Spreading joy and love

A group of retirees from Taiwan have formed the China Song Lover’s Association (華夏歌友會), amassing nearly eighty amateur singers. The members meet regularly on weekdays, together learning and sharing their knowledge of songs and building long-lasting relationships. The group mainly sings traditional Taiwanese pop songs, and is often invited to various veterans' homes, hospitals and communities to give concerts. Every aspect of the performances, including costumes, transportation, props and the band, are provided by the members. With a mission to spread joy and love, seeing the audience clapping and swaying along with the beat, and receiving countless thanks, is deeply rewarding to this group of young-at-heart song lovers. Members said seeing dazzling smiles from old war veterans, who have spent the best part of their lives such a long way from home injects inspiration and determination to continue with their singing revolution. For China Song Lover’s Association, retirement is not about becoming stagnant and old, on the contrary, it is about becoming more dynamic and contributing to society. In order to give the people of Kaohsiung a weekend opportunity of enjoying evocative old songs, every Saturday night on the run-up to Chinese New Year, everyone is invited to come and enjoy their melodious singing.

PeoPo 公民新聞 by 酷酷嫂

Spreading joy and love
URL:http://www.peopo.org/news/107184

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散歡樂散播愛

華夏歌友會至今聚集了近八十位各職場喜愛歌唱的退休人員。會員包括夫妻、母女、姐弟檔，平日定期團練、切磋歌藝，彼此情感融洽，歌友會以演唱國台語老歌為主，經常受邀至各榮民之家、醫院及民間社區演唱。演唱時，所有行頭、交通、道具、樂隊，由會員自掏腰包支應。「散播歡樂散播愛」是華夏歌友會的宗旨，每每見到台下觀眾跟著節拍搖擺拍手，以及會後的一句句感謝，讓這群愛唱歌的老孩子深深感動。尤其見到遠離家園，隻身留台的榮民伯伯們臉上一抹抹燦爛的笑容，更激勵了會員們繼續唱下去的決心與動力。對他們而言，退休不是停滯，反而可以用更有活力的方式奉獻社會。為了讓高雄市民能在假日享受令人回味的老歌，舊曆年前，每週六晚上更可以在八五大樓一樓門口前聽到他們悅耳的歌聲。

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