The Perley Rideau Choir

We begin this wrap up for 2019 with a heart-warming story about the Perley Rideau Village Choir. More than 50 people sing regularly in the Choir: residents and tenants, supported by volunteers, family members and friends.

About two years ago, the choir welcomed two new members: Marsha and Butch Gilchrist. Married for more than 30 years, Marsha and Butch live in the Seniors’ Village. They have long sung in choirs and are both visually impaired.

Gertrude (Trudy) Letourneau, the Choir’s director, likes to expand the Choir’s repertoire by introducing new songs. This can be a problem for the visually impaired, though. But Marsha Gilchrist told Trudy that the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) offers a translation service. Trudy now gets CNIB to translate new songs into Braille – a language Marsha learned as a little girl. Just before Christmas, CTV News Ottawa featured the choir on its evening newscast. (http://bit.ly/2YWHXia)

The Village Choir is further proof of the success of Perley Rideau’s Seniors’ Village: 139 independent apartments for seniors who enjoy ready access to a wealth of on-site amenities including a chapel, pharmacy, cafeteria, pub, games room, arts and crafts studios and a physiotherapy and massage clinic. Tenants can also take advantage of a variety of assisted-living services and day programs designed for seniors.