Mankato Riverblenders History

AWARD OF HARMONY RECIPIENTS

Award of Harmony: given annually to an individual (non-barbershopper) who has contributed to harmony in our community.

* WIN GRUNDMEIER :

• RETIRED CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR FROM MSU.  HE EARNED HIS DOCTORATE IN CHEMISTRY AT MSU AND HIS MSU CAREER INCLUDED  A STINT AS CHAIR OF THE CHEMISTRY DEPT.
• HAS COORDINATED THE “CHEMICAL MAGIC” SCIENCE DEMONSTRATION FOR ELEMENTARY CHILDREN.
• HAS VOLUNTEERED AT MSU GRADUATION CEREMONIES FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS.
• HE IS A LONG TIME SUPPORTER OF MSU THEATER.
• WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN SETTING UP MANKATO AREA LIFELONG LEARNERS PROGRAM (AKA” MSU FOR SENIORS”).
• LONG ACTIVE IN AND GIVEN MANY HOURS TO THE BLUE EARTH COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY: PAST PRESIDENT, MEMBER OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND CHAIR OF THE COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
• AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE MANKATO CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

SHIRLEY GRUNDMEIER

• ACTIVE MEMBER IN MANKATO CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
• ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE BLUE EARTH COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
• MSU STAGE ACTRESS
• MEMBER MERELY PLAYERS
• ACTIVE MEMBER AND HISTORIAN OF THE MINNESOTA WELCH ASSN.
• IN ADDITION TO THE HARMONY SHE CREATED AS A CITIZEN, SHIRLEY HAS ALSO MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO MUSICAL HARMONY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
• SHE WAS A CHARTER MEMBER OF THE MINN VALLEY SWEET ADELINES BARBERSHOP CHORUS, HAS ALSO PERFORMED WITH OTHER CHORAL GROUPS AND AS A VOCAL SOLOIST.
• SHE HAS TAUGHT MUSIC AND VOICE AT BETHANY COLLEGE AND HAS GIVE PRIVATE VOICE LESSONS.

TOGETHER THEY PROVIDE TWO ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SECOND YEAR MSU CHEMISTRY MAJORS.

BOTH SHIRLEY AND WIN HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS COMMUNITY.

BOTH HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE HAROLD J. FITTERER DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD FROM MSU. IN 2010 THEY WERE BOTH NAMED MSU VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR.