Would you like to sing some of your favorite songs from your choir days? We would love to hear from you!

Complete the following form to submit your requests. These are the songs we will sing at the annual alumni Homecoming Concerts held on Alumni Day.

Tell us which songs you would like to sing!
Homecoming Concert Song Request Form

(Please be aware that final song choices for the concerts are subject to the availability of copies and if the piece is in print.)

    As Alumni we want to see the choir live on and continue to grow! The youth of the 2020’s are much different then those of the 1900’s (or even early 2000). The challenges of time management have been expanded with the youth working to support their families, marching bands that spend all summer (or at least most of it) preparing for their competition season and won’t excuse students from those file camp weeks, and just the general competition out there for where the teens want to put their energy. 
    But you can help combat this! We know we can’t change these challenges so it becomes a numbers game. The more youth, teachers, parents and influential adults that learn about the choir the more the odds are in our favor that we’ll reach the kids that can commit to the 2 1/2 weeks of the Ohio State Fair. If every alumni out there recruited just one student the Rhodes Center would be busting at the seams! 
    So how can we help?!? Here are three ideas from the Choir leadership!

1. Personal invitation — nothing beats a face-to-face conversation with a high schooler and/or their parents. Share a favorite memory, a song you’ve heard the choir do that inspired you last year or the opportunity to make friends across the state. Then be sure to invite them to apply at aosfyc.org. (There is a form on the website they can fill out now to be notified when the 2026 application goes live.)
2. Share social media posts and tag youth/parents that you think would be interested. The more shares and engagement we get with our posts, the more they are shown to others!
3. Go to your area high school or youth music organization and speak with groups of students. We are happy to help give you tools and talking points — reach out at [email protected]
4. BONUS IDEA: If you come across anyone that wants to know more, let us know at [email protected], and we will contact them directly. 

    So get out there and “pound the pavement” for the choir!

Hello,
 
As the sounds of the 2025 fair fade into memory, and our lives continue to carry us forward, I’d like to take a moment to tell you what the Alumni Board is working on for next year. Before I do, I’d like to thank everyone who made it to Alumni Day 2025. It’s always nice to meet (or reacquaint with) alumni from all years and share stories. We covered over 60 years of history with our alumni this year, but had some years not represented that I’d like to see come back next year.
 
Alumni Day next year is August 1st. I would love to see singers from every year come back and share their experiences with the 2026 choir and each other. The more the fairgrounds change, the more the experience stays the same. On Alumni Day, you will get the chance to see the current choir sing 3-4 times, participate in the Alumni Concert at 6PM, support the Alumni Board’s fundraising efforts though the auction, and then sing with the current choir at the end of their concert that starts at 7PM. Please make plans to join us, and help us make music on the fairgrounds once again.
 
The Alumni Concert will feature musical selections from all 3 directors so that everyone can relive those memories we all cherish. The plan is to finalize next years’ selections in the near future and then work to get audio copies of the music online so that you can rehearse the music that is new to you online. There will also be a rehearsal the night before in person. Currently we are working on potential locations next year that would allow for time before and after rehearsal to catch up with old friends, and make new ones as well. Food will also be looked at, we had our first dinner before rehearsal this year and it seemed to go over well.
 
The Alumni Board is looking for individuals who are willing to make or donate items for our yearly auction. We have a silent auction during registration, and a live auction between the Alumni Concert and the Choir’s Evening Concert. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, with these funds we help the current choir by providing needed items. The board is currently looking at replacing risers and a golf cart, as well as working to increase the activities that we do for alumni during the fair.
 
Above all else, we want to see you. On the fairgrounds, in person, standing next to us. For many of us, the experience changed our lives and set us on a new course in life. I personally would love to meet each and every one of you if it were possible. Your stories and memories warm my heart, they are so similar yet so different from my own at the same time. Your first opportunity to join us is on Thursday, December 4th at the Ohio Statehouse tree lighting. More details are on the Facebook page, check that out and come help bring in the Christmas Season. If you are receiving this, and you are still in contact with others from your year, please forward this to them. We want to expand the number of alumni who receive these newsletters, so send this to them and have them update their information. Notices can be sent to [email protected].
 
Thanks to all of you that came this year, and thanks to those that are making plans to come next year. I can’t wait to sing with you next year.
 
