Certified Director Award
Tom Roan, director of the Greater Pinellas “Florida Suncoast Chorus” completed the Society’s Director Certification program and now has the title “Certified Director”. He was presented with his Director Certification certificate and lapel pin at the convention. In the future, he will be listed in the convention programs as “Tom Roan, Certified Director” when his chapter competes.
The Director Certification program exists for the purpose of encouraging continued education of our directors. By going through a specifically assigned curriculum, directors will better enhance the barbershop chapter experience for all of their members. Certified directors have completed all required coursework, and demonstrated proficiency in conducting skills, music theory, sound management, leadership and teaching. The Director Certification program website is here: http://barbershop.org/director-certification.html
Sunshine District Hall of Fame
Arne Helbig was inducted into the Sunshine District Hall of Fame on Saturday afternoon following the Chorus contest. Arne joined the Heralds of Harmony in 1983 and sang with a number of successful quartets including R.S.V.P., Bay City Sound, Breakthrough, Heatwave and Just for Fun. In 1994 he sang with Cigar City Four when they were crowned Sunshine District Champs. He also competed with the Heralds in International competition for 15 consecutive years.
In 2000, he he began working with the Young Men in Harmony Program. He worked hard to start Youth Workshops throughout the State of Florida. What started out as a local program, hoping to just go state-wide, turned viral and became a program that has been copied throughout the country. He has helped coordinate over 120 of these workshops in the years of his involvement. He handles everything from helping secure a venue to ordering pizza and meals for the day, coordinating with local contacts, securing clinicians and teaching quartets, ordering music, marketing the event with teachers and local chapters and even at times renting a truck to go and pick up, deliver and set-up risers! This program has touched over 30,000 students in Florida alone over the past years and Arne has been the driving force behind this accomplishment. With the support of the Sunshine District and the Barbershop Harmony Society, he has pushed the Sunshine District’s Youth Workshop to become leaders in the country for this type of event. Additionally, he along with Ken Carter, has promoted and staged the annual the Sunshine Harmony Explosion, inviting 100 plus boys from across the State of Florida to our 3-day camp. This event also encourages educator participation. They have managed to secure some of the finest clinicians and teaching quartets in the country to lead the Explosion. Last year the event was co-ed for the first time with teaching quartets Max Q and The Buzz. He mentors not only all the Sunshine chapter YMIH volunteers, but he is in constant contact with the Society’s YMIH liaisons. He currently serves on the Sunshine District Board.
In his spare time, Arne is a Claims Specialist Manager with Allstate Insurance. He has been married to his Sweet Adeline wife Denise for 25 years.
President’s Award
Roger Smeds, Sunshine District Webmaster was awarded the President’s Award by Nick Schwob, Sunshine District President for bringing the district website up to speed by continually improving the content and making the whole operation more user friendly.