THE VOICEXPERIENCE FOUNDATION, A MILNES VOICE  PROGRAM, UNVEILS 2022 VOICE AWARD RECIPIENT AND ANNOUNCES VIRTUAL ANNUAL GALA – MAY 3, 2022

SAVANNAH, GA – March 31, 2022 – The VOICExperience Foundation, a Sherrill Milnes VOICE Program, has announced the 2022 VOICE Gala: Celebrating the American Voice, slated for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. This virtual event will honor the 2022 Sherrill Milnes VOICE Awardee, mezzo Frederica von Stade, and celebrate the Savannah VOICE Festival’s 10-year anniversary.

The gala will be hosted by Milnes VOICE Programs Co-Founders and Presidents, Sherrill Milnes and Maria Zouves, along with Executive Director, Chad Sonka, and Artistic Director, Jorge Parodi. This digital performance will feature appearances by opera legends Denyce Graves, Fabrizio Melano, James Morris, Diana Soviero and Richard Stillwell as well as by beloved VOICE artists of now and yesteryear. 

An annual Fundraiser for VOICExperience since 2015, the Gala raises crucial funds for arts education. After an online gala in 2021, the program decided to go online again for this fun, entertaining and thoughtful stream. With a goal of 600 hours of arts education, support will allow the programs to offer extraordinary mentorship, training and outreach to artists and communities around the nation.

During the gala, renowned American mezzo-soprano, Frederica von Stade, will be presented with the prestigious 2022 Milnes VOICE Award. Past honorees include opera legends Martina Arroyo, James Morris, Neil Shicoff, Diana Soviero, Mignon Dunn and the late composer Carlisle Floyd.

 “We are delighted to honor Frederica von Stade as our 2022 Milnes VOICE awardee and raise funds in support of our training programs this year,” said Zouves. “We know from over 20 years’ experience that just one hour of training can change a young artist’s life and this gala is an important fundraiser for these programs.”  

Ms. von Stade’s career has taken her to the stages of the world’s great opera houses and concert halls. She began at the top, when she received a contract from Sir Rudolf Bing during Metropolitan Opera auditions, and since her debut in 1970 she has sung nearly all of her great roles with that company. In January 2000, the company celebrated the 30th anniversary of her debut with a new production of The Merry Widow to honor her, and in 1995, as a celebration of her 25th anniversary, the Metropolitan Opera created a new production of Pelléas et Mélisande. In addition, Ms. von Stade has appeared with every leading American opera company, including San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Los Angeles Opera. Her career in Europe has been no less spectacular, with new productions mounted for her at Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera Covent Garden, the Vienna State Opera, and the Paris Opera. She is invited regularly by the finest conductors, among them Claudio Abbado, Charles Dutoit, James Levine, Kurt Masur, Riccardo Muti, Seiji Ozawa, André Previn, Leonard Slatkin, and Michael Tilson Thomas, to appear in concert with the world’s leading orchestras, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, London Symphony Orchestra, Washington’s National Symphony, and the Orchestra of La Scala.

Those who donate one hour or more of arts education will be invited to access this special digital performance. 

To donate or request an invitation, please visit www.VOICExperienceFoundation.org. 

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For media inquiries please contact Kristyn Fielding at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or 229-393-6457 or Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950 or the LFPR team at 912-417-LFPR (5377). 

Editor’s Note: The VOICExperience Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to pass on the traditions of great singing and develop new audiences for opera. Under the umbrella of The Sherrill Milnes VOICE Programs, VOICExperience continues its dedication to the quality, integrity and perpetuation of the vocal arts through life-changing intensives, performances, and community-enriching outreach events in New York, Georgia (with its sister organization, the Savannah VOICE Festival), Florida and Illinois. For more information, please visit www.VOICExperience.org. 

RICHMOND HILL EXCHANGE CLUB, CASA PARTNER TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION

ENTITIES WILL PLANT A ‘PINWHEEL GARDEN’ ON FRONT LAWN OF AMERIS BANK

RICHMOND HILL, GA – MARCH 30, 2021 – Members of the Exchange Club of Richmond Hill and Atlantic Area CASA are joining thousands of groups across the country throughout the month April to promote child abuse prevention awareness in their local communities. The Exchange Club of Richmond Hill and Atlantic Area CASA are displaying a blue pinwheel garden on the lawn in front of Ameris Bank in Richmond Hill. Each pinwheel represents one child who is in the foster care system from Bryan County. The club and CASA will hold a brief ceremony at 4 p.m. Friday, April 1, 2022 in front of the bank (10425 Ford Ave.) to commemorate the pinwheel garden.    

