By Nemo Ashong, VoG President
The last two years have been an exciting time of growth and change for Voices of Gotham. We released our first studio album, we placed 6th place at the International Barbershop Chorus Competition in Pittsburgh under our new director Bill Stauffer, and we hosted our “Lock and Ring” symposium on barbershop arranging and the history of the style.
As you might expect, putting together these events and projects takes a great deal of work from our members, and it also takes a considerable amount of money. This year we’ve launched an exciting new donation program: GIVE IN THE SEVENTH. This new program allows our friends, families, and fans provide continued support our programs with a regular donation starting at only $7 per month.
Beyond supporting special programs such as seminars and recordings, GIVE IN THE SEVENTH donations will underwrite our operating expenses such as rehearsal space, transportation costs, and the commissioning of arrangements. Most importantly, these regular donations will enable the continued existence of Voices of Gotham, which has proven to be a source of friendship and community for many of our members who had recently moved into one of the most expensive cities in the world.
This sentiment was expressed by one of our longtime members Braden Lynk to our membership when he was explaining why he became a GIVE IN THE SEVENTH supporter:
Personally, I give back not just because I benefit directly from being a part of this group, but because I want to make sure this group is here for others like me who come to the city with no friends, family, or connections. Voices of Gotham is a large part of what has made me who I am today and I want that opportunity to exist for others in the future—without cost prohibitive barriers to entry. As we've advanced as an organization, our expenses have logically increased as we are now in a new tier. But I don't want us to lose our inclusiveness and our accessibility to those brand new to the city and to the style. It's what makes VoG truly a family.
If you’re a fan of Voices of Gotham, or a friend to one of our members, you know how important the chorus is to us, and as Braden so eloquently put it, we want to make sure this experience continues to exist for others. Please visit our GIVE IN THE SEVENTH donation page to help support our community and continuing activities.
