By Ben Kirkpatrick – Saskatoon, Sask.
The Seniors Tones is a choir of 30 senior citizens in Saskatoon. We sing in a different nursing home or seniors’ care home around the city almost once a week from fall to spring each year. Our ‘home base’ is Elim Tabernacle Church but we have participants from several other churches.
Our programs consist of full choir with four-part harmony, quartets, trios, duets, and some good caliber soloists. Our music includes contemporary, Southern Gospel, and traditional hymns.
Our main objective is to bring a ray of cheer and encouragement to the residents, and in the process we receive a blessing ourselves. We are usually able to stay for coffee and a cookie and for a visit after the program.
Music director, Doreen Seeman (second from left, front of picture), makes the endeavor a lot of fun and puts together a very meaningful program.
The enthusiasm on the part of the choir members is easily seen when a rehearsal comes and its -30 or -40° and everyone shows up! We’ve discovered that seniors don’t have to just sit around and wish for something to do. This has been a super enjoyable outlet for all of us.
