Krista Corner Havre Daily News kcorner@havredailynews.com
Havre Public Schools Education Foundation members are bringing a talented family to Havre in an effort to raise money for the foundation. Havre's Teri Jacobson coordinated with Pam Hillery of the foundation to host The Sheets, a musical family presentation, on April 26 at the Havre High School Auditorium. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Creative Leisure or Gary & Leo’s IGA or at the door the night of the performance, with profits going to the foundation. The Sheets family collectively has 50-plus years of music experience, Jacobson said. She, her parents, brother and sisters and the family's children are all musically gifted. "Mom and dad, my sisters and my brother, three nieces and two friends of theirs, a drummer, a bass player and I will be performing," Jacobson said. "If you can get The Sheets family in Havre then you're lucky. Mom and Dad have been performing for 50-some years. None of us really had voice lessons, except Lisa who took about two years. My brother Lyle has been playing since he was four and never had a lesson. We all play and sing by ear." Jacobson said she is the only one of the four Sheets children that lives outside of Cody, Wyo. And that although she loves the Hi-Line, she wishes she could be right there with them performing. "They get promotions right and Left," she said of her family. "They perform in Billings, locally at the Cody Museum, the Yellowstone Country Club and various other places. They've performed at the Bozeman Jazz Festival in the summer time, too. One thing I wish we would have done is something like the Jacksons, but we never did. We all got married and had kids." Jacobson added that when her mother was younger she had performed with some pretty big names. "She worked with Dizzy Gillespie and various famous people," she said. "Johnny Cash loved my mom's voice." Jacobson got to perform with at least one famous singer when she was younger. "I got a chance to sing with Barry Manilow on his last three songs at a concert in Wyoming That was an experience to say the least," she said. Her sister Lisa has accomplished some wonderful things in her lifetime, too, Jacobson added. "She was first-runner up to Miss Wyoming years ago," she said. "She lost by one point. Now she performs at several summer stock theaters. She's been in productions like 'Dames at Sea, 'I do, I do' and others." Her sister Lori still shares her talents as well. "She teaches tap now," Jacobson said. "She worked with one of the finest tap dancers in the world who trained with Sammy Davis Jr. And worked with Gregory Hines, Jimmy Slide and many more. She also has a fabulous jazz voice and feel for jazz." Jacobson said she passed her talent on to her daughter Liz Handy, with whom she made an album in 2002. "That was a great experience," she said. Jacobson now sings at weddings and funerals, though she said she would love to sing more. In addition to performing, with the proceeds going to help the HPS Education Foundation, the family will bring items for purchase. "Mom and Dad just made an album that will be on sale during intermission and after the concert," she said. "Liz and my album will be on sale, and the family will be willing to visit with anyone." The HPS Education Foundation is a private, non-profit organization geared toward helping HPS with educational materials the schools would otherwise be unable to access. "It was formed in 2000 to provide a margin of excellence by raising, collecting and dispersing funds to improve, enhance and support educational opportunities for the students of Havre Public Schools," Hillery said. She added that the foundation also helps cover costs of items supporting school pride. "We replaced the broken display cases after the break-in at the school; we've given money to the school to improve the sound system in the gym; and we offered to give funds for the renovation to the auditorium, but they didn't need them so those funds were held aside," Hillery said. "We also put some money into the stadium renovation." The Education Foundation often hosts fundraisers, Hillery said, including the blue and white spirit club which centers around activities at the Havre High School. "That raises about $8,000 to $9,000 every year, and the money goes back to fund the high school," she added. The Foundation also sponsors an alumni extravaganza, which has raised a few thousand dollars every year for the last five years. The money goes to assist students in whatever they need, Hillery said. Another small fundraiser for the group is the annual alumni basketball game, and a larger one is the Blue Pony Scramble Golf Tournament, which began last year. "Last year we inaugurated a Blue Pony Scramble," she said. "It's a golf tournament that takes place on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. We did it that way because every five years the town has the Fossil Festival during Labor Day weekend, which might bring in a few extra participants. "We're very lucky to have the very talented Sheets family put on a fundraiser for us," Hillery added.