The purpose of the Pinwheel Garden and the silhouetted children is to raise awareness about the impacts of child abuse and neglect on our local community. Atlantic Area CASA supports the child welfare system to mitigate these impacts by training community volunteers to advocate for abused or neglected children in courts, ensuring the child’s best interests are always kept in mind throughout the process. Atlanta Area CASA serves six regional counties including Bryan. This year, CASA has supported 41 children in Bryan County with an assigned CASA.  

Child abuse prevention is a worthy cause that is ingrained in the culture of the National Exchange Club as it is identified as Exchange’s national philanthropy. To champion the cause locally, the Richmond Hill Exchange Club has undertaken a number of awareness and fundraising efforts in the community. Each year, club members wear blue every Monday in April and encourage others to do the same as a way to help spread awareness. In previous years, the club has also sold $3 blue ribbon pins in April, planted blue “pinwheel gardens” on Ford Avenue to commemorate the lives affected by child abuse, and paid for child abuse prevention messages to be displayed on digital billboards. The Richmond Hill club donates annually to the national and state child abuse prevention projects, and they provide “Time Out Teddy Bears” to the local juvenile court judge. The bears are used to comfort children who are required to be part of court proceedings. 

“Child abuse awareness is not just a month for the staff and volunteers of Atlantic Area CASA; it’s a mission and it’s a passion to mitigate the effects abuse and neglect have on children of all ages. CASAs are advocates for children who enter foster care, and we speak up for what is right for that child,” said Petula Gomillion, Atlantic Area CASA’s executive director.

For additional information about the work these organizations do to prevent child abuse, please follow the Richmond Hill Exchange Club on Facebook and visit www.atlanticcasa.org for Atlantic Area CASA.

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For media inquiries, please contact Mary Fuller at 912-655-5134 or mcfuller1969@gmail.com, or Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651.

THE SAVANNAH CHALLENGER ENHANCES GUEST EXPERIENCES BY INTRODUCING NEW CENTER COURT CONCERT AND SILENT AUCTION TO RAISE FUNDS FOR SAVANAH AREA TENNIS ASSOCIATION (SATA)

SAVANNAH, GA – March 30, 2022 – The Savannah Challenger, a premiere professional ATP USTA tennis event presented by St. Joseph’s/Candler and hosted by the Landings Club at the Franklin Creek Tennis Center on Skidaway Island, will be returning for its 12th annual year, April 25 – May 1, 2022, after a two-year break because of the pandemic. The Savannah Challenger is presenting new events and entertainment that will be going on throughout the tournament, including a silent auction to raise funds for a local nonprofit organization and a Center Court concert on Thursday, April 28.

For the first time, the Savannah Challenger has partnered with the nonprofit organization, Savannah Area Tennis Association (SATA), that creates and supports initiatives for underserved communities with their tennis programs for children in Chatham County. As a subset of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), SATA organizes leagues, outreach programs and casual tennis events. SATA’s Community Outreach Programs include Special Pops, Wheelchair Tennis, tennis programs with the Frank Callen Boys & Girls Club and much more. The Savannah Challenger will be hosting a silent auction throughout the tournament to benefit SATA’s educational programs. The auction will feature a selection of quality tennis themed items and will be available for in-person bidding on April 25. 

A new Center Court Concert will be happening on Thursday, April 28th at 8 p.m. with favorite and well-known Savannah group, “Tell Scarlet”, playing a wide range of hits from 60’s classics all the way through to today’s favorites. Tickets for the full day of USTA tennis and the evening concert are just $35.00 and can be purchased now at www.savannahchallenger.com. 

