Wednesday, May 9, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
WRANGLER: Young
cowboy had a rough
road to Sisters
It’s ‘singtime’ in Sisters
By Craig F. Eisenbeis
Correspondent
Springtime in Sisters?
Well, yes; but, according to
the Sisters High Desert Cho-
rale, it’s also “Singtime in Sis-
ters!” That’s what the chorale
hit upon for the title of their
annual free, spring concerts for
the community, which will be
conducted next week on May
18 and 20.
“The music for this year’s
spring concert is as whimsi-
cal and eclectic as a Central
Oregon springtime,” said the
group’s director, Connie Gun-
terman. “Musically we offer
a little bit of everything and
there are sure to be favorites
for everyone. We continue to
challenge ourselves and build
on each performance. We were
thrilled by the standing-room-
only audience for the win-
ter concerts and are bringing
that same enthusiasm for the
spring.”
Gunterman is in her second
year as director of the Sisters
community choir, which is in
its 26th season. “I am so hon-
ored and privileged to be a
part of this group,” she said.
“The chorale has been work-
ing since March to create a
wonderful choral experience
that will please the Sisters
community. You have no idea
how happy we all are when the
people of Sisters show up and
cheer us on.”
One of the selections for
this concert is “Ol’ Man River”
from the 1927 musical “Show-
boat,” with music by Jerome
Kern and lyrics by Oscar
Hammerstein. Showboat was
a ground-breaking production
in that it was the first time a
musical was used in a dramatic
presentation. Prior to that time,
musicals tended to be light
and frivolous or follies-type
revues.
The novel “Showboat,”
which tackled serious social
issues, racism in particu-
lar, was written in 1926 by
Edna Ferber. When Kern
approached Ferber about turn-
ing her novel into a musical,
Ferber was appalled, given her
understanding of the nature
of musicals up to that point in
time. However, Kern was able
to convince her of the idea,
and a new genre of musical
productions was born. Since
1927, Showboat has been
revived on stage numerous
times and produced on film in
1929, 1936, and – most nota-
bly – 1951.
Another sure-to-please
selection is the Negro spiri-
tual, “Down by the Riverside,”
which dates to the antebellum
South, although it was not pub-
lished until 1918. With pacifist
lyrics that include “I’m goin’
to lay down my sword and
shield,” and the refrain, “I ain’t
gonna study war no more,” the
song was a popular anti-war
protest song during the Viet-
nam War.
The piece’s central theme is
one of spiritual hope, includ-
ing baptism, reaching the
promised land, and ascending
to heaven. As with many such
spirituals, a hidden or implied
message is that of escaping
— or at least transcending —
slavery. Midway through the
song, this particular arrange-
ment, by English composer
John Rutter, splits the choir
with a rousing “glory halle-
lujah” countermelody. Curi-
ously, much of Rutter’s widely
celebrated work involves reli-
gious music; and, although
describing himself as “spiri-
tual,” he professes not to be
especially religious, himself.
Another highlight will be
Robert Frost’s iconic poem,
“The Road Not Taken,” set to
music by Randall Thompson.
Other musical highlights for
the spring concert include “It’s
a Most Unusual Day,” “Ease
on Down the Road,” “Swing-
ing on a Star,” “Georgia on My
Mind,” and several patriotic
selections, concluding with
“The Star Spangled Banner.”
The choir is made up of
talented personnel of all ages
and all walks of life, who
come together to present qual-
ity choral music to the people
of Sisters and Central Oregon.
The chorale presents free pub-
lic concerts twice a year; the
second pair of concerts takes
place during the holiday sea-
son prior to Christmas.
The chorale’s two spring
concerts will be held next
week on Friday, May 18 at
7 p.m. and Sunday, May 20
at 2:30 p.m. at Sisters Com-
munity Church, at 1300 W.
McKenzie Hwy., on the west
side of town. The chorale’s
accompanist is Donna Moyer.
Recorder and ukulele music
will serve as opening acts for
the two-part concert, with
cookies served during the
intermission.
New chorale members for
future concerts are always
welcome. In keeping with
the community nature of the
group, auditions and solos
are not required. Rehearsals
for the annual holiday season
concerts will begin in the fall.
Rehearsals are held at the Epis-
copal Church of the Transfigu-
ration on Monday evenings.
For further information, visit
www.sistershighdesertchorale.
com or call Connie Gunterman
at 541-588-0362.
541-549-9388
22&14K,
Fancy-Cut
White Topaz
Take Mom on a
Scenic Drive…
Happy
Mother’s Day!
541-549-1026
DAVIS TIRE
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Serving
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Sis
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Sisters
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Since
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962
188 W. Sisters Park Dr. In Sisters Industrial Park across from SnoCap Mini Storage
Continued from page 14
animals he hunts.
After trekking around the
country for a year, Mitchell
realized that the Pacific
Northwest was where he
needed and wanted to set-
tle. While in Tennessee, an
acquaintance told him about
a possible job with Koch at
Black Butte Stables.
It turned out that Mitchell
and Koch had attended
the same high school in
Redmond, Washington and
both knew the acquaintance
who alerted Mitchell to the
job prospect in Sisters.
