The Ladybirds, under the direction of Ellie Batchelor, maintain a very busy schedule of events, including weekly rehearsals on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Park Place United Methodist Church in LaVale. Frequently, after practice, many of the ladies venture off to Bob Evans for a snack and more singing. The people at Bob Evans have gotten to know the group, and certain patrons even come to Bob’s just to hear the Ladybirds on Thursday evenings! What a following!

God Bless America! Mary Schaver (lead) dons patriotic paraphernalia at
the opening of the Farmer’s Market in Cumberland, Maryland in 2004.

The Ladybirds had a successful and varied year in 2004. They had a total of twenty-eight sing-outs for the year, singing for a combined audience of at least 1,798 people. Annual dues of $50.00 paid by each member is used for music, costumes, jewelry, travel expenses, gifts for ill or bereaved members, workshops, coaching/directing, etc.

The Ladybirds began the 2004 year singing for the LaVale Lionettes at the Haystack Mountain Sportsmen’s Club on February 10th and went from there to Martinsburg, West Virginia to the Veterans Hospital on February 14th. Next came the St. Patrick’s Day Hooley at the Embassy Theatre on the Downtown Cumberland Mall on March 13. The Hooley was a whole new experience in more ways than one. Mark Baker, owner of the Embassy Theatre, participated in one number with the chorus and Haley Daughton (granddaughter to Ladybird Sandy Daughton). Mark and Haley danced and sang while the chorus performed Harrigan. The Ladybirds will always have fond memories of Gisela Sword and her grandson who also were with them for that occasion. Gisela passed away shortly after that date and is still missed.

Mark Baker & Haley Daughton dance while the Ladybirds rehearse

The chorus had various sing-outs from then through the summer, including the opening of the Farmers Market on June 3rd; they also sang for the Health and Safety Day held at the Park Place United Methodist Church on August 14th and then sang for the return home of the 372nd Marine Unit on September 24, again on the Cumberland Mall. In October they sang at Rocky Gap Lodge for the Volunteer Program Appreciation Dinner, and on November 13, Cissy McKenzie (member) asked the group to sing at a dinner at her church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in LaVale.

The Ladybirds perform at Rocky Gap

At Christmastime, the Ladybirds’ busiest season of the year, the chorus had a total of eight sing-outs beginning with the Downtown Cumberland Mall tree-lighting Ceremony on November 26. Additionally, the chorus performed for the Memorial Hospital Nurses Alumni, the Barton United Methodist Church, the Day Care Mothers, The Park Place United Methodist Church Christmas Party, the South Cumberland Businessmen’s Association, the Ali Ghan Ritualistic Unit, and the Food Pantry. The above activities do not include those of Afternoon Delight, the popular quartet from within the choral group. They, too, had a busy schedule, entertaining at various events during the Christmas season and throughout the entire year, starting with Singing Valentines.

On March 12, the Saint Patrick’s Day Hooley was held in Cumberland. Kelley’s Irish Pub on Mechanic Street was newly opened that day and was one of many participating restaurants/bars for this event. The Ladybirds were one of the scheduled entertainment acts.

Other Ladybirds engagements for Spring 2005 included performances at The Maple Festival in Meyersdale, PA, Hymn Sing in Hyndman, PA, Frostburg Nursing Home, banquet at St. Mary’s Church, and entertaining the Peace Corps group in Frostburg.

Not only do the Ladybirds sing! The chorus includes people with all sorts of talents and diversified interests. Fun is high on the priority list for this group, who socialize together, travel together, eat together, and sing together. The Ladybirds have learned a new song recently, We Sing Our Hearts Out. That song says it all for the Ladybirds Chorus!