ARLINGTON — “It’s just a surrounding of unconditional love,” Margaret McClure said of Voices of the Village. “When people don’t have a voice and you hand them a microphone, they treasure the sound of their own voice. Those who are non-verbal are often not heard, and they can come to think that no one cares about them. This band gives them an opportunity to be heard.”
The eighth annual Friendship Walk for Village Community Services drew dozens to Legion Park, in spite of storm clouds overhead, to help support its Village Music & Arts program, including its Voices of the Village band.
But as much as the one-mile and 5K run/walk fundraiser, perhaps the most important of the day’s events was the Voices of the Village concert under the Legion Park gazebo.
While participating adults with developmental disabilities were proud to receive trophies and ribbons for completing the course, the band remains one of their greatest joys.
McClure’s son Thomas, 34, and daughter Jamie, 30, have both been part of Voices of the Village since its inception in 2000. Thomas enjoys jamming on the guitar, while Jamie has an affinity for the bongo drums, although McClure acknowledged that they both tend to socialize more than they play music.
“It’s a safe place where all of them can gather and be with each other,” said McClure, who’s seen “tremendous growth” not only in her own adult children, but also in band members such as autistics, whom she suggests become more accustomed to the “overstimulation” of busy public settings. “They’ve learned how to share the instruments and work together as a team.”
McClure also appreciates that the band is forgiving of occasional outbursts of behavior that might not be acceptable in other social settings. She credits this environment with helping to teach adults with development disabilities how to behave more appropriately.
McClure touted Voices of the Village as a much-needed quality-of-life measure and a source of “spiritual healing and therapy.”
Corey Anderson, 29, has been playing guitar for Voices of the Village for at least half a dozen years. He’s stuck with it even as he’s moved to Birch Bay and started playing in other bands.
“He catches the Amtrak every Thursday night to be here on Fridays,” Corey’s mom, Pam Magnuson, said. “He’s always enjoyed music, from the time he used to watch Raffi. It helped with his speech therapy.”
Magnuson praised Jon Dalgarn, who first organized the band close to 15 years ago, and remains the leader of its nearly two dozen members.
“John is really good with all of them,” Magnuson said. “He plays the songs he knows they like, and he makes sure to get to everyone’s favorite song.”
Voices of the Village includes vocal and instrumental positions for adults with a range of disabilities, who have played instruments as diverse as drums, keyboards, accordions, banjos, saxophones, a ukelele and even an Australian didgeridoo.
“Its appeal cuts across all skill levels,” Magnuson said. “Everyone can enjoy it.”
Dalgarn had already worked with adults with disabilities through VCS’s residential and vocational assistance programs, but with Voices of the Village, he believes that he’s been able to address another area of their development.
VCS supports adults with developmental disabilities at home, at work and in community life. Contact Michelle Dietz at 360-653-7752, ext. 14, or mdietz@villagecommunitysvcs.org for details.
