ļāļāÖą˛Ĩ Custodial Choir
A special group at Mississippi State is making a joyful noise during the holiday season.
In the early 1990s, former ļāļāÖą˛Ĩ custodial supervisor Johnny Bush noticed a trend among the custodians working on campus â many of them were active in their respective church choirs in the local community.
Bushâs observation led to the creation of the ļāļāÖą˛Ĩ Custodial Choir, which custodian Ella Rice has been part of for about 25 years. The group showcases their talents two or three times a year, usually during the summer Staff Appreciation Day and at the annual Christmas party for Campus Operations staff members.
For Rice, the choir allows her to do something she lovesâsingingâand gives her a chance to meet some of her co-workers who share her passion.
âIâve met a lot of people through the choir,â Rice said. âThis makes you feel like you have a second family.â The choir is currently an all-female group of about a dozen members, but men also have participated in previous years.
Yovonka Chandler is director, and, like many in the choir, she has spent her entire life in or around church choirs.
Chandler, who has been the choirâs director for the last seven years, said she enjoys her time with the choir and seeing the positive response her group gets when they perform on campus.
âIâve been at ļāļāÖą˛Ĩ for 10 years, and Iâve been singing ever since Iâve been here,â Chandler said.