About Us

The Harmonize For Speech fund was established in 1977 as the fund-raising project of the Ontario District Association of Chapters, SPEBSQSA, commonly known as the Barbershop Harmony Society. The fund is administered by a seven-member Board of Trustees elected by the Ontario District House of Delegates. Ontario District Members presently serving as your trustees are:

  • George Shields – Founder, CoChair and Past District President
  • Jim Finlay – Co Chair and Chair of Nominations Committee
  • Moe Schroter – Secretary/Treasurer, also serves as Ontario District Secretary
  • Rick Snoulten – Past District President and Trustee-at-large
  • Bob Stainton – Trustee at large
  • Ken Dodge – Trustee at large. Also serves as Western Division Coordinator to the Ontario District.
  • Dave Smith – Financial Advisor to the Board of Trustee
  • Christopher Brand – Advisor to the Board of Trustees and Eastern Ontario H4S representative.

Over five and one half million dollars have been raised to-date using all volunteers thereby keeping administration costs around 3% per year. There are no salaries paid.

Ontario’s Harmonize For Speech Fund:

  • Provides funds for numerous speech-related projects and equipment at hospitals, clinics and treatment centres throughout Ontario.
  • Supports the work of the Speech and Stuttering Institute, including the Children’s Centre located in Toronto.
  • Supports Aphasia Centres dedicated to helping Stroke Survivors communicate.
  • Supports projects and seminars of Speech-Language and Audiology Canada (SAC)
  • Supports the work of the Canadian Stuttering Association (CSA) and the Ontario Association for Families of Children with Communicative Disorders (OAFCCD).
  • Provides text books, bursaries and scholarships for Speech Pathology students at Western University (London), the University of Toronto, University of Ottawa, Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo), Laurentian University (Sudbury), Georgian College (Barrie) and Durham College (Oshawa). Funds research studies at various Universities and Treatment Centres.
  • Sponsors three annual scholarships for Ontario speech pathology students at qualifying universities outside of Ontario up to a maximum of $1,500.00 CDN Funds .
  • Supports summer camps for children with speech disorders throughout Ontario and summer Aphasia camps for adults regaining speech after a stroke.