THUNDER BAY – A few residents were treated to a Valentine’s Day surprise on Wednesday.
The Thunder Bay chapter of Voices of Harmony once again made their way around the city, serenading people at the request of their loved ones.
“People hire us for $50 - for a rose and four songs from a group of the barbershop, could be a quartet, could be like today where we actually have a chorus of about 12,” said Rodney Johnson, president of the Thunder Bay chapter.
“And, we go and surprise them at their homes or their businesses and we sing them love songs. It's a gift from one of their loved ones."
The annual Valentine’s Day event is an important fundraiser for the group since the money raised will go to buy the group new music and learning tracks, which help them learn the music.
Johnson said on top of the funds they raise, he loves doing it year after year because of the reactions from the recipients.
“We get great reactions. We get people who are embarrassed. We get people who are excited and touched. We've seen tears. We've seen a little bit of trepidation because they don't know what all these people are showing up for,” he said.
“But the reactions are always very positive in the end because they realize the songs are coming from a loved one.”
When not fundraising to support their group, Voices of Harmony raises money for other local organizations.
“We're going to do a spring show on May 10, we don't have the venue hammered down yet, but we try to do a spring show for our chorus,” Johnson said.
“And we also do a Christmas show that is always a fundraiser for a local charity, usually the Regional Food Distribution Association.”
