Growing our Choir

Our journey started with just a few members and grew to approximately 30 members one year later.  Our membership fluctuated over the years with postings and life events with an average of about twenty members per year until the pandemic hit.  Some choir sisters found it challenging to continue rehearsals in a virtual manner and took a break from choir.  During that time, the committee planned some events to keep the sisterhood connected such as our 500 Mile Campaign where we each walked and logged our distances.  We managed to exceed 1000 miles and donated approx. $1,200.00 to the Trenton Memorial Hospital Fund to purchase personal protective equipment for the healthcare workers.  We started in person and socially distanced rehearsals in September 2021.  This season, we have 18 choir sisters that include some first-time members.  We continue to receive messages from interested women.

Exciting Performances!

Our first performance was a small event where we invited our families and friends to our rehearsal space and it served as a good opportunity to get used to performing in public.  The next event was at the local RCAF Wing where we presented our repertoire and invited a well-known, featured guest who performed “Down East” tunes.  He invited us to be his back-up singers for a few tunes.  As the number of concerts grew, so did our confidence.

We presented a variety of performances through the years from a short set at a Local Farmer’s Market to a sold-out performance this past December.  We were proud to represent 8 Wing Trenton while performing the Canadian and American anthems at the Belleville Senators Hockey Games during Military Appreciation nights.  We have also been invited to perform the anthem at the Postal Unit Change of Command.  A few of our concerts have been fundraisers for our choir operating costs but the majority of concerts we performed were in support of important community causes.  It was our way of supporting the communities in which we live.  The most memorable performance was a Christmas Concert in support of HUGS in Brighton (Helping Ukrainians Get Settled) with some of our newest neighbours in attendance.  Another choir highlight was singing some wartime tunes and Happy Birthday to a World War II Veteran who turned 100 years old this past December.

Melanie Zukowski, a founding member, created a mash up song called “Flashlight/Lean on Me”.  Here is the story in her words:

Although she had been living this military life for almost 15 years, Melanie found the isolation from family to be particularly challenging during her family's time in Gander. When she heard Jessie J sing the opening lines of 'Flashlight', she thought it summed up those feelings that can take military families by surprise well: 'when tomorrow comes, I'll be on my own, feeling frightened and all alone'. She thought that the community where we so often find strength and comfort could be summed up in a response from Bill Wither's: 'lean on me... I'll help you carry on'. With the help of Rob Wells & Sherin Rizk, the Flashlight/Lean on Me mash-up was born. As military spouses and members, there will always be a next hard thing, whether it's a deployment, family challenges, or something else. We have built a wonderful community of women in the military community who are there to lend strength on the days you can't find yours.