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Could pennies mean the difference in reaching FIVE MILLION DOLLARS in 2012? There are millions of pennies gathering dust in drawers and soon they'll be obsolete. Opportunity knocks and tax receipts are available for every $20.00 turned in. We have volunteers to roll them in lots of fifty or we'll even supply the rollers, so please get rolling, Ontario!

We received a great letter about the Awards Luncheon for the students and faculty members in the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology program at the University of Ottawa. It's printed in this Communique and included the statement: "All in attendance were thrilled to be entertained once again by the fabulous quartet Polaris, with their extraordinary singing ability and their keen sense of humour". You'll take pride upon reading the entire letter.

Among the many funding requests was one from the Speech-Language Pathology Department of the St. Catharines General Hospital, and one paragraph stated: "The St. Catharines Singing Saints have been proud supporters of this department for 16 years and most recently provided funding for two Pocketalkers and a Biofeedback Set. On March 21, the SCGH Foundation held a special presentation to thank the Singing Saints for their generosity. When they heard of our need for a TrackerPro and Laptop, they felt we would be a good candidate for a Harmonize For Speech grant". An excellent coloured picture of three members of the Chapter and five staff members was attached. Unfortunately, the trustees weren't aware of these donations and are pleased to receive this Hospital request and information about their needs.

Most people who were at the Blue Mountain Convention saw the H4S display in the lobby. Afterwards, the Guelph H4S Chairman took it to display at their annual show and will have it back at Harmony Hall after the show. We will be using it at the Ontafame Show and the Pep Rally.

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March 28, 2012

Dear Mr. Shields,

Our Awards Luncheon took place on March 22, 2012 and was a great success again this year! On behalf of the students and faculty members in the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology program at the University of Ottawa, I would like to thank the Harmonize For Speech Fund for your generosity in making this event possible. The first-year students were honoured and grateful to receive the textbooks and the award winners were proud to have earned the distinction of the prizes. All in attendance were thrilled to be entertained once again by the fabulous quartet Polaris with their extraordinary singing ability and their keen sense of humour.

Your continued support of our students is greatly appreciated. In times of limited resources, contributions like this truly make a difference. This event is one of the highlights of the year and it creates lasting memories for the students. It is a valuable lesson for them to realize the commitment of the Harmonize For Speech Fund towards individuals with communication disorders and reinforces their motivation to pursue a career in audiology or speech-language pathology.

I would also like to extend a special thanks to Christopher Brand, Bruce Dibble, Shaun Richards and Yvon Blais, SLP  for their help and contribution to the event.

Sincerely

Ann Sutton, PhD
Acting Director, Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Program
University of Ottawa

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* Wonderful loads of mail these days from parents, students and clinics, etc. and all are glowing that we sing that they shall speak. Read some of the comments below:

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We are writing to thank you and the Ontario Babershop singers for funding our child's participation in the Talk It Up program at London Speech & Language Centre.
From birth, our son Riley has been faced with challenges with his speech. London Speech & Language Centre has helped Riley a lot with getting him starting to talk, to interact with other children and how to communicate. If it was niot for your funding, we would not have been able to afford this program. Riley enjoys it there very much and loves the staff. They are great with him. I have highly recommended London Speech & Language Centre to others to take their children there for treatment.
We travel from Chatham to take Riley there and find it well worth the time and money spent.
Thanks again for your time and support. WE appreciate it a great deal.

Julie

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Barbershoppers Awards For Preparatory Year or Masters Program

I would just like to take the time to thank you for your donation. It came as a complete surprise and I was thrilled to have received the award. I was nervous going into my graduate program and this award helped me feel more confident and appreciated for my academic efforts in the past. I have been paying for my own schooling which has been through student loans so this donation was greatly needed and appreciated. I have been involved with speech-language pathology for a long time as my youngest brother with autism has received speech and language services in the past. He has always been my inspirationnand continues to be my motivation during my schooling. I plan to specialize with children who have special needs and would like to research autism someday. Thanks again for brightening my start to my master's program here at UWO. I will never forget your generosity.

Kelly Karelsen

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Entering and completing the Communicative Disorders Assistant program at Georgian College was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. From the encouraging words from my professors, the engaging course content, and the kind nature of my fellow students, it really was a blessing to have been chosen for such a program.
Throughout the year, I learned a great deal about practicing speeach therapy and audiologic rehabilitation in the real worl and how to apply my passion to help others. The field of speech, language and hearing sciences is very important to me and so it was such an honour to be the recipient of the Harmonize For Speech Graduate Award. These honours will aid me in my future ambition to obtain my master's in graduate school.
Thank you from the bottom of my hear for recognizing me in this way. I cannot describe how I felt to open the letter and then to receive the award at the ceremony. Thank you for inspiring me and many other students to continue with our education and chosen career field.

Heidi Ludwig

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CHAPTER HONOUR ROLL
Chapters that average $40.00 to $100.00 per man, yearly, are shown in black ink and the Över $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
The names of individual members who give a donation and receive a tax-eligible receipt are shown here, Chapter by Chapter and year by year. Again, to see the number of members whose name appears so ofter is encouraging. Of course, many others give through 50/50 draws and other \chapter fund-raiseres.

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 $6,2295.00 in 2011. Year after year, groups such as Handel With Care, Second Career, Back In Time, The Octones, The Graytones, The Barons, Vocal Maturity, Play it Again and Rural Roots and others have contributed generously to our fund, while many Quartets have contributed their time and talents to H4S events. We treasure their support!!!!

INDIVIDUALS
These are non-barbershoppers who know about our charity through our contacts and sing-outs, etc. or through our funding to the field of speech pathology. This category is expanding with 49 such gifts in 2011 – up from 29 in 2010. Many with the same name appear on both years and with many more people realizing that we sing for a great cause, we haven't even scratched the surface. One even donated a stck that is appreciating in value and another indicated that he will be remembering H4S in his will. One other non-member is donating through the United Way (we're on their list) and one widow of a Barbershopper donates $500.00 per year in memory of her husband. Goodwill is out there, but we have to talk it up; steering people to our website is also cricial.

CORPORATE DONATIONS/GRANTS
This is an area that could be a huge source of charitable dollars. Every member has such contacts and our website could be a foot in the door for you. We have had some sizeable donations, mostly through personal contact or "who you know". Trustees are always willing to follow up on a sound lead, but the timing has to be right.



The big story is our goal of reaching the Five Million Dollar mark in 2012. As of today, we have $152,000 to go. Will champagne be served at our January 2013 "Happening"? Enabling more Ontarians to view our website is one of the keys and you can help by forwarding email addresses of people who might help us to help those with speech disorders. Also, some of your chapter members have email but aren't on the Ontario District Yahoo list (for example, my brother-in-law who is a Charter Member of the East York Chapter), so I expect to be deluged with addresses, either by signing up for our Newsletter on this page to the left, or returning an email requesting that you be added to our subscription list.
Neil Aitchison has offered his expertise in promoting public awareness that barbershoppers sing that they shall speak (do you use it to close your chapter meetings?). As usual, he attended the recent "Happening" and was obviously moved by the "Thank You Barbershoppers" video that Kerry Erle's London Speech & Language Centre provided as part of her moving presentation.We expect to have it on our website soon. Watch for it and if you don't "tear up", I'll be might surprised.
Yours in song & service
George S.