Choir enjoys Umina visit

Members of the Shin Koiwa Choir from Edogawa, Japan, enjoyed their recent visit to Umina Beach so much that they raced into the water clothes and all.

The members of the choir aged 8 to 12 years visited the Peninsula on Thursday, July 29, as part of Gosford Council's sister city exchange with Edogawa, Japan.

The choir visited Woy Woy Community Aged care where they gave a performance of "Tie Me Kangaroo Down" in Japanese and then English.

"The choir manager then turned around and said 'All together now' and it just about lifted the roof off," said Sister City representative Ms Heather McKenzie.

"Their contribution to the Sister City community was great."

Every day of their stay, the choir visited two schools and two retirement villages.

"It was no wonder after their trip to Umina, they fell asleep in the bus on the way up to the Aboriginal rock carvings at Bulls Hill," Ms McKenzie said.

"We were at the beach to get a pizza lunch and I turned around and they took off in the water, clothes and all.

"We had no towels, no change of clothes.

The choir also visited Empire Bay Public School on Tuesday, August 3, and then took the ferry from Davistown to Fisherman's wharf.

"There they had fish and chips and fed the pelicans as all good tourists should," Ms McKenzie said.

Ms McKenzie also paid tribute to the voluntary 4C's transport service that drove the choir around during their visit.

"The 4C's assistance was tremendous, and we'll definitely be using them again," Ms McKenzie said.

"The 4C's Transport Brokerage had the pleasure of assisting," said coordinator Mr Roger Hunt.

The service operates on a non profit basis.

The costs to users for direct assistance are minimal or in some circumstances subsidised.

For further information, contact Roger Hunt on 4322 4922.

Alison Branley, August 4