SVPB Newsletter: January 29, 2022 Hello, Band Members. We are starting a monthly newsletter to highlight our members, circulate information about upcoming events, and document other cool goings-on in the band. Please send any band news, photos, or updates that you would like included to tamhartl@gmail.com for inclusion in February’s newsletter. Newsletters will typically go out on the last Friday of the month for now. And many thanks to our new band President, Erin Trayner, for helping to pull this newsletter together! _________________________________________________________________ 1. Upcoming Events: Please Mark Your Availability in TeamSnap Practices at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 13601 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga, CA Grade 4: Tuesday evenings 6-7:30 (meet in the gym) Grade 3: Tuesday evenings, 7:30-9 (meet in the gym) Events and Competitions: March 12: St. Patrick’s Day Parade, San Francisco [image: image.png] April 9 & 10: Las Vegas Highland Games, Grade 3 only, http://www. lasvegascelticsociety.org/ May 21: Sentinels of Freedom, Blackhawk Museum, Danville, CA: https://www. blackhawkmuseum.org/#0931000 May 28 & 29: Costa Mesa Scottish Festival, https://www.scottishfest.com/ July 16 & 17: Monterey Highland Games, Monterey, CA, https://www. montereycelticfest.com/ September 3 & 4: Pleasanton HIghland Games: Pleasanton, CA, https://thescottishgames.com/ _________________________________________________________________ 2. When You Shop, Shop for a Cause: SVPB! Here are two ways to contribute donations to SVPB as a charity organization: Through your everyday purchases at Amazon and at work through Benevity <https://causes.benevity.org/>. 1. AmazonSmile-AmazonSmile allows people to donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to their preferred charity or organization. They shop for the same products, at the same prices, at no additional cost. Instructions 1. Go to smile.amazon.com 2. Login with your Amazon username and password 3. In the upper right corner, hover the mouse over Account & List 4. Under your lists select AmazonSmile Charity Lists 5. Select Silicon Valley Pipe Band 6. Download the latest version of the Amazon app on your phone 7. Open Amazon app and click on the main menu in the bottom right corner (☰) 8. Click on Gifting & Charity 9. Click on AmazonSmile 10. Follow the on-screen instructions to turn on AmazonSmile on your phone 11. There isn’t an app for computers or tablets. Instead go to smile.amazon.com 1. Benevity-Benevity is a corporate giving and matching program. Contact your HR department to find out if they participate or if they have any other type of donation matching program. _________________________________________________________________ 3. This Month’s Featured Band Member: Paul Olson Paul Olson Current role(s) in band: Drum Major, Tenor Drummer, Piper Occupation: Insurance Commercial Claims. Sailing (Bare Boat Certified). Remodeling cabin in Groveman. Other musical talents: Accordion, trumpet, French Horn, Guitar Past pipe bands: None. Started with Stewart Tartan in 1989 which morphed into Silicon Valley Number of years playing: Started pipes in 1989, Tenor in 2019. Drum Major training started in 1975 (Leigh High School and SJSU Bands) Favorite tune (so far): Welsh Dragons A fond memory from my band career thus far: There are many. STP&D playing with the Mountain Fifes and Drums at the PGA President's Cup in Harding Park, San Francisco. The band getting pulled over by the Belmont Police for marching "too slow" in their parade. Our first time marching in the St Pats Parade and coming in first place. The Disneyland trip - the band's first trip out of the Bay Area when our handlers got excited. Waking up the neighbors at Aquatic Park when we played for the Tri-athletes as they exited the Bay from their swim for Alcatraz. The most exciting was the first time having the band's name announced (Grade 4 then) as being the winner at Pleasanton Massed Bands. _________________________________________________________________ 4. Reminder to Respond to Jeff Gordon via Email to Update our SVPB Roster Thanks for doing this, Jeff! Contact him at notcar24@hotmail.com. _________________________________________________________________ 5. Congratulations to Robbie Boyd on the New Addition to His Family! Robbie writes: “Janet and I just met our newest granddaughter, Phoebe, born last week. We've now got two granddaughters in Sacramento and two granddaughters here in Arkansas. Life is good.” _________________________________________________________________ 6. SVPB Photo Opp Here’s our star-studded drum corp at our Veteran’s Day Memorial gig at St. Andrew’s last year on November 14. (from left to right: Aidan Studulski, Dodger Posey, Craig Phelps, Johnny Blimling, Jeff Gordon) _________________________________________________________________