“We are so excited to be giving back to the community by partnering with SATA! We hope everyone will come on over to our Savannah Challenger week, especially on the Thursday for a great day of men’s professional tennis and some sensational Savannah music,” said Savannah Challenger Tournament Chairman Rhegan White-Clemm. “We want to welcome all tennis fans from around the Low Country to this fantastic USTA tournament which we are enhancing with new hospitality areas, live music, sponsor gift giveaways, and a wonderful silent auction.”  

Tickets for the tournament are available for purchase on the Savannah Challenger website and through Event Brite. For tickets or more information about The Savannah Challenger Tournament including schedule details, sponsorship prospects, and volunteer opportunities, please visit www.savannahchallenger.com or call 912-598-3501. To learn more about SATA, please visit www.savannahtennis.com. 

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For media inquiries and interviews, please contact Allie Robinson at allie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-547-3100, or Kristyn Fielding at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or 229-393-6457. 

BEYOND THE BELL HOSTS ‘STOP: SOBER TRUTH ON PREVENTING UNDERAGE DRINKING’ COMMUNITY EVENT – SATURDAY APRIL 23

DEKALB COUNTY, GA. – March 24, 2022 – Beyond The Bell Dekalb County has partnered with Decatur Housing Authority and No Junk Productions to host the “STOP: Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking” community event from 12-4 p.m. on Saturday, April 23 at Oliver House, 1450 Commerce Drive Decatur, GA 30030. This free event is in celebration of how DeKalb youths resisted the temptations of underage drinking during the pandemic. Attendees can enjoy live entertainment, food, and vendors.

According to an annual survey done by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, alcohol and drug use among U.S. teens in 2021 was at a record low. The researchers recorded it as the largest single-year drop since the survey began in 1975. Dekalb’s youth were among these teens that refused to participate in substance abuse or give into peer pressure.

“As a nonprofit whose entire goal is to reduce substance use among youth, we couldn’t be happier to hear of the survey results that alcohol use is at an all-time low amongst teens,” said Executive Director Sandra Dean. “That is why our work as a community is so important – it can really make a difference in the lives of young people and impact their decision making. In honor of our achievements, we wanted to host this community event to celebrate our teenagers’ strong will and integrity. Let’s all come together for a fun day of commemoration!”

Beyond The Bell, along with SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), a division of the Department of Health and Human Services Administration, offers programs to prevent and reduce alcohol use among youth and young adults ages 12-20 by using evidenced-based programs that minimize the risks and behaviors that lead to alcohol use. 

For more information about Beyond The Bell and its programs and resources, please visit www.beyondthebellkids.org.

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For media inquiries, please contact Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or Allie Robinson at allie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-547-3100 or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).

THE JOYS OF SPRING

Spring has sprung!  Earlier this week saw the vernal equinox, one of only two times during the year when the Sun is exactly above the equator. And you know what this means – the first day of Spring and party time!  Garden parties, weddings, Spring Break, steaks on the grill, and every other form of celebration you can manage to have outdoors. So, let’s take a break from the stress caused by the pandemic, war, international tensions, and gloomy Old Man Winter, and instead think about some of the unique ways around the world that we humans celebrate the coming of spring and beyond.

In Thailand, the Songkran Water Festival kicks off after spring equinox, which is celebrated as New Year’s Day.  The six-day party is filled with music, dancing, religious ceremonies, visiting elderly relatives and – especially – water fights.  Although it is an ancient tradition, today tourists get in on the act as well with water balloons, buckets of water, hoses, water guns and surprise tossing into the nearest available river.  Everyone – children, parents, grandparents, and anyone passing by – is subject to a good-natured dousing.

In Bosnia, citizens come together on the first day of Spring for Cimburijada which, roughly translated, means “scrambled egg party”.  Since eggs symbolize new beginnings, drinking, dancing, and scrambled eggs are on the Bosnian menu all day.  In the town of Zenica, they have been cooking up a 1,500-egg omelet on this day for centuries.

Back in the land of my birth, the little English town of Brockworth in Gloucestershire welcomes Spring by throwing a nine-pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese off a very steep cliff, and a bunch of runners jump off after it in a race.  This is of course the world-famous Cooper’s Hill Annual Cheese Rolling, in which the goal is to catch the cheese, which has a one second head start and can reach speeds more than 60 mph, but to do so in a way without breaking your neck.  A visiting Australian writer and cheese-racer, Sam Vincent, “questioned his sanity” as he “crouched on the summit of a diabolical slope…. awaiting the call to start what is surely the world’s most dangerous footrace”.  Every year it has its fair share of scrapes, bruises, and broken bones, but no fatalities yet in this 200-year-old tradition. After the race, you can have a drink with your fellow adrenalin junkies at the Cheese Rollers Pub, named after the race, in the nearby village of Shurdington.

