Celebration Singers choir director celebrates her 85th birthday

Willa Schoffer celebrated her 85th birthday surrounded by her wonderful choir, the Celebration Singers, at Kincardine Baptist Church, Thursday, May 25.

The choir sang "Happy Birthday" and then Schoffer cut the cake and the group enjoyed refreshments.

"My love of the community, my family and friends, and, of course, music, keep me going," she says.

A resident of Kincardine since 1972, Schoffer has a long list of achievements that encompass more than music and singing.

She was the president of the Kincardine Skating Club for two years and helped it transition to the Davidson Centre when it opened. She also brought test days to Kincardine, with judges from Toronto, which had not been done before. In addition, she initiated local teen coaches to help students, and she taught the Learn to Skate pre-school program.

Schoffer spent two terms on the Bruce County School Board, representing Kincardine and area.

She formed the Kincardine Community Singers and directed it for 15 years. "We started with eight members and practised at Trillium Court," she recalls.

After retiring as choir director with that group, she realized that seniors like to sing, so she formed the Celebration Singers which marks its 25th anniversary this year. "Now 50-members strong, we volunteer at senior’s homes, churches, the Kincardine hospital foundation Radiothon, and other places, if asked."

Schoffer was choir director at the Anglican Church of the Messiah, Kincardine, for 21 years, and taught piano and voice in the community.

"I have sung as a member of choirs in Port Elgin, Durham and Goderich, and was a soloist for five years in the Royal Bank Senior Jubilee concerts at Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto," she says. "This year will mark 40 years as a choir director in Kincardine. It will be a busy time with concerts for Canada’s 150th anniversary, then our own 25th anniversary concert, plus Christmas concerts, and also, here I am, celebrating my 85th birthday."

Schoffer says the years have gone by too quickly. She and her husband, Ted, raised four children and have eight grandchildren. Unfortunately, Ted died in 2014, just six weeks before their 60th wedding anniversary.