TIPP CITY — For the past 17 years the Miami-Shelby Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society (The Melody Men) have been involved with a music appreciation and music education project. With financial assistance from some national and local foundations, The Melody Men have purchased songbooks for every elementary school in Miami, Darke, Champaign and Shelby counties. Those songbooks are entitled, “Get America Singing … Again!” and there are two volumes of about 40 songs in each.

With funding assistance from some national and local foundations, and with the support of the elementary teachers and Kathy McIntosh, the Melody Men and Miami County Elementary Music Educators, have also organized a “mass sing” for all elementary schools in Miami County. The concert this year will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 1 at Ginghamsburg Church, Tipp City. Admission is free.

Music teachers from participating elementary schools select songs from the songbooks and teach the fourth and fifth graders these songs. Historically about 100-120 fourth and fifth graders from Miami County participate. The Melody Men will also sing a few songs and will also join with the children in singing several songs together.