On the other side of the world in Northern India, the Hindu festival of Holi is celebrated.  This is all about color, with participants throwing brightly colored paints and powders at one another all day, each of which represent one of the rich colors of Spring and the new year.  It is happy and festive and, by most accounts, very messy.

In Guadeloupe, the group of French islands in the Caribbean, Spring means it is that time of the year for the La Desirade Goat Festival.  Goat owners on the small island of La Desirade dress up their goats in sunglasses, bathing suits, hats and jewelry, and parade them around on the beach in a competition for best-looking goat.  This is accompanied with music, dancing, and lots of street food.  Goat curry is one of the most popular dishes (I kid you not – pun intended).

And here in the USA, Spring means Spring Break for millions of college students.  Following two years of COVID-induced travel restrictions, this month will see record numbers of college students heading to Florida beaches.  The Daily Mail newspaper predicts that 570,000 students will be in the Sunshine State this week.  Admittedly, there will always be some worrisome headlines about the crowds, risks, and a few isolated incidents, but let’s remember at its core this is about millions of young people celebrating something as old as the human race – the joy of Spring and how great it is to be young and alive.

I say goodbye this week with a fantastic quote from the late, great American comedian Robin Williams.  “Spring is nature’s way of saying LET’S PARTY!”.

God Bless America!

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Lesley grew up in London, England and made Georgia her home in 2009.  She can be contacted at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com  or via her PR and marketing agency at www.lesleyfrancispr.com

LICENSED THERAPIST DR. DIONNE BATES LAUNCHES REFLECTIVE JOURNAL DESIGNED TO FOSTER EMOTIONAL AWARENESS AND HEALING

ATLANTA, GA – March 22, 2022 – Licensed professional counselor Dr. Dionne Bates, recently launched a reflective, hardcover journal, “Emotional Lifeline and Mapping Journal,” on Amazon to help users become more aware of their emotions, heal, and improve self-worth.

Bates holds a B.A. in sociology (with emphasis in deviant behavior), an M.A. in counseling psychology, and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She was an educational psychologist at Georgia Southern University’s Counseling Center five years, where she had responsibility for students’ mental health needs and provided education and support to faculty and staff. In 2015, Dr. Bates started her own practice, based in Marietta, Georgia. She’s been serving the mental-health needs of clients in the metro Atlanta area ever since. Author of the ‘Self-SOULstice Self-Affirmation Model,’ Bates works with her clients to help them reach optimal health by teaching them to affirm themselves, affirm others, and live authentically.

She carries on this mission in her new journal, which reflects her belief that when individuals realize and nurture their emotional needs, they restore mental and emotional energy, which enhances self-worth and fosters emotional healing, self-affirmation, and the affirmation of others. One of the most valuable lessons Bates has learned when working with clients is understanding the important role emotions play in everyone’s lives.

“Many of us grew up in cultures where we were taught to ‘control’ our emotions; but we don’t control our emotions. We manage our emotions and when we don’t, they control us. They control our perception of how we see ourselves and others, our perception of how others see us, and how we respond to our experiences and make decisions for ourselves,” Bates said. “Our emotions want to be acknowledged. Acknowledgment can give the emotion permission to exist, validate the emotion, and free up mental energy to allow us to think about, identify, and articulate what we need in the moment.”

Her journal encourages readers to learn to identify and acknowledge their emotions, giving voice to them. At that point, people begin to learn how their bodies conspire with their emotions to provide information about the relationship between emotional and physical wellbeing. This information is powerful and anchors the connection between the cause of the emotion and the meaning attached to the cause, forming an emotional lifeline.

