Please wish me luck on a new endeavor

Ukejenny

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I have missed reading and posting on UU. I have been slammed with private lessons (not on uke) and working at two schools. But... I've gone and done something that I'm excited about.

I started a ukulele club. I had one friend who was enthusiastic about it. I put some information out on Facebook and we met in the basement of my church a few weeks ago.

Including me, we had ten at the first meeting and now have had three more people want to come. I am very excited about the initial interest and hope to get an ad in local papers for our March meeting.

Right now, it is very laid back and many folks are new to music and ukulele, so we are taking it nice and slow.

If anyone has experience in running a ukulele club, I would appreciate some good tips and ideas to keep people interested.

We've also had members getting ukuleles. So a big thank you to Mim, and Mike at Uke Republic for helping our folks out. We also had a member attend one of Uke Republic's classes last weekend, in Atlanta. We plan to make a group pilgrimage when this crazy weather lets up.

I have pointed the members in this direction to learn about the Ukulele. There's no place better than UU for getting information and common sense solutions for ukulele questions.

I have a website set up, but it is extremely basic. We are on facebook. Just search Ukulele Band of Alabama.

Mahalo to everyone here on UU for all the information and support in my ukulele journey over the past year and a month or so - without all the folks here, I wouldn't have ever had the guts or spirit to do this. We are having fun! If you find yourself in Alabama the second Monday of any month, come jam with us; we'd be glad to have you!!
 
Hi, if you ever get down to Pensacola on a Sat morning we have an enthusiastic group that meets at Blues Angel Music. You would be welcome
Cliff
 
I have no experience starting a uke club. I do however admire your efforts. Good luck.
 
Six months ago when I started playing ukulele after almost 50 years on guitar, I signed up for the yearly summer play-along at the Music Center here in Los Angeles, more than 400 people participated. There I learned of the CC Strummers "sing & strum" ukulele group that was formed out of the Culver City Senior Center three years ago by a very accomplished ukulele performer, Cali Rose.

We meet twice a week at the Culver City Veterans Center. Basically she runs these as one hour classes for $3 a session, Mondays at 3:30 pm for beginners, and Thursdays at 10 am for more advanced players. I participate both days and I really look at it as a club than a class. There are over a hundred that participate and every week more join. We have great fun together, we even do gigs.

When I signed up here on UU, I learned of the Westside Ukulele Ensemble from the signature of Lori Apthorp. They're much more advanced, forming out of an ensemble class at McCabes Music store, doing mostly instrumentals with 2 to 4 parts. After watching what Jake Shimabukuro and The Ukulele Ensemble of Great Britain do, I wanted to go in that direction. There are about 8-12 people who meet every other Tuesday for 90 minutes to work on the music. I have a long way to go, but I'm being inspired to do better by participating. We even have regular pot luck "jam parties" at a member's home, and also play gigs.

Here I am six months in and belong to two groups, do gigs, and by the end of February will own 8 ukuleles, so I say good on ya' and enjoy.
 
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Thanks, y'all. We are very laid back and meeting one time a month right now, though I had people asking if we could get together more often. I have helped four or five people purchase ukuleles in the last three weeks and that has been so much fun, to shop with them and feel their excitement. I need to spend more time looking at club sites online to see how they are doing things. I have gotten several ideas from the Jan Jose Ukulele Club.
 
Congrats on establishing a ukulele club. I believe I was in the class at UKE Republic with your member from Alabama a few weeks ago. I remember saying how far I had driven (about 3 hours from South Carolina) and how I had probably driven the furtherest in search of ukulele comaraderie that day. She then piped up that she had come all the way from Alabama. I didn't feel so desperate then. ;)
It has to be so much fun helping others buy ukuleles. You get all of the thrill of the hunt without having to pay for all of them yourself. :)
My best advice on a club is to keep it relaxed. I've belonged to clubs with and without all of the trappings of membership dues, elected officers, Roberts' rules, etc. and I have to say I prefer the ones without all of the extremely structured conventions.
It sounds like you are off to a great start with plenty of local interest.
Have fun!!!
 
