August Events

 

Single Trees had a super fun month this August. We started out the month with our annual picnic held out near Mt. Pisgah off Seavey Loop at the country property of one of our members, Suzanne Peterson. This property had been hit hard by the ice storm we had here in January but you wouldn’t know it looking at it now. It was in pristine condition as always! Thank you, Suzanne, for hosting once again.

As usual we had about 25 members and guests on hand with hamburggers and hot dogs grilled to perfection by newer member John Olson from the Medford area. We all brought side dishes and desserts to go with. We ate and talked, talked and ate, and none of us wanted to dance feeling replete and in need of a good sit down. The day was perfect—not too hot as it was overcast. There was no blueberry picking this year as the berries ripened early in July.

We had two fun-filled dances on the 3^rd and 4^th Fridays. We had lots of guests from clubs to the north of us whose clubs do not dance during the summer. We appreciate their support.

In September, we are sponsoring a new caller dance on the 14^th with several new callers or callers getting back into the game having just gone through Daryl Clendenin’s and Roger Putzler’s zoom caller class. We are excited to hear them call and get the opportunity to dance to them. On Friday, Sept. 20 we will hold our regular mainstream dance called by Janet Geiger and cued by Jackie Gale with a Sock Hop/Back To School theme. On Sept. 27, the 4^th Friday,, we will host a Pie and Ice Cream Social Dance with Mark Wheeler calling and Christina Corelli cueing. We expect to have a great time dancing and visiting with our guests. Please come join us.

Gaynor Hintz

Club Reporter

Annual Club Picnic

 Single Trees hosted our annual picnic on Saturday, Aug. 3 at Suzanne Peterson's beautiful country home off Seavey Loop.  We have been very fortunate to be able to use her property for our cub picnics for well over 15 years.  She and her fellow Single Trees member Renee always have the property looking its best despite the terrible ice storm damage the property sustained in January. Several purn iles later along with a huge chip pile and it was good t go.

We believe there were about 25 Single Trees and their guests at the picnic on what turned out to be a very pleasant Saturday afternoon.  The picnic started around noon with many arriving beforehand to set up the tables, chairs and start the barbecue.  Thanks to our grill master, John Olson, a new member as of last year and Janet Geiger's fiance, the hamburgers and hotdogs were done just right.  There lots of delicious side dishes and desserts to go around.  We all ate until we were stuffed and too full to do any dancing.  Janet had offered to do some calling and  Christina Corelli was on hand to do soem cueeing.  It would have been nice but I think we were all there to eat and chat, chat and eat.  Some did get on the trailer to be taken on a hay ride around the property, soem walked around to view all the flower beds and teh amazing garden Suzanne does every year.  She had lots of zucchini to give away.  And of course we had the dog race game which many dearly love.  We were only sorry that our dear fellow member Judy Melendrez was nto thee to share the fun.  Judy is terribly ill so couldn't be there.  Also our Calling Tree chair Pam Murray hadto back out at the last minute as one of her granddaughter's was exposed to COVID and she didn't want 6to take the chance.

We were delighted so see so many of our new members out to join us along with some guests.  Diana Hodges, Chris Brown and Patricia Reinhart were there along with a friend of Patricia's Tom and newer dancer Janice S.  We hope they weren't disappointed there was no dancing.  They are all very hung ho and we applaud them for that.  Some of our long tern members who normally come were not there and that was sad also as we only have the one picnic a year.  Still those who came had a great time and will have to dance up a storm to rid themselves of all the extra calories.

Here are some photos I managed to get when not stuffing my face or talking.

Our next dances are Aug. 16 and Aug. 23.  For more detailed information please read the previous blog.

