In this Issue
February 2006

NEWS FROM ELM HILL FARM
Note paints a picture of Music Thanksgiving

Eva Brown plays Christmas carols on the grand piano during Music Thanksgiving.

On the Saturday following Thanksgiving, The Blanchard Means Foundation kicked off the holiday season with an elegant evening of food and music. The following note from Janice St. Hilaire, our “Volunteer in Residence” to our executive director, Vince Rubino, in Ohio says it all. Our hope is to present more such lovely musical treats to the Brookfield community. Many thanks to Kathleen Wild for chairing this event and to all who helped make it so splendid: Linda and Phil Peirce, Karen Folkes and the wonderful people from the Brookfield Congregational Church who provided the service. Thanks to all of those who came out to enjoy their efforts.

Good morning Vince:

Hope your Thanksgiving was joyous and tasty. I just wanted to update you on the Music Thanksgiving event held at the farm last evening. Kathleen, Michele, Linda, Ron and Phil did a superb job. The event was far more, in so many ways, than I could have imagined. Let me paint you a picture: As you drove up East Main Street and saw the house, it was lit with candles in the windows, garlands framing the door and banisters, and luminaria circling the half-round driveway. One was hooked from that point. Then they had valet parking (Peggy & Bill). I greeted people as they came in, took their coats and handed them a program. There were volunteers there from the Congregational Church who hung coats, passed noshes and punch, retrieved spent cups, etc. The house looked magnificent! Without the extra piano, we had seating for probably 20 in that room, with another 20 in the opposite parlor. There was David and Ben Simmons playing piano and flute classical music as everyone visited and got settled. Then Eva and David Brown began to play show tunes. She has a lovely soprano voice, but David has a voice that would melt an iceberg. He sang Old Man River that was as good as any performance of “Showboat” that I've ever seen on Broadway. During this time, punch and hors d’oeuvres were passed on silver trays. Then they sang some selections of serious holiday music.

Even if someone were not Christian in the audience, I can't imagine they would be offended. After that, everyone went to the dining room for coffee and elegant dessert. I wish you could have seen the dining room...you would have been proud. One could not help but feel the Blanchard Family ancestors last night. The parties that have been held in the house, the music that's been played, the enjoyment of getting together...all were recreated with this wonderful event. I wish Louise could have been there.

Let me say that conceiving of a plan for an event is easy; the real art is the execution. The committee headed by Kathleen did The Blanchard Means Foundation proud. Thought you'd enjoy the recap.

-Janice