The Minnesota Blues Society
By Mitzi Beliveau
I was at Wilbeski’s Blues Saloon when I met the current President of the Minnesota Blues Society. I had already met a few members a few months before that. That man was Richard Schaefer. I found Richard as everyone in the Minnesota Blues Society calls him as a very friendly and welcoming man. Somehow, he had found out about me writing about music and being an event host. We talked about how supporting the Blue community by writing about them would help. As Richard told me, hardly anyone writes about the Blues. But, we are a warm bunch of caring people and we help each other.
It was at the moment I knew I would write mostly stories about the Blues community. As Richard told me the Minnesota Blues Society helps everyone within our community and the community at large. We are the Blues community we have a warm rich history of compassion and great music.
I was able to go to a Blues benefit for someone who had Cancer at the Minnesota Music Café. Everyone welcomes each other with hugs and smiles. Everyone was there to support each other. They did get money but more important the person who had Cancer knew he was loved. Everyone watched over him and his family with visits, food, money, and rides.
The Minnesota Blues Society also has a children’s program which many artists in the Blues community volunteers their time to teach young people about the blues community, for free! The more I intertwined with the Blues members and the Bands and singers I found them to be one big family of love. Each singer, band and those who just love the music join in and support each other at their jam sessions, events, gigs, weddings, funerals, births, graduations and anything where there is food and blues music involved. I have been a member of the Minnesota Blues Society for over a year and seen many music events and not once have I seen competitions or anger.
I first wrote about Jim Stairs who introduced me to other blues members in bands or played and sang the Blues. Word got out about me writing about the Blues that I now have an endless supply of blues band to write about. You might wonder why I am talking about myself in this story. When my fiance Craig died in February unexpectedly. The Blues members of the Minnesota Blues Society were the ones who were there for me.
It was right after my Craig had died and I went to a benefit to take pictures like I normally do and write a story. I sat alone and begin to cry. At that moment I had four – six people surround me and one by one they hugged me and told me they love me. One of the ladies had written a few songs and sent them to me to comfort me. I would get calls, text messages, and genuine concern on how I was doing. It is almost four months later I still get text messages and hugs along with the words how are you doing now? Is there anything we can do for you? These are not empty words they mean what they say. I have seen it over and over in the Minnesota Blues Society.
I had gotten plenty of people who said they would pray for me, but the people who belonged to Minnesota Blues Society committed acts of kindness with their prayers. For that, I am continually grateful for. I have found a very big and loving family. I can be who I am and still be excepted. I have found my very loving home with the Minnesota Blues Society and its members.
In the matters of the heart, I give The Minnesota Blues Society and it member five stars. In the way, they support each other I give them five stars. For their music abilities, I give them five stars. As a non-profit organization, I give them five stars.
Thank you for changing my life along with many others in the family of The Minnesota Blues Society. It is people like you that make the world great!
You can find more about the Minnesota Blues Society on their home page
http://www.mnbs.org/index.html
Music Experience With Mitzi Beliveau 