Group delivers love messages in harmony.

Byline: Jeff Wright The Register-Guard

From 8 this morning until 8 tonight, Sally Asay and her pals will have a single message to share.

They may say it in different ways - urging you to "Cuddle Up a Little Closer," begging you to "Let Me Call You Sweetheart," or even boldly declaring "I Love You Truly" - but the underlying theme is the same: Somebody loves you and wants the Sweet Adelines to tell you so.

"We do valentining" - that's how Asay describes the serenading performed by her quartet that includes Robin Glastell, Nonie Koelling and Doris White. They've been at it all week - including a gig Thursday at the Eugene Speech & Hearing Center, where the surprised beneficiaries included 87-year-old Wilda Widmaier.

"I just came to get my hearing aid adjusted - this is such a nice surprise," said Widmaier, who seemed to especially enjoy the harmonizing on "You Are My Sunshine."

"We have sing-alongs (where I live), so we know that song forward and backward," she said.

Thursday, however, was just a warm-up for Valentine's Day, when Asay's foursome and a second quartet of Adelines will make the rounds to more than 20 destinations.

"We'll be anywhere and everywhere - tire shops, schools, hospitals, churches, lawyers' offices, private homes," Asay said. "We start early and end late. You just flap your little wings and keep going."

Most of the Adelines will be up at 6 or 7 this morning to warm up their voices. It can be tough hitting the notes early in the day, she said, "but by 7:30 at night we sound very good."

As for today's intended recipients of love-struck music, few if any will see it coming. "On Valentine's Day," said Asay, "nobody tells until we show up and embarrass the bejeebers out of them."

CAPTION(S):

Craig Ford, director of clinical services at the Eugene Speech and Hearing Center, hands out tulips to those who came to hear the Sweet Adelines sing.