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Original FB post by Mr. Russell

Sun Youth Singing Club  – When my special contract to teach music with inner city kids finished at Our Lady of Mount Royal school, Elyce and I went across the street. Sid Stevens and Earl De La Perralle gave us a classroom in Jeunesse au Soleil / Sun Youth Organization’s (then) headquarters in the old Baron Byng high school. The community and Steve’s Music pitched in and donated instruments. The Sun Youth Singing Club was born! Some of the kids went on to careers in the music business. One of the kids, 12 year old Frank Vieira, drew the cover of my “Cool Kids” record which was released nationally on Attic Records in 1982. We travelled with kids from the club on the bus from Sun Youth when they joined me in the studio to record “Kumbaya” for the album. We led the club for several years until we had our first baby. But that wasn’t the end. Years later our son, Oliver, played basketball for Sun Youth from Mini to Juvenile. Sid Stevens was so happy!