Welcome to the latest update from Heart For Music! We're excited to share the impact of our efforts during June and July in providing seniors living in care homes with access to music.
Donations
This summer marked a period of growth for Heart for Music as we continue our eastward expansion. In this time we brought the program into 8 new care homes, with one in Alberta, and thanks to the incredible work of one of our summer students, Meera, we were able to bring the program into 7 new care homes in Ontario, with plans to move into many more Ontario care homes in the near future. Through this we are impacting over 200 seniors with access to personalized playlists.
This summer we also supported Kiwanis Village’s outdoor music instrument in their new therapeutic garden. This instrument, “The Melody”, will feature in their outdoor space where residents can experience the wonder of creating music outdoors amongst the plants and their peers.
In June we partnered up with the Vancouver Moving Theatre, an award-winning professional multi-arts company that’s been putting on performances for over 40 years. Over this time they amassed quite the collection of unique percussion instruments, like these sound tubes, conga, and wind machine, which they generously donated to us. We then found new homes for around 100 instruments in four separate care homes in BC, where they will be sure to provide hours of entertainment for residents!
The team from Vancouver Moving Theatre posing after packing all of the instruments to be shipped to their new homes
Lastly, with this summer heat in full swing we once again partnered with SPARC BC for their Extreme Heat Fan Initiative. For nearly 50 years SPARC BC has been working to better communities in BC, and one way they do this is providing vulnerable populations with access to fans in the summer months. This year, in partnership with their team, we were able to distribute 112 fans to three care homes in BC.
A resident from Jesken Aerie Assisted Living receiving a fan
Elvis
Speaking of fans, this summer our Elvis cutout has been visiting some of his, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Envision Financial. He spent the month of June at Inglewood Care Centre, then it was off to Langley Memorial Hospital Long Term Care in July where he spent a week in each unit playing the hits and taking photos with residents and staff.
Our two brand new Elvis cutouts also made an appearance at the Boundary Bay Airshow. They were a hit and a great way to get people interested in learning more about the program, as well as causing countless parents to explain to their kids who Elvis was!
Elvis making an appearance at the Boundary Bay Airshow (left and right) and at Swedish Canadian Care Home (centre)
Events
This summer saw us involved in two live music events in BC care homes. The first was the Delta View Habilitation Centre’s Canada Day Celebration, where the day started with an Elvis/Rod Stewart impersonator and BBQ lunch, and then our sponsored performers, the Linda Szentes Trio, took staff and residents on a trip through the hits of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.
The Linda Szentes Trio performing at the Delta View Habilitation Centre
Our second event was a summer fun event hosted at George Derby Centre where the rocking band Rhythm Street performed, getting the whole room grooving. These events are why we do this work, to see the life that music can breath into seniors, connecting with the songs and each other as they dance and sing along.
Rhythm Street rocking for the residents of George Derby
Grants
We are fortunate and honoured to have received two grants in this time totalling $5,000. These come from the Jack & Helen Stiglish Fund of the Coquitlam Foundation, and from the Hamber Foundation. These generous grants from both of these amazing foundations will go far in helping us bring the program to new care homes in Coquitlam and throughout BC.
Rick's Heart Foundation team members receiving a grant at the Coquitlam Foundation Awards Night
Moving Forward
As the summer begins to transition into fall we are looking forward to continuing with these initiatives. We’re hopeful to greatly expand our reach in Ontario in the near future, along with our ongoing endeavours in BC and beyond. Our Elvis cutout will be finishing off his summer run at New Vista Care Home in August, and will be sure to make many more appearances after that. Lastly, we are always looking to bring more live music to seniors, with a focus on donating outdoor instruments throughout BC in the fall/winter.
Thank you to all our sponsors and donors who have made this work possible, we can’t wait to see what we’ll be able to accomplish with your help in the coming months.
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