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The beautiful thing about Sweet Adelines are the friendships you build along the way. There is a special connection you have with your chorus, and there are some lucky few who get to have two families as a dual member. 

I joined Sweet Adelines at a very young age. I was only 16 when I became a member of Northumberland Chorus. I took a break from barbershop when I moved to Ottawa for university. I was in a rather tough place when I had to take a year off from school so I decided to get back into singing. That is when I found Bytown Beat. 

In November 1982, my friend invited me to her chorus rehearsal.  After I heard the first chord of barbershop harmony, I loved it!  This group was the prospective Nepean City Chapter of Sweet Adelines Inc. which was formed by Sandie Nason Kerr in January 1982.  I became a member and my first performance on stage was in a chorus show called “Razzle Dazzle” in February 1983.  I was so nervous that I thought the audience would see my lower lip trembling.

You hear it often! Become a Sweet Adelines and you will never have to worry about being alone, out in the cold or in need of a place to sing – or a place to have Zoom meetings!!! 

In early June, my husband and I were making our way across Canada in our RV and had plans to stay in Edmonton for 5 days as I had Zoom IBOD meetings to attend. We booked a site at an RV park but expected we’d have to pivot to a hotel if WIFI wasn’t reliable at the park! 

I happened to mention this to a fellow Sweet Adeline during Zoom meeting and she suggested I come visit Alberta Heartland Chorus when in town!  Because of IBOD meetings I said it was unlikely but that I would try!