The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday December 17, 2008 - 13 RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER LINKED UP: From left, Kiana Steinauer and her buddy, Interlink Choir co-founder Monica Tibbett, exchange a hug before parting for the Christmas holidays, the Interlink Choir poses in conductor Jean Barber's classroom under the totem pole at the new Emily Carr Public School, while choir newcomer, Edith Fung, sings carols with other choir members at Monday's holiday gathering. Interlink Choir makes friends for 20 years Continued from page 10 concert to help with expenses like music for the seniors. So, for 20 years now, seniors, first at Bronte Legion and now at the Sir John Colborne Centre for Seniors in Oakville's west end, have been gathering on Monday mornings to rehearse as a choir. School children, first at Eastview Public School, more recently at Pilgrimwood Public School and now at Emily Carr in northwest Oakville, have been doing the same -- the choir following Barber to whatever new teaching post she assumes. Once a month, both groups gather at the school and rehearse together. Of course, that means they also socialize and what began as a pen pal system with the seniors and school buddies, has given way to socializing not only at their monthly rehearsals, but also four concerts a year, an in-class picnic, Valentine's Day party, Christmas social and more. The group has performed together at the University of Toronto's Hart House, Oakville Town Hall, the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, Coronation Park, the annual school concert and Remembrance Day services. Barber calls the latter a "special event" in which the choir members who are veterans, lay a wreath with their young choir buddy. Of course, each half of the choir makes its own appearances, too -- the seniors sang at the wedding of their member Shirley Webber-Mayer while the students performed at a Blue Jays game. "I am legally blind. I can hardly see a bat, but never mind, I'm staying," said Tibbett of why she continues. "I think it's very cool," said 10-year-old Kiana Steinauer, Tibbett's young choir buddy. "I joined because I thought it would be a cool chance to meet new friends and make their life better," said the Grade 5 student whose own grandparents live in Texas. Tibbett and Steinauer exchanged presents and hugs before departing for their respective holidays after Monday morning's choir practice and Christmas social. Tibbett stays in touch with a boy who was in the choir in its early days. Today that boy is in university, but always sends a card. Senior Shirley Brown, 79, who has lived in Oakville 39 years, has been a member for at least 14 years. "You lose track of time," laughed Brown, who manages to keep good track of the music the choir learns. Yet another senior, who participates in the choir with his wife, said he was convinced to join when he heard he didn't have to be a stellar singer or musician. "It's the bonds that have really developed," said Barber. Whether those bonds have been formed over the years, or are just now taking root, moments of happiness are evident in the faces -- young and old -- as they chat, embrace, but mostly when they sing. The repertoire for their Christmas gathering included We Can Make a Difference, Frosty the Snowman and Solitary Snowflake. It's a prelude to their winter concert. "We like to party. We like to sing," said Barber who began the choir, has stuck with it and continues because she believes in it. "I believe in it. When I see the smiles, I believe in it," said Barber simply. Tibbett said the reach of the program struck her when she saw a promotional video for the U.S. Close Harmony program at Bronte Legion. It was Tippett, a 50-year Oakville resident, who got senior Joyce Rehbohm, 80, involved and now the two seniors have been friends for 20 years. For Edith Fung, a newer choir member, the involvement is having an impact -- it's visible as she sits with young friends singing. Joan Garside, a long-time veteran of choirs, and Bruce Swinden, a relative new- comer to the field of choir direction, lead the seniors at Sir John Colbourne Senior Centre in what they've discovered to be a good mix in the sharing of the job. While there are reading programs with seniors and students, the Interlink Choir members know of none others like theirs in Halton and said theirs was the second to be formed (after Toronto) when the program came to Canada in 1988. MADNESS!!! ONE-DAY SALE 6am to 8pm Sunday, December 21, 2008 $ $ 90- 320 $ 10 All Perfumes 6am Door Crasher Limit 3 Mississauga and Keele Location Only Mississauga 700 Matheson Blvd. at Mavis Vaughan 7733 Keele Street at Highway 7 www.omnijewelcrafters.com