Sing for Life relies on support from many people, organizations and businesses. We want to recognize all those who make it possible for us to continue to provide programs and services to our program participants.
IN MEMORIAM: HONORARY LIFE MEMBER – JOHN NEILSON, QC
John Neilson, QC, was made an Honorary Life Member in 2019 shortly before he passed away. John was instrumental in establishing the Sing for Life Society of Alberta and was a founding member of the board of directors. He served on the board continuously from its inception until illness led him to resign during 2019. John’s many contributions to Sing for Life are too numerous to list here. The following words from his memorial describe him well.
“John was a man of many passions, including first and foremost his family. Singing was a close second and he was a proud member of three choirs – the Edmonton Swiss Men’s Choir (where with his customary good humour he called himself a “Gastarbeiter” since he had no claim to Swiss heritage); A Joyful Noise – Thursday choir where he enjoyed learning from and collaborating with conductor Eva Bostrand; and the Trinity United Church choir whose community John deeply appreciated. John also loved good food and fine wine and he was never happier than when he was whipping up a delicious feast in the kitchen. John loved his friends and he enjoyed meeting new people and learning their life story. He was a generous man who shared his time and talents, his wisdom, and his resources with many worthy causes.
Over the years numerous people told John he has been a mentor and a role model to them. He transformed many lives with his support, generosity, and initiative. He will live on in the successes of the people he touched, in the love of his family, and every time a choir sings.”
MEMBERS AND INDIVIDUAL DONORS
The lifeblood of any non-profit organization is its ongoing individual supporters. Membership purchases and donations from private individuals are a vital and significant source of the funding Sing for Life needs to continue its work at Edmonton Institution for Women and in the community.
We are particularly grateful for our members who provide us with a stable support base. In particular, we would like to recognize the following people who have shown their generosity through purchasing a life membership.
Catherine Bell, Rita Burns, Susan Cribbs, Vanessa Desa
Mark Freeman, Norman Gee, Jennifer Lambert, Lynn Penrod
Many of our members also make donations in addition to their membership purchases. Some of these donations are in-kind contributions of pianos and guitars. We would like to thank you ALL for your generosity and friendship.
BUSINESSES
Field Law donates legal services to Sing for Life through an arrangement with one of their associates. They have previously provided direct financial support for one of our program initiatives. This Alberta-based law firm “with a heart” believes in supporting local communities. From their website: ” One of Field Law’s core values is giving back to the communities it serves and is active in many community and charitable initiatives. The Field Law Community Fund Program was launched in 2013 and has so far provided $550,000 in funding to 96 local projects.”
Greg and Pricilla Young of Heritage Piano provide generous sponsorship of Sing for Life through the donation of tuning and technical services for the pianos provided by Sing for Life for use at Edmonton Institution for Women, the Bissell Centre and elsewhere in the community.
Canada’s largest musical instrument retailer, Long & McQuade, is a family-owned and operated business that is committed to supporting community organizations. Through its downtown Edmonton location, the company is a key sponsor for the music program at Edmonton Institution for Women. They have provided several guitars that are essential to offering individual lessons to the women at EIFW and offer us a discount on strings and other items related to the program.
Silver Studios, owned and operated by Caleb Nelson, sponsors Sing for Life through the provision of technical support and advice as needed on matters related to audio/video recordings and live sound production. Caleb is an accomplished singer, vocal coach, guitarist, sound and recording engineer, and DJ. We value his support for our work very highly.
Trent, a St. Albert-based composer and arranger who is a long-standing friend of Sing for Life, has for many years provided choral arrangements of popular songs tailored to the needs of the choir at Edmonton Institution for Women and the Edmonton Downtown Men’s Choir. He has also prepared practice tracks and engineered audio recordings for us. We are beyond grateful for his ongoing talent, commitment and support.
GOVERNMENT AND FOUNDATIONS
The City of Edmonton provides operating and project support through the Edmonton Arts Council. We are very grateful for both the financial support we receive and the encouragement to continue working on enhancing our community outreach programs.
The Foundation provides annual operating support and contributes valuable project support from time to time.
We are most grateful for ongoing contributions to support program delivery from the Muriel Hole Fund at Edmonton Community Foundation. ECF also provides Sing for Life with project funding from time to time, as well as advice and support related to the development of endowments and other forms of giving.
Through its artsvest sponsorship development program, Business / Arts provides training, mentorship and matching funding for non-profit organizations in several provinces, including Alberta. We are grateful for all of the value we have received from this program. This is made available free of charge through the generosity of corporate and private contributions, and grant support from participating provincial governments.
OTHER COMMUNITY SUPPORT
We at Sing for Life also value very highly the support we receive from other community organizations, including the Rotary Club of Edmonton and private sources that wish to remain anonymous.