Robb Burris
President

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Alumni Day 2024 is quickly approaching - we can’t wait to see you on Saturday, July 27th!

We have some opportunities for volunteers to help at registration from 9-11:30. Opportunities
include set up/tear down, greeting alumni, running the silent auction, circulating registration
forms, handing out our alumni gift, etc. We would love to have you help out for any time period
(30 minutes, 1 hour, the entire 2 1⁄2 hours). If you are interested, please contact a board member
or email us at [email protected].

Please also join us on Friday, July 26th for our Alumni Homecoming Concert rehearsal!

• Eastview United Methodist Church - 1045 Ross Rd, Columbus, OH 43227
• Arrive at 6:00, Rehearsal begins at 7pm, Stay afterward to mingle!
• You will be able to pay your 2024 Alumni Association dues at the rehearsal!

9am-11:30am: AOSFYC Alumni Association Registration - Rhodes Center

• Weather permitting we will be set up on the Rhodes Center Lawn. In case of rain or extreme heat we will relocate to the Rhodes Center Lobby.
• During registration you can pay your Alumni Association dues, get your Alumni ribbon, bid on silent auction items (auction closes at 11:30), and let us know what music you want to sing in the Alumni Homecoming Choir Concert next year!
• Dues have increased to $20 this year and can be payed via cash or credit card. If you can not make it to Alumni Day or miss the registration timeframe, you can also pay your dues online at https://www.aosfyc.org/alumnimembership.html.

Noon: AOSFYCAA Annual Meeting - Rhodes Center

• Meet us in the back Choir Rehearsal Tent outside the Rhodes Center
• We will be adding one more seat to the Alumni Board and will be voting for 4 board members instead of our usual 3.
  • If you are interested in running for a board position, please reach out to a current member of the board or email us at [email protected].

**You will need to pay your 2024 dues to be able to vote (as shown by wearing your
ribbon). Please see a member of the Alumni Board if you need to get your ribbon!

Follow the 2024 AOSFYC performances throughout the day

• 10:30am - Central Park
• 1:30pm - Main Street Stage
• 3:00pm - ODNR
• 4:00pm - Daily Parade with the All-Ohio State Fair Band

6pm-6:30pm - Alumni Homecoming Choir Concert - Voinovich Lawn

• Join us to sing some of our favorite music through the years.
• Music folders can be borrowed. Please arrive early to check out your music folder and return your folder following the concert.
• You DO NOT need to attend the Friday evening rehearsal to sing with the Homecoming Choir.

6:30pm-7pm: AOSFYCAA Annual Live Auction - Voinovich Lawn

• Join the bidding for some great items and help us raise some funds!
• All auction items can be picked up at Voinovich Lawn following the final concert.

7pm: 2024 AOSFYC Glenville Thomas Memorial Concert - Voinovich Lawn

• Alumni will be invited to join in singing the final few songs.

**Reminder to Alumni to please use discretion in your apparel for participation in performances
and representing the AOSFYC. You may be asked not to participate if you are wearing anything
with inappropriate or offensive language. We recommend wearing Black, Navy, Khaki, or denim
bottoms (no tears please) and an AOSFYC shirt (uniform or other official merchandise is
perfect. No airbrush please).

​We are continuing our tradition of auctioning off items during alumni day to raise funds for the choir, and alumni operations. This will take two forms: a silent auction taking place during registration with winners announced at our annual meeting at noon, and a live auction taking place before the Glennville Thomas Memorial Concert on the Voinovich lawn. If you would like to donate an item to be auctioned off, please contact the board at [email protected].Popular auction items may include gift baskets, choir memorabilia, or something handmade.

​We have added a new committee to the Alumni Board to focus on all things Fundraising! We
hope with the addition of this committee, we will be able to raise the funds to purchase new
risers in the next few years as well as other required equipment to keep the AOSFYC safe and
stress free! The current risers are circa 2005ish and are not yet in dire need of replacing, but are
showing the expected wear and tear and will need to be replaced sooner rather than later. The
board will be planning a Fundraising Gala and would love to have volunteers help us plan!
Please reach out to Maggie Seid or Robb Burris or email us at [email protected] if you are
interested in helping!