Unlike any other journal, the “Emotional Lifeline and Mapping Journal,” empowers users to be very deliberate about identifying and acknowledging their emotions. The journal allows users to have awareness and understanding of the root emotion or the emotions driving their reactions, which provides clarity and helps proactively develop healthy responses. Like most journals, this journal offers ample pages for notating thoughts, feelings and reflective narratives, but it is different in the useful sense that each set of lined pages is preceded by an Emotional Lifeline and Meaning/Significance mapping page, with instructions and examples provided.

The hardcover “Emotional Lifeline and Mapping Journal” provides 60 days of colorful entries, supporting users through the process of proactively identifying significant factors that contribute to their emotions, validating their emotions, and nurturing and affirming themselves.

The journal is now available on Amazon or on Dr. Bates’ website at www.drdbates.com. It is appropriate for ages 14 and up or eighth grade reading level and above.

For more information on Dr. Dionne Bates or her practice Self-SOULstice, LLC, please visit www.drdbates.com, call 678-278-2002 or email info@drdbates.com. 

 

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For media inquiries, please contact Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651 or Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950 or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).

SAVANNAH BALLET THEATRE’S THE WIZARD OF OZ RETURNS TO SAVANNAH – SATURDAY, APRIL 23

SAVANNAH, GA – March 21, 2022 – The Savannah Ballet Theatre (SBT) will present its original ballet adaptation of The Wizard of Oz for two performances at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 23 at the Lucas Theatre for the Performing Arts, located at 32 Abercorn St. in downtown Savannah. Featuring performances by SBT’s world-renowned professional dancers, this one-of-a-kind ballet is perfect for all ages.

SBT’s production will feature multimedia projections, spectacular sets, and colorful costumes sure to capture the magic that fans have treasured over the years. There will be a character meet and greet and photo opportunity following the performance in the lobby.

“We are very excited to bring back one of our favorite performances to Savannah. I always look forward to seeing the children who came to the show dressed in their Wizard of Oz costumes to meet the cast after the performance,” said SBT Artistic and Studio Director Suzanne Braddy. “Savannah Ballet Theatre is looking forward to presenting The Wizard of Oz to the community and hope that all will come out and see our beautiful adaptation of a classic.”

Tickets for The Wizard of Oz can be purchased for $25 for tier two seats and $30 for tier one seats from the Savannah Box Office by calling 912-525-5050 or visiting www.savannahboxoffice.com. The Lucas Theatre is only handicap accessible on the first floor. Please take this into consideration when purchasing tickets.

SBT was established in 1998 under the artistic direction of Suzanne Braddy. Recognized as the premiere dance company in Southeast Georgia, SBT is best known locally for its annual production of the perennial holiday favorite, The Nutcracker. SBT presents a full season of classical and contemporary dance and has staged productions of Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, an original adaptation based on CS Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and many more.

SBT is Savannah and southeast Georgia’s only professional dance company. It is their mission to develop and showcase the talent of dedicated Savannah dancers alongside top professional dancers from all over who train in the studio, and to engage in educational outreach and promotion of the art of dance within the community. For more information about this performance or the SBT, please visit www.savannahballettheatre.org.

– ENDS – For media inquiries, please contact Kristyn Fielding at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or 229-393-6457, or Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950, or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).

HSF TO UNVEIL THREE ANNA HUNTER PAINTINGS DONATED BY THE NONPROFIT FOUNDER’S FAMILY

SAVANNAH, GA – March 16, 2022 – To end National Women’s History Month on a high note, Historic Savannah Foundation is celebrating a gift from the past that Savannah residents and visitors will enjoy well into the future. Special treasures donated by the family of one of HSF’s founder, Anna Colquitt Hunter, will soon be unveiled and the community is invited to share in the excitement.

Hunter, who rounded up six like-minded female friends in 1955 to help save HSF’s first-ever Revolving Fund property, the Davenport House, had many interests in addition to preservation. She was a writer, dancer, singer and painter. On March 31, three pieces of her art will return “home” to be displayed at HSF properties as part of a generous donation by Hunter’s grandchildren. 

The three gifted paintings will be unveiled and put on temporary display for viewing at HSF’s headquarters, 321 E. York St., from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 31. The public is encouraged to drop by, have a glass of wine, and celebrate the last day of Women’s History Month by enjoying artwork by the woman who is widely credited for starting the movement that saved Savannah. 

