May 2008

Do-Si-Doers

The Do-Si-Doers have been dancing for 55 years. We were first organized in June of 1953 under the direction of Mrs. Luther Walker and Mr. Duane Bateman. The Square Dance club met at Gashland Community Church. Our first caller was Al Merman, and we danced to live music - piano, banjo, and fiddle. We had 31 couples and a waiting list.

Sponsored by Belles & Beaux, our club was admitted to the Heart of America Federation in 1956. George Mangiarcina was our caller from 1955-56 until his untimely death in April 1960. We hired Buford Evans in 1960 and he and his lovely wife Sylvia were our callers thru 2001. That is 40 consecutive years. WOW! We honored Buford and Sylvia at our May 6, 2000 dance. Sadly, Buford passed away April 29, 2001, age 83. Mike Schaff and wife Kay called 2001-2002 but had to decline after that because of cancer. We hired Al Block and his wife Alberta as caller and Mike Hines and his wife Dottie as cuer, for the 2000-2001 dance season. We are enjoying their calling and cueing to present, 2008, and hopefully beyond.

Our club has danced at many different places over the years, Gashland Community Church, Gashland School, Linden West School, Oakwood Manner School, Ford Union Hall, Antioch Town Hall, TWA Machinist Union Hall, Church of the Good Shepherd, Barry Middle School, Sheppard Memorial Youth Center, Kansas City North Community Center, Park Hill North Junior High School, Plaza Middle School and our present location, Our Lady of Mercy Country Home, 10 years, and counting.

Our membership has gone up and down over the years, with the highest count of 55 couples, for two dance seasons, 1969-1970 & 1970-1971. All in all, we have a strong club with 29 couples and one single with everyone enjoying dancing and fellowship.

Our Executive board: President, V.P., Treasurer, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Fed. Delegate, are elected for a 2 year terms. We elect a V.P. every year. He serves one year as V.P., and moves up to President the second year. One year we elect a Fed. Delegate & a Recording Secretary. The following year we elect a treasurer and corresponding Secretary. This system has worked well for our club.

Over the years we have enjoyed many activities including attending National, State, Federation, and District Dances, and Caller's festivals. Also, Square dance Weekends at Silver Dollar City, a bus trip to dance in South Dakota and Minnesota, a Weekend in Eureka Springs, a Precious Moments tour - Carthage, Missouri, and horse races in Omaha.

To promote Square Dancing, we have given numerous exhibition dances, including Starlight Theater, Chiefs Pre-season Football game, American Royal, Platte County Fair, and all over the northland area. We have had dance lessons every year, adding members to our club.
An outstanding fact: two couples, Bob & Virginia Woodard and Hank and LaVanghn Weaver joined our club in 1956. In 2006 we had a big celebration of their dancing with the Do-Si-Doers for 50 years. I do believe this is a FIRST, and they are still dancing with us, or should I say, we are dancing with them. (Living proof that Square dancing is good for you).