Pat Jones
In this inaugural article, the Huron Area Concert Association (HACA) will introduce members of their Executive Board on a monthly basis. It is their hope that friends and patrons from an approximate 16 county area learn more about the organization and the workers behind the scene.
Co-president Pat Jones is inspired by her faith and music. After being in a leadership role for the past 23 years, Jones is extremely proud of the quality of artists who have visited Huron and surrounding communities. She is also thankful for the many patrons and business partners who support HACA and keep it alive and thriving. It takes a combination of time, talents and monetary support to present a varied lineup of talent year after year.
Jones was born in Pierre and grew up near Midland with one brother Sydney, who now lives in Phillip. She recalls helping with fieldwork, but enjoying fishing, playing cards and swimming.
While attending high school in Murdo, she enjoyed English and played the trombone and piano. With dreams of becoming either a teacher or librarian, she attended Huron College. She was a catalog clerk and helped move into the new Ella McIntyre Library. From there she moved to Denver University where she graduated in 1963 with a Library Science major. An occupation as librarian at SDSU in Brookings was her first job before marrying Gary Jones in 1965, moving to Huron in 1966 and “retiring” to raise their three sons. They also have three grandchildren.
Jones has been involved with the fine arts for most of her life. She was part of Huron Area Arts Council and appeared in several of their plays. Her appreciation of music often takes her to We Found Sound programs, musical plays at Huron High School, and concerts in Mitchell, Redfield and sometimes Pierre. She feels the reciprocal agreement with Mitchell, Redfield, Pierre and Gettysburg is one of the greatest strengths of the HACA. She also sadly feels one of their weaknesses is the advancing age and declining number of patrons attending concerts.
Becoming involved is evidenced by her servant’s heart for helping others where she can. She has been involved with the Christian Women’s Club, Friendship Bible coffees, Child Evangelism Fellowship and taught Sunday school for many years at Bethesda Church. Her love of cooking was developed early on in life. She makes cards for baby showers and enjoys taking food to families with new babies. Her greatest love is reading the Bible, especially Psalms and Proverbs. Her husband is on the board of the International Child Evangelism Fellowship Ministry. Their travels have taken them to Ireland, Israel, Australia, New Zealand and more.
Regarding her responsibilities with the Huron Area Concert Association, she has been the liaison between Allied Concert Services and Huron High School. She assumed the presidency after Dennis Paulson quit. She recalls being involved in a similar organization (then known as Community Concert Association) while a college student and membership dues were $7. At that time concerts were purchased from Columbia Artists. Allied Concert Services of Plymouth, Minn., became the primary source for concert entertainment in the 1960s. As a current co-president, her role is one of encouragement to keep the organization alive and well. She appreciates the support of fellow board members and sellers who are continuously working to bring new talent and new members into the organization.
Her favorite genre of concerts includes music from the ’50s and ’60s, polkas and gospel music. She wants Huron and surrounding community residents to be aware of the quality of concerts available in Huron, and at a very affordable price. Her wish would be to get more input from patrons and to have them realize how fortunate they are to attend concerts in Mitchell, Redfield, Pierre and Gettysburg for the one low price of a Huron membership.
When asked for any parting advice to the citizens of eastern South Dakota regarding the fine arts, Jones suggests telling as many people as possible about the Huron Area Concert Association. Even better still, bring them to a concert!