After the initial unveiling, one painting will remain in HSF’s headquarters and the other two will be permanently displayed in the new Murray C. Perlman and Wayne C. Spear Preservation Center, which is scheduled to be complete in a few weeks. 

HSF President and CEO Sue Adler expressed gratitude to Anna Hunter’s family for sharing such precious heirlooms with the organization who, in turn, will help to ensure they’re enjoyed by the public.

“We are incredibly grateful to Anna Hunter’s family for donating these beautiful paintings to us. Anna was a gifted artist – among her many talents – and we’re proud to display her work in the buildings that certainly wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her,” Adler said. “We encourage the community to drop by at 5:30 p.m. March 31 to view the paintings and celebrate the many ways Anna’s work has  contributed to  our wonderful city over the decades.”

To learn more about HSF and its other upcoming events, or to become a member, please visit www.myhsf.org or call 912-233-7787, and follow HSF on their social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Historic Savannah Foundation, a leading nonprofit preservation and cultural institution, saves buildings, places, and stories that define Savannah’s past, present, and future. Following its formation in 1955, the organization started a Revolving Fund to save endangered historic properties, now totaling nearly 410 buildings throughout several of Savannah’s historic districts. HSF continues to build capacity within its operations, secure new financial resources, improve its image and visibility, and increase public policy efforts to protect Savannah’s historic districts. For more information about the work of the Historic Savannah Foundation, visit www.myhsf.org.

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For media inquiries, please contact Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651 or Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950 or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).

DANIEL COHEN APPOINTED TO SAVANNAH VOICE FESTIVAL’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SAVANNAH, GA – March 10, 2022 – Savannah VOICE Festival (SVF) has announced the appointment of a new board of trustees member, Daniel “Danny” Cohen, who will help lead the organization in the upcoming years.

Cohen graduated from Presbyterian College with a voice performance degree in 1982 and earned his law degree from the University of South Carolina in 1985. He has earned an AV preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and a listing in The Best Lawyers in America for work in the practice area of Alternative Dispute Resolution since 2008. Cohen also uses his expertise to serve and give back to many nonprofit organizations in the Savannah area including leading the American Traditions Vocal Collection as board president from 2015 to 2018. In addition, he was a former member of the Board of Trustees at Savannah Country Day School, is a Rotarian and has served as an Elder and headed numerous committees at First Presbyterian Church of Savannah. He is presently a Senior Neutral at Miles Mediation & Arbitration, having opened the Savannah office in 2016.

“I have been an active vocalist in the Savannah area over the last 35 years and am so pleased to be serving on the board of the Savannah VOICE Festival because it is an organization I have supported for many years,” he said. “I believe that my background, expertise, and love for vocal performance will allow me to make a positive impact on the future of the festival and the vocal arts in Savannah.”

SVF was founded in 2012 by opera legend Sherrill Milnes and his wife, Maria Zouves. Under the umbrella of the Milnes VOICE Programs, which also includes SVF’s sister organization VOICExperience Foundation, this nonprofit arts organization brings classical vocal excellence to Savannah with three weeks of operatic and musical theater productions, events and educational presentations during the month of August and throughout the rest of the year. The members of the Milnes VOICE Program team are committed to increasing the community’s awareness of the importance of developing the vocal arts through community-enriching, educational presentations, and events. The organization hosts a full range of different programs and continually offers accessible events to the public as well as undertaking an extensive educational outreach program. 

“We are so fortunate to have a talented and well-accomplished individual like Danny on SVF’s board,” said President and Co-Founder Maria Zouves. “He will bring a fresh perspective to our board and help us fulfill SVF’s next strategic plans.” 

Savannah VOICE Festival is a 501(c) 3 tax exempt nonprofit arts organization in the state of Georgia. The Festival brings classical vocal excellence to the Savannah area through a celebration of concerts, events and educational presentations. Focusing on arts awareness and audience development in the performing arts, it offers music from opera, musical theatre and popular song. The Savannah VOICE Festival is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly. GCA is a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Donations are tax-deductible.

