It is with deep regret that the International Board of Directors announces the immediate cancellation of all five IES Global education events planned for North America in 2010 and Europe and the Pacific Rim in 2011. The Visual Leaders Workshop scheduled for IES West and the Young Women in Harmony Festival scheduled for IES Central also are cancelled.
This decision was made over the weekend, during the 248th meeting of the International Board of Directors. It was based on our assessment of the budgeted cost of holding the North American events vs. the lack of pre-registration for them, even at the Early Bird price. In addition, we heard the concerns expressed to us by Sweet Adelines in Europe and the Pacific Rim about the high cost of the events planned for them.
We believe we responded appropriately to the messages you delivered – the cost of transportation, lodging and registration was too great although the Personal Performance Power curriculum was attractive.
None of us can recall a time when an education event that was almost two years in the planning and implementation had to be cancelled. We thank the co-chairs of the 2010 IES Global Planning Committee for their creativity and their patience with the process: Nancy Field, Spirit of Syracuse Chorus, Region 16, and Renée Porzel, Melodeers Chorus, Region 3. These diligent volunteers based their planning upon input from you. You told us you preferred education events that were shorter in duration, located at sites closer to your home and held in hotels rather than the college campus setting of the earlier IES format.
Little did we know that the worldwide economy would stumble as dramatically as it has over the past several months. We have heard your heart-rending stories about how the precarious economy worldwide has impacted your family: lost jobs, reduced wages, homes foreclosed in the mortgage crisis, etc.
Sweet Adelines International is an educational organization. Our commitment to our mission and goals is solid. Therefore, at our June meeting the Board will spend a full day visioning about the future of the organization including the most efficient and economical ways in which to deliver quality education to our membership. If you would like to contribute your thoughts to this conversation, you are encouraged to write to President-elect Cammi MacKinlay before May 15 in care of the office of the Corporate Secretary, corp_secy@sweetadelineintl.org.
To the fewer than 100 members who had registered for the North American IES events, your registration fee will be reimbursed from headquarters. | 