Me at SLBC in 2010
SLBC 2012 in Phoenix
In 2010, I experienced an unforgettable life-changing weekend exploding with energy and profound purpose. That was the year that I went to Songleader Boot Camp in St. Louis, MO. It was their pilot year, and I was so fortunate to be among the company of 40 song leaders from around the country.
Two years later, Songleader Boot Camp hosted a regional conference in Phoenix, and that experience, too, was amazing. I got to attend it with my husband and dear friend, and it was incredible to meet other song leaders right here in my own state of Arizona.
What is extraordinary to me is that each one of these conferences only lasts for 3 days, and yet, I have kept in touch with many of the participants for all of these years. I believe it is because music pulls people together in a way that nothing else can. The spaces between the notes are filled with deep rooted emotion, and there is no way that people at a song leading conference couldn’t walk away from it without being tied together.
Yesterday, I had some absolutely amazing news. I had applied for a grant, because this year, Songleader Boot Camp and PJ Library (a Jewish family engagement program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation) are joining forces. I have worked with PJ Library often over the years, and when PJ Library of Southern Arizona approached me to consider this opportunity, I didn’t even have to think twice. If Songleader Boot Camp was leading some training for this incredible organization, it was sure to be fantastic.
Of course, you all know what I’m leading up to. I got the grant!!! I’m going to the SLBC national conference in February, and I am beginning to allow my excitement to come to the forefront after pushing those feelings aside until I knew I’d be there. I am so very grateful to the Harold Grinspoon Foundation for creating this opportunity, and I am so very grateful to the good people at PJ Library of Southern Arizona for being my supporters and helping me.
I understand that SLBC has significantly grown since 2010, and it will be interesting to see how they maintain the intimacy that I experienced at its inception. One thing I know for certain…it is going to be unforgettable, and I am so very blessed to once again, take part in something that will feed my soul and give back to my community at the same time. Halleluyah!
