Hi friends,

As River Reeds approaches its one-year mark next month, I’ve been finding myself a little reflective. I keep thinking about all of you who showed up with reeds, cases, curiosity, and a genuine desire to connect.

I want to be honest, and I want to be gentle.

Since my move, the energy around River Reeds has understandably softened. Life shifts, calendars fill, and without someone physically present to keep nudging things forward, it’s hard for a community like this to sustain momentum. That reality has been sitting heavy with me, because this group was never just a website or a mailing list. It was an idea many of us talked about for years, finally made real by people who cared enough to say yes.

So here’s where I am.

I don’t want River Reeds to fade away without acknowledging what it meant, or without offering it a chance to continue in new hands. At the same time, I need to make a practical decision soon. The River Reeds domain and website are up for renewal on January 18, and I need to know whether this is something we want to carry forward.

If there is interest in continuing River Reeds as a Louisville-based clarinet community, I would truly love to pass the day-to-day stewardship to someone (or a small group) who is local and excited to shape its next chapter. That could mean organizing meetups, coordinating projects, or simply keeping the conversation alive. It does not need to look exactly like what we first imagined. As for my continued involvement, I am happy to donate the finances needed to maintain the domain and website, as well as the technical side of things to keep riverreeds.org alive as a home base, even from afar.

If there isn’t, that’s okay too. Communities have seasons, and this one mattered. It brought clarinetists together who might never have crossed paths otherwise, and that counts for something.

If you have thoughts, interest, questions, or even just feelings you want to share, I’d love to hear from you. Please reply by January 10 if you can, so I have time to make an informed decision before the renewal date.

Thank you for trusting me with this idea, for showing up when you could, and for being part of something that was built with care and good intentions. River Reeds has meant more to me than I can easily put into words.

With gratitude,
Sharon