Do you love to sing?

By Leela Sharon Aheer Chestermere-Strathmore MLA

Hello Chestermere-Strathmore readers. The Chestermere Soundwaves are looking for new members. The Chestermere Soundwaves is a local choral group established in 2008. We perform at local events sponsored by the City of Chestermere, at the Recreation Centre, Senior’s homes, Whitecapper’s Centre events, etc. In recent years we have been under the directorship of Dr. Sarah Moore. Sarah has relocated to Sylvain Lake to practice and will join the group when time permits. We are forever grateful for her time and direction over the past seven years.

The Soundwaves are excited to expand group membership and offer memberships twice per year – once at the beginning of the year and again in September.

To be a member, you should have some vocal ability and a desire to be a part of the community. There will need to be a commitment to practices and a small financial commitment of $100 per session to cover the operating/travel costs of the group. Practices will fluctuate between Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. for the next few months at the Whitecapper’s Centre, which is located on the south side of the Chestermere Rec Centre. You will find the group to be most welcoming and fun to be around, but our primary focus is on our music. Practices will be structured events.

Please attend our information session on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Chestermere Whitecapper’s Centre if you wish to join. It will give you a feel for the group and what we hope to accomplish over the course of the year. 

If you want to join, you will be asked to complete an information form and commit to the session fee for February to June 2023. 

If you have any questions, we will answer them for you on that date.

Thanks to Karen Rideout, Communications for the Chestermere Soundwaves, for this wonderful opportunity.  

This month we celebrate Black History Month and honour International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). This horrible practice involves altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognized internationally as a violation of human rights, the health, and the integrity of girls and women. 

It leads to complications such as severe pain, shock, excessive bleeding, infections, and difficulty in passing urine, as well as long-term consequences for their sexual and reproductive health and mental health.

We can eliminate this harmful practice through education and policy, such as Bill 10 in Alberta, and partnerships with men and boys whose voices are transformative to girls and women to realize their rights and potential. 

As always, we love to hear from you!

(Leela Sharon Aheer is the MLA Elect for Chestermere-Strathmore)