About Harmonize 4 Speech

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-man Board of Trustees elected by the Ontario District House of Delegates. Almost five million dollars have been raised to-date using all volunteers thereby keeping administration costs around 3% per year.  

 

 

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 the London Speech & Language Centre in London, Ontario for assessing and treating a full range of vocal disorders.

         

          • Supports Aphasia Centres dedicated to helping Stroke Survivors communicate.

           

            • Supports projects and seminars of the Ontario (OSLA) and Canadian (CASLPA) Associations of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists

             

              • Supports the work of the Canadian Association for People Who Stutter (CAPS), and the Ontario Association for Families of Children with Communicative Disorders (OAFCCD).

               

                • Provides text books, bursaries and scholarships for Speech Pathology students at the University of Western Ontario (London), the University of Toronto, University of Ottawa, Georgian College (Barrie) and Durham College (Oshawa). Funds research studies at various Universities and Treatment Centres.

                 

                  • Sponsors five annual scholarships for Ontario speech pathology students at qualifying universities outside of Ontario up to a maximum of $1,500.00 per year for each of the two scholastic years.
                  • Supports summer camps for children with speech disorders throughout Ontario and summer Aphasia camps for adults regaining speech after a stroke.
                  • CHAPTER HONOUR ROLL – located at Harmony Hall, Toronto
                    Chapters that average donations of $50.00 to $100.00 per man, yearly, are shown in black and the "Over $100.00 per man chapters" are shown in red. You would be surprised as to the number of chapters that are listed year after year.
                  • CHAPTER MEMBERS - located at Harmony Hall, Toronto.
                    The names of individual chapter members who give a donation and receive a tax-eligible receipt are shown here, chapter by chapter and year by year. Again, seeing the number of members whose name appears every year is encouraging.
                  • QUARTETS, OCTETS AND SENIORS' CHORUSES
                    There's a minimum of $100.00 per year to be listed. This category reached a high of 28 listings in 2007, but has dropped down in recent years. Even so, it accounted for a total of $6,295.00 in 2011. Year after year, groups such as Second Career, Play It Again, Octones, Graytones, Armour, Rural Route, The Barons, Vocal Maturity and Polaris have contributed generously, while many others have donated their time and talent for H4S events. We treasurer their support!!!!!
                  • INDIVIDUALS – located at Harmony Hall, Toronto
                    This is a new category for non-Barbershoppers who know about our charity through our contacts and sing-outs, etc. or through our donations to the field of speech pathology. This list is expanding with 49 such gifts in 2011 – up from 29 in 2010. Many names appear both years and with more people realizing that we sing for a great cause, it will surely expand year by year. One individual even donated a stock that is appreciating in value and another indicated that he will also be remembering H4S in his will. Other donate through the United Way (we're on their list) and a widow of a barbershopper donates $500.00 per year in memory of her late husband. Goodwill is out there, but we need to talk it up. Steering people to this website is crucial and it's quick and easy to make a donation.