Carola Winkle is president of International Music Camp

Winkle was elected president of the United States Corporation this year while Don Timmerman of Winnipeg was chosen the president of the Canadian Corporation. The presidents serve a three-year terms and alternate as head of the overall corporation. Winkle will be president of the corporation this year and again in 2008.

She is the first women elected president of the American corporation.

Winkle teaches woodwinds and music education courses at Chadron State. She also is the director of the Bordeaux Community Band.

She has taught at the camp 27 years and has served as a board member for approximately 10 years. Both the U.S. and Canadian corporations have nine members.

Dr. William Winkle, the new president’s husband and the director of bands at Chadron State for 34 years, also was on the corporation board for approximately 10 years, but did not serve as the president.

Each summer approximately 2,500 students attend the camp. This summer, 18 foreign countries, 28 states and six Canadian provinces were represented. The eight-week program includes training and performances in band, choir, drama, dance, jazz band, vocal jazz, piano/organ, total percussion, hand bells, guitar, orchestra, fiddle, creative writing, cheerleading, adult band and art.

Winkle said this is an exciting time for the camp. A capital campaign is in progress to construct a new fine arts center. The ground breaking for this center was in 2005 and construction is to begin soon.

In addition, there had been just two camp directors in its 51-year history. This summer, the second director retired and a new camp director was hired.