Wedding bells; Community Chorus sings

Green Valley residents Paul Griffin and Lu Vos were married March 3 at the Green Valley Elk’s Lodge by the Rev. Madonna Moess.

In attendance were the members of the singles group, TGIS (This Group is Single). The groom chose to have the wedding ceremony with TGIS members present because he and Lou met at the singles club in April 2007. They were reacquainted later that year when in December they both met at a TGIS singles Christmas dance.

Lu and Paul encourage singles to join a singles group for the companionship and many social events that they sponsor throughout the year.

“There are many fun people in this group,” Paul said. “It is a wonderful organization — after all, I met Lu there.” TGIS meets Wednesday afternoons at 3:45 p.m. at the Green Valley Elk’s Lodge No. 2592.

“Dawnie Burroughs, TGIS president, was so cooperative as was the board to help the us with the “surprise” ceremony,” Lu said. “The members of the singles group thought they were having a guest speaker that day, not a wedding. Bob Green, the Elk’s events manager, and his staff, were also especially cooperative both in planning the ceremony and executing the rouse. Everything went off with out a ‘hitch’...no pun intended...thanks to them.”

Many of their closest friends and family were also in attendance, including Lu’s stepdaughter Jean Lelansky from Austin, Texas.

Paul’s two children were witnesses: Maureen Griffin, from Phoenix, and Eric Griffin from Tucson. Additionally, they were honored to have Anjanet Griffin, Eric’s wife, and two children, Julius and Russell, in attendance. The 21-month-old grandson, Russell, was an absolute joy to watch as he quietly listened and intently watched the couple exchange vows with seemingly wonderment and amazement, Lu said.

The wedding party entered the room as the music of “There, I’ve Said It Again,” sung by Vaughn Monroe, was played. It holds a special meaning to the couple as Paul serenaded Lu on bended knee with this song earlier in their relationship. After the ceremony there was a reception and a champagne toast to the couple.

A three-tiered wedding cake, topped with calla lilies, was served by Donita Gross and Dee Garrett. Pictures were taken by Jean Lelansky.

The bride surprised the guests as she jokingly demonstrated to all how she is able to “control” Paul by using the dog whistle they also use to train their Irish red setter, Mollie. Two short toots brought Paul running to her side delivering a passionate kiss. Paul, of course, was encouraged by guest Jim Kate to let everyone know what happens when he uses a whistle command on Lu. After a long and short toot Lu ran away saying, “What have I done?” The couple followed a popular tradition by throwing Lu’s garter and wedding bouquet. They thought it would be fun since most of the room was filled with singles.

The newlyweds will reside in their Green Valley home during the winter months, October through March. They will summer in their lovely and remote log cabin, built by Paul, in western New York, April through September.

The Green Valley Community Chorus will be concert March 22 at 7:30 p.m. and March 23 at 2:30 p.m. at Valley Presbyterian Church, 2800 S. Camino del Sol. Chorus director Gerald Near has named the concert, “I Hear America Singing” — the title of a well-known work by 19th-century poet Walt Whitman. In a tribute to the musical genius of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, the chorus is also singing excerpts from some of the best of Broadway’s 20th-century musicals.

Pre-sale tickets are $8 and are on sale at Second Look Books, Camilot Flowers, Creative Edges, the Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce or from any chorus member. Call Gary LaBarre at 520-867-8307 for more ticket information. The exciting program features three sets of duets at each concert sung by different people at each performance. They include: “Some Enchanted Evening,” “People Will Say We’re in Love” and “A Hundred Million Miracles.”

The second half of our concert will be a special tribute to Rodgers & Hammerstein, including, “It’s a Grand Night For Singing,” “Climb Every Mountain,” “Surrey with the Fringe On Top” and many more.

The concert also includes “Three Mountain Ballads” by Ron Nelson, “The One Hundred Fiftieth Psalm” by Howard Hanson, and Aaron Copland’s composition “Shall We Gather at the River,” written by the Rev. Robert Lowry, an American poet and gospel composer.

rford@gvnews.com