President’s Message
Fellow CFMA Members,
I have asked John Krupsky (webmaster) to send this letter out to our membership via email and post on our website. I feel this is my best option for communicating with you. National CFMA has suspended the printed newsletter that is sent out by US Mail every other month because all the chapters have ceased to schedule events during the COVID-19 crisis.
First let me say that I hope all of you are healthy. The year 2020 has certainly been a very tough year for the Baton Rouge CFMA Chapter. In February we lost long time member Bill Edwards and long- time board member and former National Representative Ralph Marino. In May we saw the passing of long-time member, former National Representative and former President Murel Achee. May God bless them and their families. They will be missed.
I want to bring everyone up to date. The Board met in March and suspended all activities: Dance Troupe, jam sessions and monthly dances through the end of May. A virtual meeting of the Board was held via Skype on June 10 and the Board voted to suspend all activities through the end of August. Reasons cited were the health and welfare of those that might attend the events, the risk of a large financial loss if a dance was held with possibly low attendance and the fact that the National CFMA has cancelled the 2020 Le Cajun Festival originally scheduled in August. We are also unsure when the Governor will approve indoor dances with live entertainment at 100% capacity.
While all the above-mentioned events are cancelled, I want you to know that the National and Baton Rouge Boards are still committed to the mission of the CFMA and its future. Despite the cancellation of the Le Cajun Festival the National Board still plans to issue awards for the previous year. The Baton Rouge Board continues to meet and communicates regularly with the West Baton Rouge Museum (jams) and the UCT (dances). The Baton Rouge Board has scheduled a meeting in July via Skype. At this meeting will begin taking nominations for officers and board members for 2020-2021. If you or someone you know wishes to serve please let me know. My email address is shown below. You may self-nominate.
We plan to have dances and jams again one day. Please take care and I hope that it won’t be long before I can say “allons danser”.
Bonne Sante’
Ken Bueche
President, Baton Rouge CFMA
2020 Le Cajun Awards and Music Festival cancelled
Upcoming Dance Schedule
The status of scheduled dances is TO BE DETERMINED, based on the restrictions imposed on group gatherings.
- April 25 – CANCELLED
- May – No dance
- June 27 – CANCELLED
- July 25 – CANCELLED
- August 8 – CANCELLED
- September 11 – Coobie Joe Band (Cajun Tailgate Dance)
- October 30 – Nouveaux Cajun Xpress (Halloween Dance)
- November 13 – Chris Miller and Bayou Roots (Thanksgiving Dance)
- December 12 – Les Cabris (Christmas Dance)
Where:
UCT Hall
11175 Florida Blvd. (just west of Sherwood Forest)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana. .
Cajun Jam Sessions
Cajun Jam Sessions are suspended through August. Plans for resuming this activity will be announced at a later date.
CFMA Board Meetings
The Board is now meeting via online video chat.