christmas courier 2008

8/14/2019 Christmas Courier 2008

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Christmas Courier2008


2/17

Were Going Green

To support Bens

AP Environmental Scienceclass sustainability efforts inschool and the community,

the yearly roundup isexclusively online. Take a walkthrough the year

Hiking in Leavenworth, WA 2008


3/17

SING!SING!SING!

The Spokane AreaChildrens Chorus (SACC)at the Bing Crosby

Theater. As Head ChoristerBen sings in Ensemble,the touring choir;Cambiata, the changedvoice choir; and helps with

Boy Choir.Ben has been singing withSACC since age 7. This ishis last year of Ensemble.He will continue inCambiata and help withBoy Choir. At school Bensings in the Symphonicand Jazz Choirs. Benplaced in the followingcompetitions: CoeurdAlene Young Artist, Soloand Ensemble and All-State in the spring.


4/17

Music and Lyrics

Saint Georges cast

members turned it loose inApril with a high-energyversion ofFootloose.

Their parents had 80sflashbacks of a spiky-hairedKevin Bacon, who turned 50this year! Remember thelegwarmers, acid-wash jeansand Aqua Net?

Xers are so retro.

Ben fifth from left.


5/17

French Connection

Ben went continental inJune,

exploring France with hishost brother Mathieu, wholives in a three-bedroom flatin downtown Paris. The nine-day exchange gave Ben achance to practice his Frenchand revel in cuisine, art andculture. His reverie endedwhen Ben nearly becameFrench toast as Mathieu tookhim bike-riding sans helmetthrough the helter-skeltertraffic of the city withroundabouts and no trafficsignals (but lots of hand

gestures).


6/17

Oui, Wii

Mathieu then flew home

with Ben to take in theoutdoor splendors of aSpokane summer. They

hiked, biked, water-skiedand drove their way throughthe Inland Northwest.

A moose sighting, dinneron top of the Space Needleand Fourth of July fireworksrounded out MathieusAmericana adventure. Afterall that, his favorite activitywas playing video games!

The Ecklund Compound in Medimont


7/17

Great Scot! Back Acrossthe Pond

Ben and his fellow ChildrensChorus troubadours traveled inJuly through the Highlands andverdant countryside of Scotlandand England. They performed inchurches, castles and concerthalls, garnering genuinegenerosity from the locals.

One excited parishioner of an800-year-old church spent allnight baking a lavish welcomebreakfast for the appreciativechoristers who had eaten little butfried food until then.

BBC Radio interviewed Ben

and friends, spreading the newsthat the Yanks were in town tosing their hearts out and spreadgood will throughout the BritishIsles.

Liz, Ben, Richelle, Blair and Emily in York


8/17

Riding in Cars with Boys

Hubcaps, cones and

curbs were not immune frombattering by 15-year-oldnovices on the road for

Drivers Ed.A campaign is underway

for the DMV to pass outValium (for the moms) withtheir kids learner permits.Wheres Tim Eyman whenyou need him?


9/17

Hair-brained Idea?

In September Ben belted

about peace, love and theparables in Godspell. http://www.sgs.org/discover/

Growing his hair longto evoke the 60s, he

continues to grow it out post-production, hoping to make aseven-inch ponytail for Locksof Love. The hairy do-gooderhas until April 2009 to reachthe minimum length before he

gets a Depression-era chopfor Dance Marathon 33, amusical about, well, a dancemarathon in 1933.
http://www.sgs.org/discover/http://www.sgs.org/discover/http://www.sgs.org/discover/


10/17

Runners World

The Dragons made itto State in cross country,so Ben ran among theelite runners ofWashington at the Pasco

finals.Impressed by his swift-

footed competition, Ben isrededicating himself tomaintaining his base

(not turning into Jell-O, toyou and me) in the wintermonths.

Britton, Howard, Nick, Russ, Ben, Jacob, inback. Tyson and Coach Hayes in the frontrow, at State


11/17

Piled Higher and DeeperNo More

Question: Whats 11 yearsold, weighs 10 pounds and costs$50,000?

No, not Paris Hilton atpuberty.

An unfinished dissertation.

Grace has decided to stop themadness and get on with her lifewithout finishing her Ph.D. Afterthree summer furloughsresearching, a sabbatical and fivere-writes, shes hanging it up forgood.

Shes putting her doctoralcoursework and consulting

experience to good use in her newrole as Director of EmployeeTraining and Development andlooks forward to writing for funand profit on the side.

She will not become Dr. Gunless she becomes a rapper.


12/17

Freakonomics

Every day that Bank ofAmerica/Countrywide/MerrillLynch/The Borg stays afloatis a good day, as far asemployment is concerned.

With the financialindustry in crisis, Rick isthankful to have a homeoffice to shuffle to. Aftertelecommuting for fiveyears, he was officially

approved this year to workfrom home to save thecompany office real-estatecosts.

Mathieu and Rick on Rose Lake


13/17

Gifts of the Season

In this season of giving we

want to acknowledge ourneighbors in need.

Instead of exchanging

gifts we are donating to localcharities athttp://www.redefinechristmas.

in your honor.

Collecting food for Second Harvest Food Bankduring Scare Away Hunger
http://www.redefinechristmas.org/http://www.redefinechristmas.org/


14/17

Upcoming Performances

You kept asking, so heres the list: SACC Concerts: December 12 at 7:30,

December 13 at 3 at Westminster Holiday Pops with the Spokane Symphony:

December 20 at 8, December 21 at 2 at INB(Opera House)

MENC All-NW Choir : February 15 at 1 at INB Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival Vocal

Ensembles: Friday, February 27 at 4:45,University of Idaho

Saint Georges Spring Concert: March 17 at 7,Founders Theatre

Spring Musical: Dance Marathon 33: April22, 24, 25 at 7, Founders Theatre

SACC Spring Concert: May 14 at 7 at St. Alsby GU


15/17

Come visit!


16/17

Theres always room forou.


17/17

Peace, joy and love in2009.

christmas courier 2008

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