Gaynor Hintz

Club Reporter

July 19 Dance and a Wedding

 July 19's dance was a blast.  Roger Putzler called and brought out a lot of dancers from outside Lane County.  We sure appreciate seeing dancers from Lebanon, Sweet Home and Corvallis come join us.  While we only had five squares on the floor one time, we held firm at 3-4 all evening long.  That is a total surprise for a summer time dance with some much going on.  The previous weekend was Summer Festival and the next weekend Diamond Lake but people were eager to dance and decided to drive miles to join us.  What fun!

Our theme that night was Watermelon, Tie-dyes and Crazy T-Shirts.  One couple, Eric and Christina definitely got with the theme wearing a sundress (she) and shirt (he) making them look like cool, delicious watermelon.  Needless to say there was plenty of  real watermelon to cool us down thanks to our vice president, Joy Pitts.  We hope our August dances will go as well.  We went dark for Diamond Lake on the 26th; however, due to large fires up there, Diamond Lake Festival had to be cancelled.  What a shame!

The next day several Single Trees joined the turnout for Connie Seamans and Paul Gates's wedding out at their place in Pleasant Hill.  It was a simple ceremony with a great potluck following and plenty of wedding cake on a very hot summer afternoon.  We didn't mind the heat because we were all so happy to see them tie the knot after such a long time and long engagement.

Here's some photos from the dance and the wedding the next day.

I was only able to take a few photos at the dance and completely forgot to take out my iPad at the wedding.  My thanks to Roger Tendick who did have the presence of mind to take a few.

 

Three squares on the floor early on. 

Nancy and Jerry Gowins face the caller with Eric and Christina Mustoe to their right.
 

Connie and Paul exchange vows

 

 

Our next dances in August are the 16th and the 23rd.  The theme on the 16th is Barnyard Jubilee with Darrell Kalmbach calling and Jackie Gale cueing.  The 23rd has Bruce Lowther calling and Christina Corelli cueing with a Ducks versus Beavers theme.  Please come have some dancing fun with us!

See you on the dance floor,

Gaynor Hintz

Club Reporter

Hawaiian Nights Dance

 

Last night’s dance (June 28) Single Trees hosted a Hawaiian Leis Dance at the Emerald Square Dance Center with Bruce Lowther calling and Jackie Gale cueing. We were treated to a tip called by Sweet Home and Lebanon Square Circlers new caller Shawn and also a round dance tip cued by Bruce’s wife Judy. What a great night of calling, cueing and dancing it was.

We were so excited to see the number of guests that came in support of both Bruce and Shawn. Sweet Home Squarenaders are coming back strong and of course Bruce’s club and Lebanon Square Circlers as well as Corvallis Square were all well represented. We saw lots of ne3w faces and younger faces as well. All this bodes well for dancing in the southern Willamette Valley.

Our president Melba Walker and her sister Joy did a nice job of decorating with the Hawaiian theme. Door prizes of pineapples were given out. Vonda Clayton won split the pot for he first time in along time. She was tickled pink.

Bruce Lowther did an amazing job of calling for us. He as called for us in the past and always has done a nice job but last night he really poured it on. I commend him for his choice of music too and his pacing. Good beat, good timing.

We were also pleased to see so many got into the Hawaiian theme. There were lots of muu-muus and Hawaiian shirts on the floor in a wide array of colors.

What was super amazing was that we actually had five squares on the floor at one time when yours truly decided there were enough sitting around who could be dancing and helping out the lone lady from Corvallis who tried to dance all by herself! She looked like she was having fun but definitely had more fun when seven of us joined her. We ended the evening with hour squares which is highly unusual these days but goes to show that everyone was having fun and didn’t want to leave early.

We hope our summer dances will all go this well. Bruce will be back to call in August. Roger Putzler is calling and Jackie Gale is cueing our next dance July 19 with a Watermelon, Tie-dyes, and Crazy T-Shirt Dance. Please make a note to come out and dance with us this summer.

Gaynor Hintz

Club Reporter

 

 

Reigning Cats and Dogs Dance June 21

 On Friday, June 21, we held our "Reigning Cats and Dogs" dance, a benefit dance for Greenhill Humane Society.  Mark Wheeler called (down from Portland) and Dave Cooper cued (up from the south coast).  Both did a great job for us and we appreciate their willingness to travel so far.

