Choir donates to CreateAbility music workshops

The Oliver Community Arts Council says THANK YOU to the Sage Valley Voices Community Choir for their generous donation of $1276.74 to our CreateAbility program. These monthly workshops provide art instruction to developmentally and physically challenged adults. The program is in its second full year of workshops, and has proven to be popular and fulfilling for clients, caregivers and instructors alike.

Above, the Sage Valley Voices present the cheque at their Christmas Concert. CreateAbility chair Janet Bednarczyk (left) accepts the cheque from Sue Morhun (right).

With these funds, CreateAbility will run a series of music workshops (“MusicAbility”). Adults with mental and physical disabilities will engage in music, rhythm, and sound as a creative outlet. Joint instruction from staff and students at Oliver Elementary School is planned. This program will be the first of its kind in the south Okanagan. Thanks to the leadership of Lori Martine, choir director and music teacher at OES, the grade 4 students will become the instructors for this special group of adults and their caregivers.

Below, Janet Bednarczyk is shown with Donna Biedler, a supporter of the choir and active participant in the CreateAbility program.

Funds for this project came from proceeds at the mass choir Extravaganza concert in Penticton last November, hosted by the Sage Valley Voices. The choir voted to donate the proceeds to two local charities: Highway to Healing and the Oliver Community Arts Council.