WHAT IS PGMC THANKFUL FOR?
We once again look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays of the year. As I noted last year, unlike Christmas, Thanksgiving is all about the celebration of family and friends. It isn’t about decorations or presents but about being thankful for those around us.
In that spirit, I want to talk about things I am thankful for. There are a lot of them!
This past season was one of the most adventurous seasons in our very long and storied history. Not only did we undertake a momentous international tour that saw us performing in four cities across China as the first LGBTQ Chorus to ever tour China but it was also about bringing 23 members of the Beijing Queer Chorus here the the United States as a part of our”Pacific Voices” concert that included performances in local schools and to GSA/QSA youth and their families. This is an groundbreaking organization and one I am most proud to be a part of. PGMC makes beautiful music together, but it also embraces a commitment to making a difference in our community both globally and locally.
I am thankful to the many foundations, corporations, local businesses and donors within this community who stepped up to support our amazing season. Because of the generosity of 100’s of donors we were able to bring 60 singers to China, accomodate 23 members of the Beijing Queer Chorus here in Portland, and still continue to provide outreach concerts across the state at no-cost to our beneficiary organizations. Thank you so much for your continued faith in what we do.
To those in positions of chorus leadership – you were asked to take a leap of faith and say yes to this very adventurous season. Your willingness to take risks and work diligently towards that goal ensured this past seasons success and set us on a path where this organization can continue to be a positive force for many years to come.
To staff – you are asked to do more and more – you give unselfishly of your time and energy to move this organization forward. Your dedication is so appreciated.
To our singers and volunteers – you continue to be the bedrock of this organization. We are who we are because of your dedication to bringing our music and mission to life. That isn’t to say its all a bed of roses but you continue to challenge us to look beyond the status quo and embrace the challenges of the future. For the past 39 years you have and continue to be the heart of this organization. We can’t say thank you enough!
Finally, I hope that each of you will make time to express your thankfulness to those who are most important in your life. It is a very simple act but one that will bring the spirit of this holiday to life.
Happy Thanksgiving from the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, may your day be filled with the warm embrace of family and friends and I hope to see you all at our upcoming Holiday Concert.
Best wishes
Richard Jung, Executive Director
