The Coles County Barbershop Chorus plans to bring songs of love to others on Valentine’s Day. The group will sing two love songs and deliver a box of chocolates to anyone’s significant in the Charleston/Mattoon area.

Tom Woodall, the co-director for the group and a former Eastern professor, said he and Ron Leathers, another former Eastern professor, started the CCBC in 1967.

Woodall said he started getting into music because his dad wanted him to.

“My dad beat music into my head at age six,” he said.

Woodall said he has sung barbershop music for almost 50 years and the group has offered the Singing Valentines for 13 years.

The cost to receive a singing valentine is $35, however, the group often sings songs for free under the right conditions, Woodall said.

He said throughout the year the chorus will sing at events to raise money for different area charities such as food pantry programs.

Woodall said the chorus helps raise more than $6,000 a year.

He said the CCBC gives all the money raised from Valentine’s Day to music programs in area schools, Woodall said.

He said last year the chorus was able to give $200 to 11 area schools.

Woodall said the chorus donates money to the music programs because the arts programs in schools are cut first from budget decreases.

Les Heath, a member of the chorus, said the group tries to fund those programs because many of them are getting taken away.

“A lot of programs are not funded, and we try to fund those programs,” he said.

Woodall said the whole group has 35 members but will break up into quartets to fulfill their singing duties on Valentine’s Day.

He said he and other members enjoy the look of surprise on people when the group starts singing to them.

Sometimes, the group will sing to faculty at Eastern, Woodall said.

“Sometimes we disrupt the class,” he said.

Woodall said the students seem to get a kick out of their instructors being sung, too.

He said the group sings love songs to people all day so they do not have much time for their significant others.

“We get more enjoyment from others on Valentine’s Day then we do ourselves,” Woodall said.

Heath said his wife accepts that she does not get her husband on Valentine’s Day.

“It’s kind of like an extended family,” he said. “We figured out how to do (Valentine’s Day) anyways. We do it on the weekend instead, we’re going out this weekend.”

Recipients of a Singing Valentine also receive a box of candy and a picture with the quartet. Singing Valentines can be hired by calling Les Heath at 549-8715 or on the Coles County Barbershop Chorus website, www.colescountychorus.com.

Amanda Wilkinson can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].