February 8, 2008

 

Contacts:

Gainan鈥檚 Flowers, 245-6434
Chris Sheppard, Director of Choral Activities, 657-2048
Dan Carter, University Relations, 657-2269

 

Singing valentine delivery will benefit university choral department

 

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES 鈥� Valentine鈥檚 Day is a day for flowers, chocolates and feelings of love.  

This coming Thursday, Billings residents can add a singing valentine to that combination that will not only make your sweetheart swoon, but benefit a local choral group.

 

Members of the 顶级国产视频 Chamber Singers will be teaming up with teaming up with Gainan鈥檚 Flowers to provide 鈥渟inging valentines鈥� with delivery of flowers on Valentine鈥檚 Day. When a customer places an order for flowers at Gainan鈥檚, they can pay an additional $40 for members of the Chamber Singers to deliver those flowers with a song.

 

The proceeds from those singing valentines will be used to benefit students in the MSU Billings choral department.

 

Chris Sheppard, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities at MSU Billings, said 21 members of the Chamber Singers will break up into four teams for deliveries on Thursday.  He said they plan on making two guaranteed deliveries an hour throughout the day.

 

Customers who buy the singing valentine can choose from a romantic song or another arrangement from the Beatles that is lighter and 鈥渃an be used for a family member or a friend,鈥� said Sheppard.

 

Sheppard said the singing valentine is not a new concept for college performers, but being able to partner with Gainan鈥檚 on the 鈥渘uts and bolts鈥� of orders and deliveries is a huge benefit.  Sheppard will spend the day at Gainan鈥檚 helping with logistics and dispatching student singers.

 

Jim Gainan of Gainan鈥檚 said that a limited number of slots are available for guaranteed delivery times of flowers and a song. With about 3,000 expected deliveries on Feb. 14, those slots are a premium.

 

鈥淚鈥檝e never been able to guarantee delivery at a specific time on Valentine's Day before and now we can with these specific time slots,鈥� Gainan said.

He added that adding a singing valentine to his company鈥檚 list of offerings this Valentine鈥檚 Day is a customer service and community benefit.

鈥淲hen unique opportunities come up, you have to go after them,鈥� he said. 鈥淧utting the two together makes customers happy and it provides funds for a choral program that needs money.鈥�

 

Deliveries will start in the morning of the 14th and continue throughout the day.

 

For more information on the singing valentine deliveries using MSU Billings Chamber Singers, contact Gainan鈥檚 at 245-6434.

For more information on the MSU Billings Choral Department, contact Sheppard at 657-2048.