Barry Coulter
For more than 10 years, Cranbrook’s Valentine’s Day has been marked with lead, tenor, baritone, bass. Never has love been celebrated with such close four-part harmony.
The Quartet formerly known as “Baker Street” — now called “The Sound Principle” — provided its final Singing Valentines last month, an ongoing fundraiser for the Heart & Stroke Foundation. For a donation, the quartet would arrive at home or workplace, fabulously dressed as ever, and present your beloved with a red rose and a “singing valentine,” songs of love and longing from the romantic days of yesteryear.
The Quartet roamed the streets of Cranbrook on Feb. 12 this year, raising $1,175.
“We [Baker Street and Sound Principle] started provided Singing Valentines and raising money for The Heart & Stroke Foundation in 2005,” said long-time member and tenor Joel Vinge.
“We have provided the Valentines each year since, except for 2010, and all of the money raised, totalling over $10,000 has gone to The Heart & Stroke Foundation of B.C.”
Quartet members over the years have included Cliff Green, Roy Proctor, Gert DeGroot, Joel Vinge and Bill Lindell (Baker Street), and Gert Degroot, Joel Vinge. Michael Jones, Rollie Cummins and Ken Wellington (Sound Principle).
The quartet this year consisted of Ken Wellington, Lead; Rollie Cummins, Baritone; Michael Jones, Bass; and Joel Vinge, Tenor.
The Quartet, in announcing the end of Singing Valentines, especially wish to thank Marion Hess, a long-term volunteer for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, who has each year received the money raised for the Foundation.
The Quartet also thanks Canadian Superstore and Canada Safeway, who have in turn donated money toward the cost of the roses.
“We also especially wish to thank all the sweethearts, who acknowledged and honoured their sweethearts with singing Valentines.
“All the singers with Baker Street and Sound Principle have had the best job of all in that were were able to sing and present roses to many Sweethearts and in turn receive many smiles of appreciation and frequently hugs. Thanks to all!”