Editor’s Page

Welcome to the Winter, 2022, issue of the Promenader, a quarterly publication of the Western NY Federation of Square and Round Dancers, Inc.

Website

In this issue

The Photos and Features section highlights the various Halloween dances held by area clubs who sent us photos. It’s always fun to see dancer creativity at work in the form of costumes!

In another step forward to normal dancing, there is also an article on the Copy Cats’ re-started beginner classes at Scribner Road School in Webster on Tuesdays.

Several clubs have successfully recruited beginner classes, thanks to the promotional efforts of club members and leaders, and to support and initiatives from the WNY Federation. An article in this issue highlights one promotion effort initiated by Diane Cundra. She and her helpers carried forward her display-case assemblages of square dance items and information, for month-long viewing in three different area libraries.

In other articles, the military service of three Copy Cats dancers was honored with participation in the Honor Flight Rochester program. Also, several area dancers traveled to Vermont to attend the “Autumn Leaves’ festival in October.

Club News

News from clubs this quarter indicates a continued return to normal dancing, though with reduced numbers and still some missing clubs.

Federation Website

Webmaster Sidney Marshall will post flyers and changes to the schedule listings as soon as he can after he receives them. For fastest service, he recommends sending flyers (in PDF form) and schedule change notices (in the body of an email) to him directly (sidneym@frontiernet.net), as well as to the Promenader (promenader@rochester.rr.com).

In addition, for maximum distribution of urgent messages, clubs should send Sidney the text for any “Breaking News” to go on the WNYF home page (squaredancingrochester.org).

And clubs should also consider posting their news on the “SquareDancingRochester” group Facebook page.

In Memoriam

Happily, in this issue we have no obituaries!

Editorial Comments

Last quarter, I emphasized the importance of established dancers in recruiting new dancers, promoting dancing among friends, neighbors and associates for its social and physical benefits and encouraging them to give it a try.

Now that classes are started, it’s essential for established dancers to keep up a welcoming and encouraging demeanor toward new recruits. A sense of hesitancy on the part of established dancers will quickly undo the spirit of inclusion that we all value in this activity—the spirit that brought each of us into the fold when we were beginners.

Quarterly Chuckles

Sign on an appliance repair truck: “We repair what your husband fixed”

My doctor asked if anyone in my family was suffering from mental illness.

“No.” I answered, “We all seem to enjoy it.”

Lost Car Keys:

On return from a trip, I felt in my pocket for the car keys. They weren’t there! I realized I must have left them in my car.

Frantically, I headed for the parking lot. My wife has scolded me many times for leaving my keys in the car’s ignition. She’s afraid the car will be stolen. As I looked around the lot, I realized she was right. The car was not there!

I immediately called the police. I gave them my location, admitted I had left the keys in the ignition and that the car had been stolen.

After a while mulling what to say, I made the most difficult call of all—to my wife: “Well, sweetie, you were right. I left my keys in the car and now it’s been stolen.”

There was a long moment of silence. I thought the call had been disconnected, but then came her angry reply: “You’re kidding me!” She barked “I dropped you off! Don’t you remember?”

Now it was my turn to be silent. Embarrassed, I humbly said, “Well, could you come and get me?”

In a tense but somewhat softer voice, she replied: “I will. But first, I have to convince this cop that I didn’t steal your d****d car.”

Welcome to the Golden Years :-)

Peter Emmel, Editor