Students raised about $1,000 to support music therapy for people in nursing homes Wednesday night.
Close to 200 people gathered in Pruis Hall for “A Night to Remember.” A group of first semester freshman telecommunication students organized most of the event. Michael Gerhard, associate professor of telecommunications, first exposed the group to Music & Memory, an organization that gives iPods and other music players with personalized playlists to people in nursing homes.
According to Music & Memory’s website, listening to music can help people with Alzheimer’s “tap deep memories not lost to dementia and can bring residents and clients back to life.”
Gerhard said the students involved have been incredible.
“They’ve inspired me so much through their energy, their dedication, their vision,” he said. “I know that sounds corny, but that’s it.”
Eleven acts performed at the event, including comedian and Ball State alumni Chris Bowers, vocal jazz group In the Mix, and the Ball State Drumline.
Freshman telecommunication majors Ellie Fawcett and Danielle Behrens were responsible for recruiting the performers.
Although the two said they were intimidated at first, they managed to find two professional comedians for the event.
Kasey Needham, a junior music education major and president of In the Mix, was one of the people Fawcett and Behrens contacted.
Needham said she was attracted to the event’s cause because of a personal connection. Her grandmother was an Alzheimer’s patient.
“She passed away a couple of years ago,” she said. “I just thought jazz really symbolizes the age that’s kind of older right now.”
Olivia Houin, a junior English education major, attended the event. She enjoyed Abso, a Ball State improvisational comedy group, but was disappointed the event didn’t feature more information about Music & Memory.
“I was expecting the whole event to be like having nursing home patients coming in and seeing them listening to music,” she said. “I had really high expectations I guess.”
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