Cotillion plans under way

The Apple Blossom Cotillion is looking for new directors for the 2013 pageant early.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20111112/NEWS02/711129965

Published November 12, 2011 in the Rutland Herald

Cotillion plans under way

By Susan Smallheer
Staff Writer

SPRINGFIELD — It’s never too early to start thinking about the 56th annual Apple Blossom Cotillion, Springfield’s signature community event.

The organizing committee of the May event has put out a call for interested people who would be willing to take over directing the event in 2013, as veteran directors Carrie Jewell and Pam Church are stepping down after next spring’s production.

“We’re trying to do some early recruitment,” said Larry Kraft, spokesman for the Springfield Hospital Foundation, which sponsors the fundraising event.

And the group is looking for contestants for next spring’s show in both age groups, high school senior girls and escorts and the event’s popular ‘future cotillionaires.’”

Kraft said Jewell and Church had been directors for nine years and long ago gave notice that they would step aside after the 2012 production.

Kraft said the steering committee had put out feelers to music and arts organizations in the region in hopes of attracting a new director by this winter, so the new director could work with Church and Jewell before their retirement.

More pressing, Kraft said, the event is looking for a children’s coordinator, as longtime coordinator Kim Kiniry is also stepping down.

“She has done a wonderful job and she said she needs a break,” Kraft said Friday. Applicants for that position should have experience working with young children, but don’t need the music or dance background, Kraft said.

The organization has also started soliciting area high school senior girls to apply for the cotillion, which is usually performed the first weekend in May. Contestants sing, dance and perform with their escorts to about 15 different musical numbers.

Kraft said the group has a policy of accepting all high school seniors, as long as there is room. He said one year the cotillion had 30 couples, which was “a stretch” as far as room was concerned.

Senior girls from all area high schools in Springfield Hospital’s service area are eligible to apply, not just Springfield High School students, he said.

In all, there are about eight area high schools, he said, including Black River, Green Mountain, Bellows Falls, Springfield, Windsor, Vermont Academy, the Compass School and Fall Mountain Union High School in New Hampshire.

The deadline for filing an application is Dec. 5, he said.

Both the young adults and the children should apply as couples, he said, and all couples will be accepted, space permitting.

Application forms are available at www.springfieldhospital.org or from the Springfield Hospital Foundation’s office at 886-1600.

Kraft said the theme of this year’s cotillion is “Love,” and it will be held Friday and Saturday, May 4 and 5.

He said Church and Jewell had already picked out the contestants’ gown, and he described it as “purple or eggplant or aubergine.”

He said Church and Jewell were busy selecting songs for the show, and were going to write a narrative to knit the songs together.

Church and Jewell are also looking for people to assist in this year’s production.

Kraft said this year’s cotillion raised between $15,000 and $20,000 for scholarships for students pursuing health careers and healthy activities for area youth.