Every Valentine’s Day, groups of singers decorated in red can be seen running around downtown Erie, singing to seemingly random people they find.
The bombardment is all in the name of love.
The annual Singing Valentines group returns from Gannon this year. For a small donation, a group of members from the Gannon University Mixed Chorus will sing a song to your loved one/friend/colleague.
Valentines sent on campus are $5, and off-campus are $10. Senders can choose from a list of nine songs and the “Singing Valentine” includes not only an upbeat and enthusiastic quartet of handsome singers, but also a bag of candy and a personalized message to the recipient.
This fundraiser was started by Alpha Psi Omega, Gannon’s honorary theatre fraternity five years ago.
The purpose was to raise money for a trip to the Intercollegiate Theatre Festival as part of the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Since then, the Gannon’s Schuster Theatre has taken two trips to Scotland. The Singing Valentine fundraiser was a huge help.
Todd Paropacic, senior theatre and communication arts major, attended the 2014 trip to Edinburgh, Scotland and said, “I enjoyed being around so many different cultures and so many different groups of people.
“I think it was a valuable experience that taught me how to conduct myself in groups of people that are unlike myself,” Paropacic said.
Every year, new songs are added to the repertoire. The categories of song selections have been quirkily named based on Facebook status: just friends, in a relationship and it’s complicated. Regardless of your status from sender to receiver, each song has been selected for its charm and flair.
For those who are just friends, there are three songs to choose from: “Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars, the classic Bill Withers song “Lean on Me” and “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction.
For those of us who are “Facebook Official,” you can choose from “Rhythm of Love” by the Plain White T’s, “Lucky” and “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz. For the relationships that are a bit more difficult to describe, they offer “Boom Clap” by Charlie XCX, which was featured in “The Fault in Our Stars,” “Love is an Open Door” from “Frozen” and “All of Me” by John Legend.
Because Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday this year, groups will also be sent out on Friday, Feb. 13, as well as Saturday, Feb. 14.
These quirky quartets will be warming the hearts of people on campus and in the downtown Erie area from noon to 6 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday.
Some of the more notable past recipients include Mayor Joseph Sinott, Gannon President Keith Taylor, Ph.D., and Edna from Metz.
If you would like to find out more about how to warm the heart of your loved one or embarrass the pants off a classmate, please contact Brianna Woods at [email protected] for more information.
TOM BARTON
