Carol Singers bring the spirit of the holidays to the Ranch

Linda Shannon-Hills and Alastair Stone

The Ranch was alive with the sound of carolers in December. Under the direction of our musical leader, Alastair Stone, the SaddleBrooke Ranch neighbors joined together first on Friday night, December 13, in the Bistro Veinte in La Hacienda Club to rehearse, singing some of the most beloved Christmas songs as well as a few songs of Hanukkah. The Bistro was packed with over 70 people singing nearly 30 carols and songs, both old and new, in what has become the SaddleBrooke Ranch ‘repertoire.’ This event was to be the rehearsal for the main event, but it developed into a union of voices and holiday spirit. A few residents made a stop at Bud and Marilee Fairbanks’ to sing a few favorite songs.

The main event for carol singing around the neighborhood was Sunday, December 15, with a group of over 50 neighbors gathering at the SaddleBrooke Ranch Firehouse to begin our singing tour. The group sang a dozen or more songs for Christmas and a couple of songs for Hannukah for the firemen and neighbors living nearby. Managing to keep to a tight schedule, the SBR singers drove their carts to seven wonderful stops around the neighborhood where after singing they were treated to liquid refreshments and goodies at each stop. In fact, the hosts for these stops invited the neighbors near their homes for holiday parties to enjoy the wonderful carol singers; it was very difficult to leave! We want to thank the following residents for opening up their garages for our singers. Sue and Keith Drengler on Amur Lane, Beena and Steve Ordahl on Gulch Pass, Emily and Doug Smart on Desert Pupfish, Martha and Bill Sampson on Ankole Drive, Bev and Rick Hanson with Judy Andrasic on Arroyo Vista, Mindy and Larry Hawkins on Arroyo Bello with the last stop being Tom and Carol Andrews on E Amur. The carol singers were invited inside to sing and were treated with a flute accompaniment by Kerstin Seifert and a recorder accompaniment by Barb Martin. A special thank you goes out to the Golder Ranch firemen and all the wonderful hosts.

A special thank you goes to Alastair Stone for his leadership and organization of these events. We love his enthusiasm.

Photographs are by Jean Morgan and Corrine Studivant.