Pam's Corner... comments, questions and other stuff by Port's Famous Photographer

It was another busy week with Lady Gator Senior Night, Centerstage, Rotary, the Rotary Blood Screening and more.  

The senior day/night activities are always a little bittersweet for me.  Having watched most of these athletes since they were in kindergarten...and some of them even earlier than their kindergarten days, these ceremonies remind me that I will no longer be seeing the now young adults on a regular basis.  Some I may never see again.  I love the ceremonies, however, because they recognize the kids for their many years of hard work at their sport. Participating in a sport IS hard work.  I'm not sure we realize what students go through on a daily basis.  I see them at school in the morning for Gator News, Jazz Band or Chamber Singers, after school at practices or spring and fall sports and evenings for Showcase practices, winter sports games or practices...then they go home, do chores, do homework and go to bed.  I think kids are amazing!  This senior night was extra special for us as our granddaughter, Farrah, is a senior cheerleader.  We were very proud to see her honored, along with her parents and her classmates.  Thanks, Boosters!

Centerstage, like all of the musical programs at the school, was very well attended and very well done.  I will admit I was one of the people who once went to concerts and hoped to hear familiar tunes.  Did I like different kinds of music?  I thought so.  However, thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Myers and Mr. Stewart, I had come to the conclusion that the types of music I listened to and enjoyed were very limited.  The first time I heard the Chamber Singers, I thought that music was a little above me. Now, it's some of my favorite music.  I could listen to the Chamber Singers all day long!

Centerstage is always amazing.  The audience sits on the stage.  The performers have their backs to the seats in the auditorium and sing facing the audience members who are just a few feet away.  There isn't any comfort zone between the stage and the auditorium seats.  Yet, the kids come out...one after another...and they perform and they perform well.  If they are nervous, they don't show it!  As they leave the stage and enter the music wing, they are greeted by their peers with hugs and whispers of congratulations and praises for a job well done.  Congrats to all of the performers...vocal, instrumental, soloists, duets, Chamber Singers, directors and all involved.  I really don't understand how they go from Wintersongs, Winter Band Concert, to District Band and Chorus to Center Stage to Regional Band and Chorus, Jazz and Java, Showcase and then off to perform at Disney World.  This year, a trip to Carnegie Hall was added to the mix.  I am not sure where States comes in...but it is in there somewhere.  Thanks for the music!  We are indeed fortunate in Port Allegany to have these wonderful programs!

Thanks to the Rotary Club and Cole Memorial, I had a much-needed and long overdue blood test Saturday morning.  Susan Carlson was at the event with the glass blocks on sale now for raising funds for Serenity Glass Park.  There will be a series of the blocks, being sold for $20 each. The blocks will be sold at various businesses around town.  There are a limited number of each design so they will become highly collectible.  The park is going to be beautiful! 

You know, I don't particularly like to spend a lot of time outdoors in the winter and I don't like worrying about whether the roads will be bad before I go to or get back from an out-of-town trip, but I do know I live in Port Allegany, PA.  It is winter.  It snows in the winter.  It is cold in the winter.  The winter is beautiful!  If I am too cold, I stay inside or dress appropriately.  If I am afraid of being on the road, I don't go.  If I really hated it as much as so many seem to, I would sell my house and move south.  It is what it is.  Try and enjoy!  

And, as always, be kind to one another!