Georgina
June 25, 2008 08:14 PM
By: David Fleischer
Having parasailed, shot the Colorado River rapids and driven a Bobcat construction vehicle, a little singing competition should be child’s play for Sarah and Leo Snowbell.
Today, the Thornhill couple competes in Senior Star, a Canadian Idol-like competition for local senior citizens.
The third annual show is staged by Chartwell, which operates the Constantia Retirement Residence in Thornhill and The Gibson in North York.
The competition is open to all Canadians over 65 and winners from across the country compete in Toronto in September.
“This is something very new,” admits Mrs. Snowbell, who was daunted after seeing the level of talent at last year’s edition.
They fell into entertaining after getting involved with the Entertainers of the Wagman Centre. More than two dozen singers perform revue shows for other seniors through the summer.
“As the season progresses, we get so good, we don’t want to stop,” she says.
“I love it. I wake up Tuesday morning (when rehearsals are held) and wait for it, big time,” she says.
It was a natural place for the gregarious Snowbells to end up.
“I’m an old folk music person,” she says. “My husband knows the words to just about every song in every musical.”
For Senior Star, the couple selected Royal Wedding, a 1951 song made famous by Fred Astaire and Jane Powell.
The two tried out their stuff, including homemade costumes and choreography, at Leo’s recent high school reunion before a wide-ranging audience.
“The roof came off the school. You’d think we were Elvis up there,” she says.
Despite being seniors (Sarah is 66 and Leo is 76), the couple are seriously active.
When they’re not singing and dancing, they bowl, he volunteers at Black Creek Pioneer Village and she is the author of several children’s books, as well as a painter.
When they first moved to Thornhill Woods, Mrs. Snowbell was entranced by a compact Bobcat earth mover.
As a present, Leo bought her a driving lesson, and now she has an operating licence.
“Leo and I are on the same wave-length when it comes to doing strange and wonderful things ... our grandchildren used to be embarrassed by this,” Mrs. Snowbell says.
In their spare time, the Snowbells hit demolition derbies, step dancing and fiddle competitions and just about anything else you can think of.
“If he has a whim, I’m with him, and when I have a whim, he’s with me. I don’t have to tell you, it’s a perfect match,” she says.