Subject: Blues Societies Challenge - The Blues Foundation

Hello to the Presidents of Blues Societies. Being involved in the blues world for over 30 years as a fan and sometimes a writer and promoter as well as being a member of two blues societies (South Florida Blues Society and The SunCoast Blues Society), the Blues Music Association and The Blues Foundation, I am setting forth a challenge to all blues societies, clubs and fans -- to follow the mission of the Blues Foundation "Our purpose is to provide an outlet for Blues fans to enjoy, support and encourage, and spread the gospel of the Blues by promoting, teaching, and advancing the Blues through networking with fans and musicians, blues clubs, festivals and other venues, promoters and other organizations with the same goals in mind." The year 2003 has been proclaimed "The Year of the Blues." At the same time our "mothership" The Blues Foundation is under major financial hardship. There are many wonderful and financially thriving blues societies in the US and around the world. As blues societies, we gather members and raise money through our memberships and fund raisers to promote blues and blues in the schools. We all look to the Blues Foundation for leadership in recognition for the blues artists through the Handy Awards and the IBC (International Blues Competition). We look to the Blues Foundation for recognition to others and organizations for the KBA - Keeping the Blues Alive Awards. But now we are in danger of losing this all. The Blues Foundation is undergoing changes -- new leadership and organization efforts are underway. We, as part of the blues world, need to recognize that it is our responsibility to step up to the plate by encouraging all of our members of our societies to join the Blues Foundation and also for the individual blues societies to help support the Blues Foundation with members and donations on a yearly basis. The City of Memphis has warranted a matching fund amount for the next few years that will well total over $100,000 from them.

The Blues Foundation has announced a new honor to be awarded at the Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Ceremony in January 2004. The new award will be presented at the KBA ceremony in January 2004, to the one affiliated organization that the Blues Foundation determines to have done the most for the Foundation in 2003. Total number of members, total number of new members, total number of membership dollars and society donations will be among the factors considered. It will be either a KBA or a special President's Award. The criteria will be based on memberships and donations. It will be necessary for you to make sure that all of your members who are currently members of The Blues Foundation as well as new members - indicate the name of the blues society that they belong to. Currently many existing Blues Foundation members have not advised the Blues Society of their regional or local society membership. Contact Wesley Smith, BF Membership Coordinator to update -- wesley@blues.org. The new Director of Administration is Jay Sieleman and he too can be reached at jay@blues.org. Both can be reached by phone to the Blues Foundation as well - 901-527-2583.

Many of you are aware that a horrendous storm went through Memphis about 10 days ago and devastated much of the area. Luckily, The BF was unharmed, but the Gibson Guitar Factory was blown apart.

I have copied below a list of descriptions of the types of memberships that are available as was sent out by Alligator Records a month or two ago. Please note, that the memberships start as low as $25 per year per person. I was not able to get the complete list of societies on email as of yet. If you know of other societies to pass the challenge on to, please do so. We must all do what we can to keep the "mothership" afloat or we will all end up with our own little societies and nothing on top and that means no Handy's, no IBC, no KBA's, etc. Please join us in the challenge and let's make this a yearly commitment. The Blues Foundation is working very hard to update it's records and become more vital to us as well. We all need to work as partners. So let's get the ball rolling and I wish the best to us all - Keep the Blues Alive!

Sincerely,
Gloria L. Pierce
Miami, Florida

Support the Blues today

The Blues Foundation needs your help now more than ever.

Nonprofit organizations around the country have suffered in recent years; The Blues Foundation is no exception. But now The Blues Foundation has an exciting opportunity that could help ensure its future. The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis has issued a 1:1 matching grant. If The Blues Foundation can raise $37,500 in new money, The Community Foundation will match it. That's $75,000 to help preserve and promote the blues. The fundraising drive is already under way, but we need your help.

Help us reach the goal. Join the Blues Foundation today.

A variety of membership levels for blues lovers everywhere.

The Blues Foundation has membership levels to meet every budget. But remember: the higher the membership level, the better the perks:

$25 FAN--
Preferred ticketing for events like next year's 25th Anniversary W.C. Handy Blues Awards. The privilege to vote in the 25th Anniversary W.C. Handy Blues Awards. And a membership card, which gets you discounts at over 50 blues clubs throughout the world.
$50 SUPPORTER--
Basic benefits, plus a commemorative poster from the Handy Awards.
$100 FRIEND--
All Basic benefits, plus a special Blues Foundation member's only T-shirt.
$500 V.I.P.--
All Friend benefits, plus VIP access for two closed-to-the-public parties during the W.C. Handy Blues Awards and Lifetime Achievement Awards ceremonies. Ticket upgrades at all Blues Foundation events.
$5000 CHARTER MEMBER--
All VIP benefits, plus a Charter Member plaque. An invitation for two to the annual Charter Members' Dinner, an intimate evening with Handy nominees and Hall of Fame inductees, the night before the Handy Awards in Memphis. Acknowledgement as Charter Member at Foundation events and invitations to all private VIP receptions. Two complimentary Golden Circle tickets each year to the Handy Awards VIPre-party, Handy Awards show, and post-Handy VIP reception and jam session. And four tickets to the Handy Awards and jam session to give your friends

The Blues Foundation also has corporate and organizational memberships available.

Learn more about The Blues Foundation's programs and events.

Learn more about membership levels and benefits.

 

 

 

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