By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
Few events in history are as universally known and revered as the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and, next year, students from Fort Hays State University will help commemorate the 80th anniversary of the day that will live in infamy during a special trip — and they are inviting anyone that would like to join to come along.
The Fort Hays Singers, under the care of the director of choirs, Terry Crull will perform during the events during their 5 day trip beginning Dec. 4, 2021.
While there they will perform with other musical groups from around the U.S., but the group will also carry the banner for the region as the only group asked to perform from Kansas.
Crull said no groups from Nebraska and Missouri are making the trip either.
"We are kind of representing the Midwest region,” he said.“We are excited about the chance to sing there, to represent our state and the Midwest region, to travel to Hawaii … and to represent our state and our veterans."
While the trip itself is special for the department, it is also is a much-needed light at the end of the tunnel for the group that has had limited opportunities to perform as COVID-19 hampered their season.
“Its been a weird year for us in the music department,” Crull said.
Even rehearsals have been impacted, with much being done virtually.
So when a familiar travel agency presented the opportunity to perform, Crull jumped on it.
The arrangements are being handled by a company the group has used previously, during a trip to Austria three years ago.
“They called us and said we want you to be a part of this,” Crull said. He said the FHSU group was their first choice to represent Kansas.
"We are excited about that,” he said.“This tour company has been phenomenal to work with."
While some of the details remain to be worked out, the group is set to perform with a larger group during the commemoration concert scheduled for Dec. 7 at the U.S.S. Arizona memorial and will perform at other locations during the trip.
“We have got three, maybe four, performances as well as the ocean and other sightseeing in Hawaii (planned),” Crull said.
During the visit, they also plan to present memorial items, such as a wreath or quilt, to honor the Kansans who served in the Armed Forces.
Longtime group accompanist Pam McGowne is spearheading that effort, and Crull said they are asking for anyone that knows of a Kansan who served during the war to reach out to be included in the list of veterans to be remembered.
He also said 44 FHSU alumni live in Hawaii, so a meet-and-greet is working to be arranged during the trip with the alumni office.
As exciting as the trip will be for the group, securing funds to travel can be difficult for college students — and so a program has been created that will allow others to travel with the groups, making the cost lower for everyone and allowing for those that may want to support the group during the trip to do so easily.
“Right now, we have lots of room,” Crull said.
He said 20 to 24 students will travel as a part of the singing group, but the more who sign up to travel with them the lower the individual cost.
“Right now, I'm estimating $2,500 per student or per traveler,” Crull said.“We want to take a 30 to 40 (person) entourage of non-singing members with us because that will lower the cost for everyone,” Crull said.
Family of some group members have already signed up, he said.
"The word is out that we want to get people to join us,” Crull said.
While COVID-19 is still impacting travel now, with the trip more than a year away, the concern that it will derail any plans is minimal. But, Crull said, if something unexpected creates a need to cancel, he is confident the agency planning the trip will work with participants to return already collected funds.
He also said university officials have completely signed off on the trip with the length of time between now and the trip.
“In fact, I hope they go along,” Crull said.
The Fort Hays State University Foundation is also assisting the students by actively seeking donations for the trip.
“If you want to recognize that my college kids are not terribly wealthy and will have a long hard year of raising funds for this trip and would want to help us, the foundation at Fort Hays is taking donations to the choral travel fund specifically for this trip,” Crull said.“Everything that gets sent will benefit the students.”
Those funds he said, will directly assist those students with an unforgettable experience.
“I told the kids already,” Cruell said. “If we do a patriotic number like ‘America the Beautiful’ or ‘God Bless the USA’ it’s going to be heart-rendering, it’s going to be hard to sing. When you think about what happened there and the thousands of people that lost their lives on that one day. Even if you don’t know anybody — which I don’t — it still can't help but affect you and be a once-in-a-lifetime memory.”
The deadline to signup to travel with the group is Jan. 10 along, which includes a $250 deposit.
Anyone who desires to travel with the group or submit the name of World War II veteran, can contact Crull at (785) 628-4258 or by email at [email protected].