Maple Ridge ukulele group celebrates 10th anniversary

The Ridge Meadows Seniors Ukulele Group marked its 10th anniversary at the Maple Ridge Seniors Activity Centre on Thursday, Sept. 10, with 36 musicians performing songs and sharing vanilla cake.

Founder Lillian Bilodeau joined the players as they performed the first song the group learned as beginners, “Jambalaya (On the Bayou),” followed by “Singing in the Rain,” “Come a Little Bit Closer” and other tunes.

Maple Ridge resident Carol Guterres attended for the first time and said she plans to return. She said the instrument’s small size appealed to her and that, because her son plays, she decided to try it. Fellow player Rae Pawlowski, who has belonged to the group for eight years, said music makes her happy and she leaves each meeting smiling.

Maria Perretta, executive director of the Ridge Meadows Seniors Society, which runs seniors recreation centres in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, said the group has grown substantially since its weekly jam sessions began at the Pitt Meadows Seniors Activity Centre. She said the anniversary celebrates a decade of friendship, learning and music across both centres, and credited Bilodeau’s spirit and enthusiasm with making both groups inclusive and fun.

Bilodeau founded the Pitt Meadows group in 2016 and the Maple Ridge group a year later. The two groups have about 47 participants, and she is looking for more members. Bilodeau, who turns 79 in October, leads beginner and intermediate sessions in Pitt Meadows every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., then runs beginner and intermediate classes in Maple Ridge from noon to 2:30 p.m.

Members also perform at local seniors facilities and community festivals, including Christmas in Pitt Meadows and the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Country Fest. More information is available at 604-467-4993.