Co Op Blog : This One Isn't All Subscriptions...

Continuing the theme of the month, we have been working on subscription renewals this week. About half of the GBS’ returning subscribers have already renewed their subscriptions, so we are getting ready to contact everyone else next week. If you have not already, please give us a call or come in for a visit and to renew yours before the end of June!

I have also worked on updating the GBS database over the last week. It’s wonderful how many people are involved in the Symphony (subscribers, donors, musicians etc.), however it does make for a fairly large task when everyone’s phone numbers and addresses need to be checked. For the moment, as far as I know, we have finished updating the database, but I’m sure it will come up again soon.

Every year in April, the Symphony hosts the Vintners’ Dinner and Auction. This is a highly anticipated event, which means that careful planning goes into every step of the process. Board members have already started planning for next year’s event, and I have been able to help out with some of that this week. With the help of this year’s co-chairs, Betty Adair and Sandy Stevenson, I made a timeline to outline the process for the committee to follow in upcoming years. This project has been another reminder of how much work goes on behind the scenes of all that the GBS does which most people aren’t aware of. Months of ordering rentals, checking out venues, preparing guest lists, gathering items for the auctions and constantly communicating with the organizers produces the wonderful evening that is the Vintners’ Dinner. I was able to see some of that when I started my co op placement, but I was still taken aback by how much more work is done throughout the year in preparation.

We have been working on creating some new content for the GBS website, which has led me to research past conductors. Not only was Hermon Dilmore the first ever conductor of the Symphony, he also studied under Dr. Suzuki and introduced the Suzuki method to the University of Western Ontario. The GBS has a long history of talented conductors, it’s been really interesting to learn more about their accomplishments.