A performance by the singers of Momentum Choir is unforgettable.
“It’s an emotional experience,” said Pelham resident Len Doyle.
“What makes it so emotional is that between their songs, some of the members of the choir were interviewed and they talked about the value of being in the choir.”
The past president of the Kinsmen Club of Fonthill and District attended one of the choir’s shows held last November at Pelham Community Church. Afterward, Doyle was moved to do something to support the musical group, whose singers are adults living with varying developmental and physical disabilities.
“After I saw the performance, I reached out and suggested if they’re looking for sponsorship to send it our way and I’d see what I could do,” Doyle said.
The choir submitted a request, and the answer from the Kinsmen Club was a resounding yes. The club donated $2,300 for new percussion equipment.
“As soon as I mentioned the choir had members with disabilities, several (Kinsmen) stood up and said they had friends or family, or people they knew that were struggling,” Doyle said. “When we discuss donating to a charity, we usually weigh the pros and cons. There were no negatives with this donation.”
There were no negatives with this donation
The cheque was presented to Executive and Artistic Director Mendelt Hoekstra when the Kinsmen visited the Momentum Choir on Jan 9.
“This amazing group of 60 members from Niagara and beyond sang and played their hearts out for us during a rehearsal,” Doyle said.
Hoekstra said the donation from the Kinsmen club is appreciated and will have a significant impact on choir members.
“Some of the folks in the percussion section live in a wheelchair and the drums that we are buying are adaptable drums so that it’s better fitted for our members.”
Momentum Choir was born out of Hoekstra’s desire to enrich the lives of those living with developmental disabilities through music and community involvement.
“I was working as a music therapist, supporting many people with disabilities for years, and I realized there wasn’t a stage, or a platform for people living with a disability who wanted to (perform) and be part of a professional performance choir,” Hoekstra said. “We started with eight excited members, and 16 years later we have over 100 singers.”
The choir was founded in 2007 in St. Catharines, and later expanded in 2011 to include a second branch, a Momentum Choir in Western New York, and a third branch in Hamilton, in 2017.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Hoekstra said a virtual Momentum Choir was formed to allow singers from outside of Hamilton and Niagara to rehearse together prior to a performance.
