Dingeldein Award

Last Friday the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri named Dr. John Shelton its 33rd recipient of the Annual Otto F. Dingeldein Award for Excellence in the Arts and Lifetime Achievement.

Shelton, professor emeritus of music at Southeast Missouri State University, has been a contributor to the arts locally for many years. He was a faculty member at Southeast from 1962 to 1998 and served as conductor of the university's Choral Union. Shelton was the choir director at Centenary United Methodist Church for 25 years

Jeanie Eddleman and Don Greenwood also were nominees for the Dingeldein Award.

For the second consecutive year, Shelton will direct the Messiah Choir, a group of local singers representing several churches. The choir will perform at 3 p.m. today at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson. Another concert will be held at 3 p.m. Jan. 20 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau. Preconcert hymns will start at 2:45 p.m. at both concerts. The concerts are free, though a freewill offering will be collected to support teen musicianship.

The Arts Council awarded Chris Edmonds with the Friend of the Arts Award.

Congratulations to Shelton and Edmonds, as well as the other Dingeldein Award nominees. We appreciate all those who use their time and talent to benefit the arts in this area.