For more information about the Savannah VOICE Festival please visit www.savannahvoicefestival.org

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For media inquiries, please contact Kristyn Fielding at 229-393-6457 or kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com, or Lesley Francis at 912-429-3950 or lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com

OK BOOMER – I’M TALKING ABOUT MY GENERATION

A few weeks ago, I was having lunch with my editor at this newspaper.  As always, our conversations were pretty wide-ranging, and we somehow wound up discussing the challenges and realities of being a more mature part of the workforce, and how we relate to the younger generations who work with us.  In some ways this is a shocking concept to me since it seems like only yesterday that I was a bright young thing carving out my career in London.  It is sobering to realize that my first job in a big London agency was 35 years ago!

I was born in May 1966, so I am solidly and proudly Generation X, and I get very irritated if a younger person cuts across me with “OK, Boomer!”  You probably know that this is a dismissive comment sometimes used by Millennials and Generation Z to reject the attitudes of the older generations who they often perceive as not even trying to understand what they think.

Since there is some debate on where one generation ends and another begins, I turned to the Pew Research Center www.pewresearch.org for a definitive answer.  “Generations provide the opportunity to look at Americans both by their place in the life cycle – whether a young adult, a middle-aged parent or a retiree – and by (being) born at a similar time”.  Pew Research defines these generations:

  • The Silent Generation – Born 1928 – 1945
  • Baby Boomers – Born 1946 – 1964
  • Generation X – Born 1965 – 1980
  • Millennials or Generation Y – Born 1981 – 1996
  • Generation Z or Zoomers– Born 1997 – 2010

This generation is followed by the up and coming Generation Alpha – my grandchildren whose parents are, of course, Millennials.

Lots has been written about Baby Boomers, who are often described by  commentators as confident, independent, principled, focused, self-reliant, stubborn and strong-willed.  The Boomer I know best, my husband, definitely checks all those boxes.  

So, let’s talk about my own generation. Gen X is generally described as the “middle child” of generations – caught between the larger groups of Boomers and Millenials. We are very independent since we were the first generation in which both parents worked outside of the home in large numbers, or in many cases raised in single-parent households.  Remember, our parents’ generation really normalized the idea of divorce!  The phrase “latch-key kids” entered the language while we were growing up since many of us would come home from school to an empty house. 

We were raised during the transition to the digital age, so while we did adapt to new technologies, it does not come as naturally to us as later generations.  After all, we grew up in the pre-digital world – went to the library instead of the internet, used public pay phones to call a place on a landline rather than a person on a cell, read paper maps, and sent faxes!

Gen X grew up during significant events that shaped our world today including the Cold War, the Challenger disaster, Chernobyl, and the Berlin Wall coming down.  Many of us are resilient, self-reliant and flexible – because we had to be – and we try hard but don’t expect to win every time.  We also wonder why some other generations aren’t more open minded, since as a group we place a high value on tolerance.

Interestingly, Gen X is known for being very entrepreneurial, and we generally do tend to have a rather rigid work ethic.  Many of us came of age when President Reagan and Margaret Thatcher were in office, when taking a lunch hour was for wimps, and we aspired to put on our power suits and stride into our careers!

Millennials, on the other hand, tend to be more socially conscious, technologically advanced, and expect wide access to information. They are not only comfortable with their smart phones but integrate them seamlessly into every aspect of their lives.   They want a lot more flexibility in their working environments and expect a lot of feedback, career development and understanding from their employers.  Millennials are not afraid to question and voice their opinions as they were raised to express their views and have them taken seriously.   Because of this, I believe they are great at out of the box thinking and problem-solving skills.  

Most of the people in my agency are Millennials, although I do have a Boomer and a Zoomer in the mix.  I also sometimes rely heavily on the micro-generation of “Xennials” who were born between 1977-83 to translate for me!  This group grew up in a pre-digital world but adapted early on to fast-moving technologies. 

So finally, my editor and I agreed that despite these generational nuances, Americans of all ages have a lot more in common than not. Yes, there are differences but there is much more in the way of long term shared values, beliefs, ideals and reasons to respect each other.  On that note, I leave you with a traditional and thought provoking Chinese proverb: “Each generation will reap what the former generation has sown.”

God Bless America!

– ENDS –

Lesley grew up in London, England and made Georgia her home in 2009.  She can be contacted at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com  or via her PR and marketing agency at www.lesleyfrancispr.com