Music and food have always been a great pairing, so this year’s luncheon fundraiser at Intact Insurance already had the odds stacked in its favour! On Thursday, September 27, the ScotianAires provided the music and some tasty lunchtime treats which were purchased by the Intact employees at the Dartmouth office. Add in an art raffle and a silent auction for a beautiful carrot cake and before you know it, the ScotianAires had raised over $1200 for the organization because of the generous participation of its friends at Intact.

The ScotianAires is an award winning choral group that specializes in four-part a cappella harmony. Welcoming women of all ages from across the Halifax Regional Municipality and beyond, the chorus is a chapter of Harmony, Inc., an international non-profit organization whose purpose is to “empower all women through education, friendship and a cappella singing in the barbershop style”. Fundraising helps defray the costs for such items as costumes and travel for competition, hall rental for rehearsals, and workshops and continuing education for all members of the chorus.

This is the second year for the luncheon fundraiser at Intact, and the third year that Intact has supported the chorus, all at the initiative of Intact employee and chorus member Elaine Blanchard. Intact Insurance has a local charitable donations committee that helps to support non-profit events near and dear to their employees' hearts. Elaine, who joined the ScotianAires in September of 2015, is not surprised that her fellow employees are so generous year after year. “My Intact family was here once again with big support for the ScotianAires! I’m sure, along with leaving with a belly full of great food, they left with a song in their hearts and souls! ”

Indeed, the afternoon had many highlights including the tasty mac ‘n cheese (the overwhelming favourite on the lunch menu!), a singalong led by the ScotianAires ukulele group, Ukes R Us, and of course the songs shared by the chorus. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed. Intact employee Carol Keyes had this message for the ScotianAires: “What a great group of people you are! Your singing gave us goosebumps and even made some of us emotional. Loved seeing and meeting you!”

Thank you Intact Insurance in Dartmouth for helping the ScotianAires to continue to share the joy of a cappella performance!