A wonderful afternoon sharing music with this enthusiastic group at Riverlands Retirement Village in Tewantin. Thank you Marlene for bringing us together. Photos: Hari Kotrotsios

Another fabulous morning of singing to help raise funds for Clive & Barb's Art with Heart project. Despite the wet weather, local residents gathered at the Uniting Church Hall in Coolum on 27 March for the morning tea - helping to raise $3826 from door takings, raffle, plus $800 from Marcoola Community Bank Branch of Bendigo Bank on behalf of Cool Harmonies and $1000 donation from Cool Comfort Air Conditioning. Additional contributions have been made by Cool Connections women's group, the Men's Shed who made the easels, plus paint donations from  Gaye Bolton, Lorraine Benson & Alma Buckley. The funds will support weekly art classes for the long-term unemployed, people living with disabilities/mental health concerns, people living with the effects of abuse, lonely or aging people, with a view to increasing their overall health and wellbeing.  Photos: Hari Kotrotsios

Photos courtesy of The Anderson Outlook 

On stage at the Australia Day event in Coolum Beach. Photo: Tina Stubbs

Choir members in Aussie gear for the festivities in Coolum's Tickle Park. Photos: Hari Kotrotsios.

Congratulations to Esme and the Cool Connections women's group for being nominated in Council's Australia Day awards. Many of our members are actively involved with this group which meets at the Coolum Community Centre each week, providing a social support network, fun activities and friendship.

Cool Harmonies are grateful to have received this wonderful handcrafted quilt, donated by the awesome ladies from Coolum Beach Quilters, to use as a prize for our next major fundraiser. We have a wonderful collaborative relationship between both our groups, and this presentation demonstrates again just how strong and supportive people are in the Coolum community, supporting each other's endeavours.

Four of our Cool Harmonians experienced the Big Sing in the Desert on the June long weekend, a four-day choral camp near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.  "It was a fantastic cultural and musical meeting between 77 'white fellas' and around 70 Indigenous singers," said Barb.  "We were fortunate to learn many Indigenous songs as well as two excellent African songs which we hope to share with our choir. We climbed mountains, yarned and sang our hearts out - it was a really wonderful experience."

The Uniting Church hall was filled to capacity at our Biggest Morning Tea fundraiser. Photos: Chris Whitton

What an awesome outcome at our Biggest Morning Tea, raising $1,870 for the Cancer Council! More than 60 guests attended today's fundraiser, which featured entertainment by Girls with Pearl, Cool Harmonies and the Off Beats marimba and drumming group. Congratulations to the lucky raffle winners and thanks to prize donors Marcoola Community Bank Branch (1 x $150 account, 1 x $100 account and two golf umbrellas), and Coolum Theatre Players (1 x family pass to their upcoming pantomime Puss in Boots). There was an equally abundant selection of morning tea treats on offer! Photos: Hari Kotrotsios