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A Satellite of the North Georgia Foothills Dulcimer Association

About Us

 

The Allatooners is a Satellite of the North Georgia Foothills Dulcimer Association.

Do you know what a Dulcimer can do?  Want to try it, or further develop your skills in a friendly setting?

The Allatooner Dulcimer Satellite is one of 20+ playing satellites in the unique network of NGFA regional membership and geographic connections.    There is no fee based membership for the Allatooner Satellite.  We do hope, however, that you will establish and maintain a current NGFDA membership.

 

NGFDA ALLATOONER SATELLITE HISTORY

The “Allatooners” was established June 1992 to serve as the northwest NGFDA Satellite along with the newly established Decatur based NGFDA “In Town Down Home” Satellite. The Allatooners met monthly for the first five years at the home of Peggy Martin, on Lake Allatoona, with thirty members attending. The Allatooners ventured out to perform as a group on the NGFDA Fall Festival Open Stage held at Amicalola Falls State Park in 1992. In 1997, The Satellite moved to Red Top Mountain State Park in 1997 for four years. In 2002 the Satellite moved to Town View Baptist Church in Kennesaw where Johnny and Linda Huey served as Satellite Leaders until they, and Carol and Mike Lesley, moved to Jasper, GA and established the “Bent Tree Strings” Satellite. Because driving distance for many of the initial Allatooners and growing number of participants, there was incentive to spawn additional NGFDA groups in North Marietta, Alpharetta and eventually Canton. These new Satellites were strategically placed to further reduce travel time for members and to promote “playing communities” within the NGFDA network.

SATELLITE DESCRIPTION (NGFDA Satellite Guidelines – Excerpt)

The NGFDA Satellites comprise a unique network of regional membership and geographic connection. Each Satellite functions independently, providing a means of linkage for NGFDA members and potential members in a Georgia and its contiguous states. Each Satellite requires an NGFDA Board of Directors sanction for start-up and disbandment. Although there are no formal policy stipulations as to Satellite leadership, management, operations or participation, NGFDA guidelines are provided to: 1) assure relative continuity among network Satellites 2) support Satellite leadership , operations, and participants 3) assure that the expectations of NGFDA membership (new and established) are realistic. These guidelines are not a change in NGFDA Satellite Network operations, but rather a documentation of practice and promotion of best practice for the good of all.

NGFDA SATELLITE LEADERSHIP (NGFDA Satellite Guidelines – Excerpt)

Leadership will evolve from within the group as often as deemed appropriate, and may exist in a variety of configurations, e.g. single, co-, or group. Leaders should have some dulcimer playing experience and be comfortable with group communication. Leadership is expected to maintain current NGFDA membership and belong to NGFDA Email List.