Lisa Rothrock was awarded a Barbershopper of the Year Award and Maurice Sheppard recveives the Harmony Award Thursday night. Courtesy photo

By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Lads and Lasses of Enchantment

Last week, the Lasses and Lads of Enchantment (LALOE) held a celebration with members, after returning from a few weeks off as 2025 came to an end. The evening included a potluck dinner with family and friends, awards for efforts during 2025, and the installation of board members for 2026.

The Board Members are John Baillie, Chuck Tallman, Joe D’Anna, Gwen Lewis, Louise Mendius, Matt Michnovicz, Ron Nelson, Lisa Rothrock, Linda Sullivan, and Director Maurice Sheppard. Board President John Baillie led the presentations with awards for Maurice Sheppard, LALOE Musical Director with the Award of Harmony.

LALOE Assistant Director, Louise Mendius with the award of Merit Lisa Rothrock and Bernadette Lauritzen for Barbershopper of the Year. The lasses sing in the chorus and are members of the “Note-able Whimsy,” quartet. The award is presented for their “outstanding contributions to the preservation and encouragement of barbershop harmony.”

Thanks also went to Joe D’Anna, Chuck Tallman, and Jim Goforth for their additional assistance throughout the year.

The chorus currently is practicing a variety of tunes until their official music for the 2026 show arrives. Selections include Barberpole Cats, which are a collection of 12 songs that every barbershop member should know. These songs allow those with a love of four-part harmony to be able to sing with other barbershop quartets anywhere throughout the nation.

The harmonizers also prepare for Valentine’s Day serenades, the proceeds of which support the local nonprofit organization. Local residents can order their very own quartet to sing to a loved one, friend, or co-worker, and it’s only a phone call away. The $50 deal includes a fun foursome, a few tunes, and a long-stemmed rose from Flowers by Gillian.

Quartets can travel to schools, places of work, or homes, and a range of times are available to accommodate busy schedules. Since Valentine’s Day is on a Saturday this year, there are also limited opportunities for Friday afternoon and evening slots at the ready. Valentine requests can be made by calling 505.662.9127 or 505.672.5049.

Once the love has been spread throughout the community, the gals and their pals will begin to prepare for America’s birthday. That’s right—the LALOE has a repertoire to honor America’s finest on their 250th birthday in July. Anyone who might be interested in joining the fun can call or visit a practice. The chorus sings from 6:45–8:15 p.m., almost every Thursday night at the United Church of Los Alamos. Songsters can check out www.laloe.org for more information.

Louise Mendius receives the Award of Merit from LALOE Board President John Baillie. Courtesy photo

Bernadette Lauritzen receives the Barbershopper of the year award from John Baillie. Courtesy photo