Good luck with the club

Maybe I will follow your lead and start a club in my town

Ukes sound better in a group

What is the collective name for a bunch or ukers? A topic for a new thread I think

Paul
 
Thanks, y'all. We are very laid back and meeting one time a month right now, though I had people asking if we could get together more often. I have helped four or five people purchase ukuleles in the last three weeks and that has been so much fun, to shop with them and feel their excitement. I need to spend more time looking at club sites online to see how they are doing things. I have gotten several ideas from the Jan Jose Ukulele Club.

You mean the San Jose Ukulele Club? ;)

My biggest headache has been finding a venue that is big enough yet doesn't charge rental fees, want $$$ damage deposits and require us to carry an insurance policy.

Restaurants with banquet rooms are the best bet because they are usually willing to forgo fees in return for bringing in diners. We hold our meetings at a local Denny's that holds 65 people. Last meeting there were 15 new sign-ups so we are close to the legal limit for the room.

So, I'm having to search...again.

My point is to save your self some headaches and find a room that may be too big now, but you'll definitely grow into it!
 
Good Luck! Just make it fun and educational and they will come in droves. A nice coffee shop or pub atmosphere certainly might help too! May The Great Tiki shine his wisdom upon you!
 
Hey congrats on this!! I'd love to do it but I'm too new at Uke to even think about it. The only group here I can find either meets on Tuesdays (I have Lodge meetings that night) or in the afternoon on Thursdays (During business hours so I work).
 
Congrats and good luck!
 
Jenny, you go girl! :)

Playing together with other ukers is one of my greatest pleasures these days.

You might consider starting a meetup.com group. I know it costs a monthly fee, but it might be a better source than a newspaper ad.

Good luck with it!
 
Yes, she was there. Can't wait to ask her about her driving comment. I love that the ukulele community is so supportive and nice. I hope to trek to Uke Republic someday.
Congrats on establishing a ukulele club. I believe I was in the class at UKE Republic with your member from Alabama a few weeks ago. I remember saying how far I had driven (about 3 hours from South Carolina) and how I had probably driven the furtherest in search of ukulele comaraderie that day. She then piped up that she had come all the way from Alabama. I didn't feel so desperate then. ;)
It has to be so much fun helping others buy ukuleles. You get all of the thrill of the hunt without having to pay for all of them yourself. :)
My best advice on a club is to keep it relaxed. I've belonged to clubs with and without all of the trappings of membership dues, elected officers, Roberts' rules, etc. and I have to say I prefer the ones without all of the extremely structured conventions.
It sounds like you are off to a great start with plenty of local interest.
Have fun!!!
 
It has been pretty easy so far. Word of mouth and a Facebook page. We have an active dulcimer community in the area and those folks seem interested in what the club is doing.

And yes, great topic. My choice is Ohana, but I named our group the Ukulele Band of Alabama. UBA just had a nice ring to it.

Good luck with the club

Maybe I will follow your lead and start a club in my town

Ukes sound better in a group

What is the collective name for a bunch or ukers? A topic for a new thread I think

Paul
 
Again, gang, thanks for the support. Folks are still buying ukes and I have one lady about to bust before the next meeting. We have already exceeded our time, everyone wants to stay longer, and I've had requests from folks to meet twice a month. Anywhere I take my uke, I immediately make new friends with folks who can't help but want to hold it. If you see us on Facebook, drop by and say hi!
 
Good luck Jenny! That is a very high calling! Tampa Bay Ukulele Society was started a few years ago with just 4 members....now we are the 3rd largest such club in the country.
We have a lot to offer, monthly jam sessions, lessons, open mic once a month, workshops, and an annual festival that is the coolest! We have over 600 memebers, and about 60-100 of us are "hard-core" ukulele players....
I've introduced the club to about a dozen people, and 4 have joined!
 
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