Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/697518
SUMMER 2016 | WEAnews 16 On April 29 th , the Hot Springs County High school choir, led by WEA member and ten-year veteran music teacher/conductor Dustin Olsen, had the privilege of performing the United States and Canadian national anthems in front of over 15,000 people at the Colorado Mammoth lacrosse game, held at the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO. Olsen took his band, jazz band and choir to their annual competition in Wyoming Resident Selected for IRS Taxpayer Advocacy Panel A retired WEA member was recently selected by the Treasury Department to serve on the nationwide Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP). Panel members listen to taxpayers, identify issues, and make suggestions for improving Internal Revenue Service (IRS) service and customer satisfaction. Tim Bolin, a resident of Cheyenne, is one of about 70 volunteers serving on the panel. He will represent local taxpayers, as well as work on national issues. Upon his selection, Mr. Bolin, a retired math teacher in Cheyenne, said, "I look forward to representing Wyoming on TAP during the next 3 years and helping to make all taxpayers' experiences with the IRS better." TAP members devote 200 to 300 hours yearly to the panel. Members work with IRS executives on priority topics and also serve as a conduit for grassroots issues between the public and the IRS. Some of the professions represented on the panel include teachers, engineers, attorneys, public administrators, home makers, accountants, law enforcement officers, professors, retired military, and small business owners. "The new panel members play a critical role by helping to ensure the IRS provides quality taxpayer service to all taxpayers," said Nina Olson, IRS National Taxpayer Advocate and head of the Taxpayer Advocate Service. "As the IRS remains committed to improving services and assistance to taxpayers, the input from the citizen volunteers at TAP has never been more import ant. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is committed to making sure the IRS seeks out and considers panel members' views on key initiatives impacting taxpayers before decisions are made." The IRS has made a commitment to listen to ideas from TAP members. WEA member and 4th Grade Teacher Winona Wilkinson at Davis Elementary in Cheyenne put on a wax museum featuring historical figures. Students chose historical figures to research and write a speech highlighting important facts throughout their lifetime. Students also came up with costumes for their figure. Visitors to the wax museum walked around the gym and listened to speeches from the students. Mrs. Wilkinson with Meriweather Lewis portrayed by Wyatt Clark. 4th Grade Wax Museum Hot Springs County High School Choir Sings at Colorado Mammoth Game Denver called "Music in the Park," where the band and choir placed first in the competition, and the jazz band placed second. Olsen always looks for fun, musical activities for his students to take part in during the annual trip, so he decided to reach out to the Pepsi Center to see if the students could perform at any event during their stay. This was no easy task. "We had to send in audition videos, and learn the Canadian national anthem in a very short amount of time," Olsen said. Their hard work paid off; they were chosen to perform from amongst numerous other groups who auditioned. Olsen and his students performed so well, they were invited by the Pepsi Center Head of Game Entertainment to sing at a Denver Nuggets basketball game next season, a privilege only offered by invite. The entire group, including chaperones, consists of 66 students and 20 adults. If you're interested in supporting fundraising efforts to help Dustin's students get to sing at a Denver Nuggets game next season, please email him at: Dustinolsen84@gmail. com. He is also happy to answer any questions about the process he followed to make this all happen.