Event Hosting

EVENT HOSTING

2020 ANNUAL REPORT

I’m happy to report that Event Hosting in 2020 has truly made chicken salad out of chicken-whatever.

Because of the virus, we had no choice but to cancel the Fourth of July picnic, which we very successfully held in Lewis Morris Park last year. However, the Morris County Parks Department graciously agreed to apply our payment to a reservation for the same site next year. Many thanks to President Paul and Chris Riemer for wise advice and logistical support.

And, of course, we could not hold Evenings of Music after the virus hit.

Therefore, the work of Event Hosting in 2020 has been the Monday Stayaway Zoom song circle, and it has succeeded beyond my wildest expectations. We’ve held a circle every Monday since we began in April, and it has become a community. Attendance has ranged from 12 to as many as 23 participants and listeners, enthusiastic amateurs to professionals and hailing from around the country and Canada. It’s especially nice that Projectiles now living in New Mexico, Washington State, Maryland and Pennsylvania remain in touch via the circle.

I say “community” because participants genuinely like and support one another, and many people who would not otherwise know each other are communicating in other times and sites. A number of people, including one of the pros, have told me that the circle is the high point of their week. The best illustration that I can give of the spirit of the group is that if I mistakenly skip over someone, or if someone passes, I will invariably hear “Hey, what about….” – not the norm for a song circle/open mike setting.

A high point for the circle came in October, when guitar hero Peppino D’Agostino dropped in and blew us away with his signature piece, “Grand Canyon.” However, what’s most gratifying is seeing so many sweet people signing in every week for music and companionship in these crazy times.

Thanks go to Todd Dennison for bailing me out of technical nightmares in the beginning but ultimately setting up the tech so well that he hasn’t had a panicked call from me in six months. John Hone has given great support and the security of knowing that I have a skilled backup host at the ready. And, huge thanks to Mark Schaffer for the idea of the circle and for letting me take it where it wanted to go.

I’m looking forward to holding Evenings of Music as soon as the world allows us to do it safely, and to another enjoyable Fourth of July picnic. And, I hope and believe that the Stayaway Circle will go on long after the pandemic is just a bad memory.

Submitted in the spirit of the Project,

Jay Wilensky, Event Hosting chair

MONTHLY REPORT, NOVEMBER 2020

The Monday night Zoom circle remains unbroken. We held one every week in November (and in fact every week since we began in April), and each has been a success. We have had between 15 and 20 participants in each, ranging from enthusiastic amateurs to professionals, and hailing from as far away as New Mexico, Washington State, and Massachusetts. People not only play, but listen, interact, and support each other, and a number of participants, including one of the pros, have told me that it is the high point of their week.

As always, thanks to Todd, for making the tech aspects nearly idiot (me)-proof, and Mark for hatching the idea for this and letting me run with it.

Jay Wilensky, Event Hosting chair