By Setarreh Massihzadegan
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

“Everybody find a note and hang onto it,” Lo Steele instructs the 45 singers before her. “This is not easy. We’re into some good stuff here,” she chimes during a practice of “The Night Before Christmas.”

With the holiday season under way and the Trim-ATree celebration just around the corner, the Linden Ponds Singers have plenty to do.

And this year’s holiday festivities at Linden Ponds will be more robust, thanks to a bigger performance from the Singers and an additional tree set to go up in the new Derby Clubhouse.

A tree-trimming tradition
For the past two years, Linden Ponds community members have come out in early December to add their own ornaments to a tree in the Oakleaf Clubhouse, to the music of the Linden Ponds Singers.

“We started it the first year and we put up the tree and had everyone bring an ornament that represented them,” recalls Joe McStowe, community resources manager. “They love it, so it’s become a tradition.”

More theatrics
This year the Linden Ponds Singers, who have already put on almost 20 shows this year, will entertain with a multimedia performance in  Linden Ponds’ new performing arts theater in the Derby Clubhouse.

The Singers will stage mini musicals, with a background of slides projecting photos of community members and their families.

Plenty of talent
In addition to the Linden Ponds Singers, other residents make the performance possible, says Steele, community member and the group’s director. Master carpenter Roy Peterson built scenery and stairs to the stage; John Evans mans the sound equipment; Eileen Barker designs the costumes; Alma Petrillo is the group’s accompanist; Joe Roche plays a number of instruments; Guy Steele is on the trumpet; and Lorraine Barrie handles the percussion.

“We stepped into a gold mine and found all these nuggets,” Lo Steele says of her crew. “They just fell into our lap.”