Jim and Pat Cavanaugh, 260 Yonside

Jim and Pat Cavanaugh, 260 Yonside

Return to Work: Annuitant Visitor

After 12 years of retirement from ministry, Jim and Pat have taken a new “job” as the Annuitant Visitors for the Pension Board of the United Church of Christ. They will visit, during the year, with each of the 79 retired clergy, spouses/widows, and missionaries in Tennessee. These retirees spread from the North Carolina boarder to Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville, and Memphis, though luckily 45 are right here in Pleasant Hill. This program was provided by a fund set up to

have concern and care for retirees. The Annuitant Visitor program of the UCC has 165 visitors who visit some 6000 annuitants and spouses on an annual basis. Jim served 35 years in the parish ministry in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New York. Pat was the founder and lead therapist in the Family Counseling Ministry of the NY Conf of the UCC for 20 years

Pat and Jim are finding their new "job" interesting, tiring, challenging, and rewarding. Also it provides a chance to be on the road again. as well to continue ministry in

Pleasant Hill. It seems Uplanders, although "retired,' are finding ways to go back to work and to share their gifts with the wider community.

(The band comes onstage to tune up, then the concert

announcer comes to the podium microphone) “ Welcome our

distinguished Conductor, Dr. Steven Sudduth (applause).

Please rise for our National Anthem.”

“Good afternoon. I’m Don Nelson, your announcer for

today’s concert by the Southern Stars Symphonic Brass

(SSSB). Our theme for this performance is ‘Castles,

Highlands, and Moors’ – as we escort you on a musical trip

to the United Kingdom, including England, Wales, Scotland,

and Ireland. ‘All aboard!’

….from the Southern Stars’ February 20th concert script,

researched & co-edited by Uplander Don Nelson and the

band’s founder/president Dwight Wages.

Don serves as the announcer for the professional

ensemble SSSB’s 3-4 concert a year, usually held in

Crossville’s 1200-seat Stone Memorial High School

auditorium. With family who are talented professional

musicians and play in two brass bands, Don and Jean

attended many of concerts. After moving to Uplands in 2010 they became fans and volunteer ushers/

ticket/CD/DVD sellers at concerts by the Crossville Symphonic Brass. Don and Jean love the

professional brass band sound, the wonderful variety of selections and soloists, and the script which

featured brief background information about each selection. The SSSB had been using various local

personalities as announcers, so Don decided to send his resume and a brief announcer audition CD for

Dwight to consider – and as they say “the rest is history ” with Don becoming the announcer.

Don’s announcer credentials are many. He served as a U.S. Army 7th Division combat

soldier in Korea and was then assigned as an announcer/producer in the American Forces Korea

Network of Armed Forces Radio Service. Back in the USA, Don wrote, produced, and narrated radio

dramas at WEVD, New York City and hosted Reserved for You, the recorded U.S. Air Force Reserve

program featuring the Airmen of Note; was a staff announcer and newscaster on WERS & WBUR,

Boston; WKNE, Keene, NH; WNEB, Worcester, MA.; and KVZK-TV, American Samoa. Nelson then

became an instructional/institutional radio/TV producer, director, narrator, and administrator at the

University of Connecticut, the American Samoa educational TV system, The Appalachia Educational

Laboratory, Charleston, WVA, and the University of Delaware. In addition to appearing in community

theater productions, Don has sung in the Monadnock Chorus, choirs, barbershop choruses, and quartets.

At the Virginia Radio Reading Service, Florida’s Insight for the Blind, and the New Hampshire

Association for the Blind, Don was a narrator of books and magazines for the blind and visually

impaired.

“This is Don Nelson, signing off…” Check out Southern Stars’ website,

The Symphonic Brass’ next concert is at 7:00 PM on Saturday,

April 16th at Stone Memorial High School and features a return engagement by “Buddy Greene &

Friends.”