i'm a little anxious (ok, a lot anxious)
this year, as our longtime volunteer youth advisors have retired, so i am 
organizing and running this year's trip.  gulp.  luckily, i have a wonderful co-leader
and other adult advisors, with a combined 12 trips between us, and a great bunch
of kids.  we'll do fine.

i've got a whole pile of harp mixes to listen to on the 2 day drives, and a set of 
harps to play during the rather limited downtime.  last year we had a guitar player
among the kids, so i had someone to play with.  not so this time; i'll have to make do.
one of the high points of last year's trip was the potluck supper we had at the church
that put us up on the return trip.  ended up sitting under an oak tree in the back yard,
making music with two guitarists, myself, and a fiddle player watching the sun set
over the appalachians.  doesn't get much better than that.

anyway, just wanted to let you all know that the trip you supported was really happening.
many thanks for all of your help.  keep us in your thoughts next week.  we can use all
the help we can get.

----
Garry Hodgson, Senior Software Geek, AT&T CSO

Can't you hear my lambs a callin'?
Oh good shepherd won't you feed my sheep?