SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2019 | 3A
Community News
Florence FloTones give back to community in final encore
By Burney Garelick
special to Siuslaw News
F
loTones give back to
community one last
time
If music be the food of
love, the FloTones fed the
central Oregon coast with
songs for almost two decades
before Florence’s inimitable
vocal jazz ensemble decided
to bring down the curtain
last May. That’s when the
FloTones produced their fi-
nal concert, “Music Matters,”
as a benefit for the Siuslaw
schools music programs.
The singers made their final
appearance that year at the
Community Chorus of Flor-
ence Oregon (CCFO) Christ-
mas concert.
But the FloTones were not
quite done. They were deter-
mined to go out with a flour-
ish. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit,
the group understood that,
upon dissolution, it was re-
quired to divest all of its as-
sets and distribute them to
other nonprofits, including
public schools.
Over the years, the Flo-
Tones had purchased some
major items including a digi-
tal keyboard, an entire sound
system, 12 wireless micro-
phones and other assorted
items — all of which totaled
in excess of $11,000. Because
music matters, the items were
given to the Siuslaw schools
music programs.
The funds, secured in a
credit union account, were
used to purchase full page
ads in the performance
programs for “The Wiz,”
CROW’s (Children’s Reper-
PHOTO COURTESY KEN JANOWSKI
tory of Oregon Workshops) As part of the distribution of remaining FloTones assets, FloTones President Kate
2019 musical production and McBroom Redwine recently presented a check for $1,000 to Florence Food Share
Board President Rick Klessig
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Mo
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Kitchen Klutter is
asking for pictures of Mom for our
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the CCFO’s spring concert.
The remaining funds went to
Florence Food Share and St.
Andrew’s Outreach Program.
Providing financial sup-
port to the community had
always been the mission of
the FloTones. The singers
frequently performed benefit
concerts for Florence Food
Share, the Boys & Girls Club,
Florence Habitat for Human-
ity and area churches from
Yachats to Reedsport. Flor-
ence performances, includ-
ing their gospel repertoire,
were given at the Presbyteri-
an Church of the Siuslaw, St.
Andrews Episcopal Church,
New Life Lutheran, the First
Baptist Church, the Unit-
ed Methodist Church, The
Church of Jesus Christ of
FROM ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS LEONARDO DICAPRIO & FISHER STEENS
Siuslaw Climate Alliance and the Florence Earth Day Committee Presents
MONDAY APRILL 22, 2019
CITY LIGHTS CINEMAS
1930 HIGHWAY 101
12:30pm and 6:30pm
SPONSORED BY
Tickets are FREE*
Admission tickets are required and are
available at City Lights Cinemas
Latter-day Saints, Florence
Christian Church, and Cross-
road Church.
Additionally, the FloTones
performed many times at
Shorewood Senior Living,
Spruce Point Assisted Living
and Regency Florence, a se-
nior living facility.
The community-spirited
singers were drawn together
like bees to honey to create
the FloTones. The group was
formed in 2003 by members
of the CCFO to perform at
special community func-
tions. Apart from the larger
choral group, the FloTones’
repertoire aimed to provide
jazz-oriented vocals.
The FloTones spun off
from the CCFO in 2004 and
achieved its nonprofit sta-
tus. The fledgling ensemble
decided that, for all perfor-
mances, the singers would
memorize the music. That
way, they wouldn’t need to
refer to the printed score
and could more readily en-
gage each other to produce
exquisite harmony of the
highest quality vocal balance
and blend. Music selections
came mainly from “The
Great American Songbook”
including 125 songs. The rep-
ertoire also included about
50 jazz-flavored Christmas
songs and 20 gospel songs.
Over the years, approxi-
mately 50 singers were part of
the FloTones’ family, includ-
ing a former Florence mayor,
Phil Brubaker, and a former
Florence First Citizen, David
Capen. Three of the singers
— Jan Kinslow, Jeanni Sand-
ers and Ken Janowski — were
charter members from start
to finish.
The FloTones were fortu-
nate to have had some very
talented music directors and
accompanists.
No sooner had Dorian
Carter founded the group
then, in 2003, she left for a
sabbatical, and Chuck Cassey
became director. Cassey was
music and choral director for
national television programs
including “The Garry Moore
Show,” “Perry Mason,” “Mat-
lock,” “Columbo” and “The
Hulk.” Under Cassey’s direc-
tion, in 2005, the FloTones
produced a CD showcasing
their best work, including
their signature song, “The
Best Is Yet To Come.”
Cassey retired in 2007, and
Laura Merz became director
and accompanist. Merz, a
native of Florence, had just
earned a master’s degree in
music from California State
University at Northridge in
Los Angeles. She started
her tenure by directing Flo-
Tones’ performances at the
Florence Holiday Tree Light-
ing, the Florentine Estates
Christmas Dinner, a Peace
Harbor Hospital luncheon,
three holiday performances
at the Three Rivers Casino,
and a Florence Food Share
benefit performance that
brought in 350 pounds of
food and $198.
When Merz retired in
2015, the FloTones became
a self-directed group, ac-
companied by several fine
pianists including Marty Ad-
ams, Chris Lewis, Jennifer
Weier, Deb Young and, since
2017, Rhianna Haines. From
time to time, Ron Green,
president of Oregon Pacific
Bank, contributed stunning
trumpet accompaniment at
FloTones’ performances.
In addition to concert and
Rhody parade appearanc-
es, the FloTones undertook
individual, thematic shows.
Their first production, in
2005, directed by Cassey and
staged at the Florence Events
Center, was “Eklektik!” a
myriad melodious musicale
from Mozart to Mancini. The
show was a smash hit, and the
eclectic ensemble went on to
put on a show for Elkton’s
“Picnic in the Park” music
festival in 2007, followed by
a series of shows including
“In the Attic” in 2009, “Crui-
sin’” in 2011, “Down Memo-
ry Lane” in 2013, “The Glo-
ry of Love” in 2015, “Latin
Rhythms” in 2016 and “Mu-
sic Matters” in 2018. Perfor-
mance venues included the
FEC, Florence Playhouse and
Class Act Theatre.
It’s been a dynamite run
for the FloTones. Not only
the hills, but the forests, sand
dunes and ocean shores have
come alive with the sound of
their music. Their song may
be over, but the memories
will linger, and the commu-
nity will continue to benefit
from their largesse. There’s
no doubt, as time goes by,
that new tones and tunes will
be inspired to flow.
As the FloTones so of-
ten sang, “The best is yet to
come.”
Public meetings to discuss school facilities
County Transfer & Recycling
The Facilities Advisory
Committee (FAC) of the
Siuslaw School District is
planning several commu-
nity meetings seeking input
on issues regarding our local
schools.
The meetings will func-
tion as workshops in which
citizens will have the oppor-
tunity to share their views
on a wide range of topics
relating to the schools: ed-
ucational offerings, facility
requirements, meeting the
present and future needs of
students and more.
The committee is gather-
ing information that will be
useful to the school board
for planning purposes. The
first meeting will be held on
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
APRIL 20
APRIL 21
APRIL 22
APRIL 23
Tuesday, April 23, beginning
at 6:30 p.m., at Dunes City
Hall on Spruce St. in West-
lake.
Coffee, tea and cookies
prepared by Siuslaw High
School culinary students,
will be available.
All local residents are in-
vited to participate.
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
APRIL 24
APRIL 25
FRIDAY
APRIL 26
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