When North Shore Area Partners (NSAP), a nonprofit organization located in Silver Bay, began thinking about how to bring more intergenerational activities to the community, Marcia Oates knew exactly what would be in her wheelhouse.
Marcia grew up in Silver Bay and, as she puts it, “went away to find my fortune.” After nearly forty years, she retired and returned home.
Her fortune came in the form of a nearly forty-year career as an elementary school music teacher. At her school’s concerts, parents knew they would be participating, whether it was a sing-along or jingling car keys during “Jingle Bells.”
“Singing together is something that can bring a community together,” she said.
In an effort to unite multiple generations within the community, Marcia and NSAP have organized a Community Sing-Along, scheduled for November 14th from 2:00 – 3:30 PM at NSAP’s downtown location. Marcia will play the piano, and her friend Gene LaFond has volunteered to play the guitar.
They will perform Americana songs that most folks are familiar with, such as “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain” and “Amazing Grace,” as well as songs from musicals like “The Sound of Music.” Marcia mentioned she has about thirty songbooks and hopes that there will be so many attendees that some will have to share.
To those who claim they do not sing, Marcia often asks, “Do you sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to your granddaughter on her birthday? Then you sing.” She also noted that some, like me, sing in their vehicles. A community sing-along is an opportunity to enjoy singing together.
“People don’t gather in the same way they did years ago, and I think our community is just right for a rebirth of that,” she said, recounting how earlier generations would all sing together around a piano. “We’ve become a spectator culture. We watch people play sports. We watch people sing or listen to them sing. We’ve forgotten that it’s in all of us.”
There is no pressure to sing at the event; humming along, tapping your foot, or simply listening and enjoying the provided cider and doughnuts is encouraged.
“Hopefully it will be a really good chance for the community to get together and just get to know each other a bit,” Marcia said.
She feels now is the right time to organize the sing-along, saying, “I feel like this was the time to do it with the little undercurrent of rancor that seems to be around right now between people. Not just politically but other things. It seemed like this is a great way to bring people together.”
And it’s the right place to do it. Marcia described NSAP as “the hub of the community.” It’s part of why she loves volunteering there.
“It’s a one-stop shop for anything that seniors might need, and if they don’t have it yet, they’re going to find out how to do it. It’s such a ‘can do’ organization. I love being surrounded by people who are making a difference with how people live their lives here,” she said.
NSAP’s volunteer coordinator, Stacey Hohman, called the organization’s offerings a “gold mine.”
She added, “It’s definitely needed for this population. In Silver Bay, we have lots of older adults. There are lots of people who tell us daily that they couldn’t live at home without us.”
Though the Community Sing- Along event does not need additional volunteers, Stacey noted that the organization is in need of more volunteer drivers to help seniors get to medical appointments. As some of the current volunteer drivers are snowbirds, there is a need for a few more to help out.
Volunteer drivers are reimbursed for their mileage. Stacey mentioned the “busiest” volunteer would probably do 3-4 rides a month. Some smaller rides might be needed to get community members to events held at NSAP.
One of those events is the popular Coffee Connection, which has expanded from twice a week to Monday through Thursday from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM. It’s another great way to get together and get to know others in the community.
“Even people who have lived here their whole life have made new connections here for coffee,” said Stacey.
For more information on the Community Sing-Along, Coffee Connections, or other services offered by NSAP, go to nsapartners.org or call 218-226-3635.
Marcia encourages everyone, young and old, to attend the Community Sing-Along. “I can guarantee whoever is there will have a good time,” she said. “It’s a party, you don’t have to bring anything, just bring yourself. Bring a friend!”