We had three squares on the floor for mainstream most of the night.  There were visitors from sweet Home and Roseburg as well as fromour sister club, the Whirl-A-Ways.  We missed some of teh Whirl-A-Ways who dance with us regularly as they were on a campout that weekend.  Still with three squares of dancers we had a happy group of dancers.  Several newer dancers,, some of whom belong to Single Trees  were there and had lots of help from the more experienced dancers.

Our President Melba Walker had just returned from an extensive sea cruise with her sister and nephew.  She had also had cataract surgery so did not dance that night.  She announced to the crowd that Single Trees would start dancing on the second Fridays beginning in September.  We may or may not have to dance on the third Friday as we have contracts our with various callers.

Our next dance will be Friday, June 28 with Bruce Lowtheer calling and Jackie Gale cueing.  It will have a Hawaiian theme so wear your muu-muus or Hawaiian shirts and come join us for a fun time!

Gaynor Hintz

Club reporter

May 24 Chef's Night Out dance

 I cannot report on our last dance in May which was called by Janet Geiger and cued by Sandy Harris, but the word was it was a fun dance.

 

We had two new members in May and hope to see them dancing with us   Miko Welborn and Tony Polinky have been dancing with us for some time, but now are full-fledged members and we welcome them.

Our president Melba Walker and her sister, Joy Pitts, V.P., are currently cruising in the Caribbean living the life of Riley aboard a magnificent cruise ship.  Have fun you two.

 

In June our third Friday dance June 15 will be our Raining (Reigning) Cats and Dogs dance, which is a benefit dance held annuals for our local humane society, Greenhill.  Please consider donating cash or pet supplies if you plan to come to his dance.  It will feature Mark Wheeler, caller, and Dave Cooper, cuer.  This should be a fun dance, and I would assume well-attended as there are no other dances at the hall except for Spin Cycle Squares on Sunday. 

The 22nd will feature Bruce Lowther and Jackie Gale.  This dance will have a Hawaiian theme so feel free to wear your Hawaiian muu-muuus, shirts, hula skirts and leis.

Please come join us

 

Gaynor Hintz

Club Reporter

Mexican Fiesta Dance

Our Mexican Fiesta Dance with Taco Bar held on Friday, May 17, was a smashing success. We had dancers from all around the area come join us for fun dancing and feasting on our favorite tacos. The hall was very tastefully decorated by our president Melba Walker and her cohort Joy Pitts, both of whom are major decorators. (see photo of them below with some of the decorations in the background.

We had four squares on the floor for mainstream but only two for the plus tips. We ended the evening with a short tip after 10 to make up for the time it took for the sit down break. We had three very happy squares at the end of the evening. Jackie Gale did her always amazing job of cueing with many couples on the floor. I believe we had the nice turnout of Lebanon square Circlers due to her fine cueing. We missed seeing all the people from Roseburg but at least one dancer came with a partner from south of us. So many happy faces including many from our sister club, the Whirl-A-Ways. If you missed this dance, you probably missed the best dance of the season. Phil Ramey calls to the floor, chooses wonderful music (lots of old timey cowboy tunes with a good beat) and has a nice singing voice. He notices what moves dancers are having trouble with and does a little work shop on that move but doesn’t overdo it. We have quite a few new dancers out a tour dances these days and some who don’t dance all that much so a good work shop doesn’t hurt anyone. I think people appreciated his efforts to help. He’ll be back calling for us so please keep an eye on our schedule.

Next week we will have Janet Geiger calling and Sandy Harris cueing with breakfast being served up special by Joy Pitts. Come one, come all!

Gaynor Hintz

Club Reporter

Joy Pitts on the right and her sister Melba Walker decorated the hall for this dance.   They are also Vice President and President of Sintgl Trees as of May 2024.