Mitchell’s arrival in
Central Oregon wasn’t with-
out its challenges. His truck,
towing a well-used trailer and
his horse, Red, broke down
near Tumalo State Park. He
was parked in a lay-by, head
under the hood of the truck,
with Red tied on a highline
nearby when a Deschutes
15
County sheriff ’s deputy
stopped to see what was
going on. When Mitchell’s
story checked out, the deputy
went on his way, returning
later on with food for a grate-
ful Mitchell. He was down to
his last can of beans and won-
dering if dog food was edible.
The next day, in the Sisters
Bi-Mart parking lot, seven
miles from his destination,
the truck broke down again.
With 30 minutes to spare
before Mitchell was due to
meet Koch, Good Samaritan
Dave Swisher noticed the
trouble and offered to tow
Mitchell’s horse trailer up to
Black Butte Ranch.
Koch is pleased with
Mitchell’s work ethic. “He’s
an extremely hard worker,
which is hard to find in many
young people these days,” he
said. He added that Mitchell’s
engaging personality and sto-
ries are already making an
impression on the guests he
takes out for rides.
Both men are hoping
that this latest adventure of
Mitchell’s lasts for a good
long time.
How Women Can Overcome
Four Financial Challenges
For women today, life can be a balancing act between family, career, and personal obligations.
At the same time, women often face unique challenges when it comes to managing their
fi nances. If you are a woman working to build your fi nancial confi dence today and tomorrow,
understanding key challenges is the fi rst step to overcoming them.
Challenge #1 – The income gap According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, median
weekly earnings for women age 16 and older was 82 percent of the amount earned by men
in the same age group. 1 This earnings disadvantage can affect how women manage living
expenses and long-term goals like retirement or saving for a child’s college tuition.
How to overcome the income gap You can help close the gap in several ways. First,
keep informed of salary trends for your industry, role, and experience, and use the knowledge
to negotiate future compensation. Second, take full advantage of your workplace benefi ts –
both fi nancial (e.g. stock options, retirement plans) and nonfi nancial (e.g. fi tness center,
onsite healthcare). Set aside 10-15 percent of your income in your retirement plan – or at
least enough to capture the matching contribution offered by your employer, if applicable.
And third, invest wisely according to your risk tolerance and time horizon. Diversifying your
investments and staying invested over time can help you achieve your long-term objectives.
Challenge #2 – The likelihood of a longer retirement According to the National
Center for Health Statistics, life expectancy for U.S. women exceeds that of men by fi ve years
(81.1 years for women vs. 76.1 years for men as of 2016). 2 Five years may not seem like
much, but rising infl ation and healthcare costs may require retirees to save more.
How to plan for longevity Life expectancy trends serve as a reminder to pay yourself
fi rst. Commit to saving part of each paycheck, as well as any windfalls you receive
(e.g. tax refunds, bonuses). If you’re near retirement, carefully select the timing of when
you, or your spouse if you’re married, begin claiming Social Security benefi ts. Your monthly
benefi t increases with time, which can be an important piece of your retirement paycheck.
Challenge #3 – Balancing multiple priorities Life can be a juggling act for many
women who are balancing their career with raising children or caring for an aging parent. It
is also not unusual to see women take the lead on caring for aging parents or other family
members. Such signifi cant commitments can limit the time that can be devoted to pursuing
career goals and making sure fi nancial plans are on track.
How to balance multiple priorities Decide what your fi nancial goals are, and determine
a process for saving, paying bills, and handling other fi nancial tasks. Good communication
about your priorities can alleviate pain points and anticipate future expenses. If you have
children, it’s never too early to start saving for college. That said, it’s important to prioritize
preparing for your own retirement fi rst. Remember, your child could have scholarships and
loans to help with college expenses. The same options are not available for your retirement.
Challenge #4 – Coping with major life changes No matter how carefully you plan
your life, you will experience occasional curveballs. For example, divorce can create a
situation where income that formerly supported one household must now be split between
two. The death of a spouse can have a dramatic fi nancial impact on the future income of your
family. Other unanticipated events can also have fi nancial considerations.
How to plan for uncertainty Building up your liquid savings is a great place to start.
Having adequate savings can give you the fl exibility to respond to changing circumstances.
Additionally, evaluate your insurance policies to ensure you have the proper protection in
key areas, including life, health, disability and long-term care. If you’ve experienced divorce
or widowhood, update the benefi ciaries on each of your accounts to refl ect your wishes.
Start planning today It’s easy to let fi nancial planning take a back seat to family, career,
and other demands. Consider partnering with a fi nancial advisor who can help you navigate
the unique challenges and goals you have. Know that whatever your current circumstances,
diligent planning, saving and investing can help you reach your fi nancial goals.
1
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Women’s and men’s earnings by age in 2016,” August 25, 2017.
Kenneth D. Kochanek, Sherry L. Murphy, Jiaquan Xu, Elizabeth Arias, “Mortality in the United States, 2016,” National Center for Health
Statistics Data Brief, No. 293, December 2017.
2
Mark Greaney is a Financial Advisor with
PacWest Wealth Partners, an advisory practice
of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. in Bend,
Oregon. He specializes in fee-based fi nancial
planning and asset management strategies and
has been in practice for 17 years. Contact Mark
at www.PacWestWealthPartners.com, or call him
at 541-382-2354. Mark is located at 35 NW
Hawthorne Avenue, Bend, OR.
Ameriprise Financial and its affi liates do not offer tax or legal advice. Consumers should consult with their
tax advisor or attorney regarding their specifi c situation. Investment advisory products and services are
made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., a registered investment adviser. Ameriprise
Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2018 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.