Dear Alton

What strange creatures we are that it takes a death to shake us into action and say, or at least attempt to say, all the things we should have been saying all along.

Jeremy has given me the opportunity to tell him about you and your contribution to Community Concerts over the last 10 years. How time flies. Do you remember sitting in Orchard Park with Doreen and I (and others) as we tried to sell memberships for the following season after a particularly 'difficult' last concert? Seemed everyone decided after those guitars in April, they were not going to take a chance on us again! Ever since that experience we have never engaged a guitar group since your words still resonate, 'no guitars!' And yet, despite that, Doreen soldiered on as Membership Chairman and gradually we left those days behind us and now the problem is fending off the hoards that want to get tickets (waiting list currently stands at 90)

Doreen and I had so many stories to tell over the years and as her right hand man you knew all too well the highs and lows we came to expect as commonplace; you knew what to tell people when they phoned and how to promote our cause to anyone and everyone who would listen: why would we have gone with Ticketmaster when we had so much fun doing it ourselves!

Then there was the Program Committee: three years ago you told us about Red Priest (Baroque from the UK, Jeremy). You told us you'd spoken to a good friend in Edmonton who had impeccable musical taste and who recommended this group. You kept reminding us about them in your quiet, but firm way, and guess what, they will be our guests at this April concert which will be dedicated to your memory. Chor Leoni is another group you recommended and, fingers crossed, they will come in April next year so you see, we heeded your advice and once again Community Concerts will have delivered another stellar season.

On a personal note you were always there for me Alton. Although you never wanted to be president, you agreed to be vice-president for a number of years and it was always good to know you could be my back up; you certainly knew what was going on! In fact the one time you stood in for me (literally, on the podium) was when we had the guitars and I never heard the end of that story!

We made a great team, you as VP, Doreen looking after membership, other friends taking care of finances, concert production, etc and I could not have asked to be surrounded by a more supportive, dedicated and classy group of people.

Lastly, I will always remember how, at the end of every Annual General Meeting, you asked to say a few words. You said how much you enjoyed being part of our group and what a great feeling there was around the table; that you had been part of many meetings but nothing could match our group for co-operation and a feeling of good will. For me that was a real high.

Go in peace my friend. You are now where you want to be, together with Doreen. We are all so much richer for having known you both and we will carry on our work with renewed energy and enthusiasm, sad that you are no longer with us but happy that we played some part in your lives over the last few years.

Yvonne Topf on behalf of the Board of the Kelowna Community Concert Association

January 3, 2010