Arts and Cultural Heritage

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2025 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$8,313
Recipient
Mankato and North Mankato ACT on Alzheimer's
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
In Progress
Start Date
September 2024
End Date
May 2025
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Blue Earth
Le Sueur
Nicollet
Nicollet
Blue Earth
Le Sueur
Nicollet
Nicollet
Project Overview

Arts and Cultural Heritage

Project Details

They will sponsor the Singing Hills Chorus for people with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias and their care partners. They have two chorus sessions, concerts, and Summer SingAlongs. Funds will be used for artist fees, salaries, and music licenses.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Julie Forderer: retired elementary and special education teacher at United South Central Public School, Wells, choreographer for school musicals and community theater events; Moni Harper: musician with the Fairmont City Band, the Trimont Centennial Band, and the bugler for Fairmont VFW and Legion Honor Guard, has served on the Boards for Fairmont Opera House and Civic Summer Theatre; Emily Heinis: writer, communications professional, and former english teacher,received the Prentice Hall Developing Leadership Award from the MN Council of Teachers of English, and served as Poetry and Visual Arts Editor for Blue Earth Review; Devon Lawrence: directs all 9th-12th grade bands at Waseca Jr. Sr. High School, Program Coordinator for River City Rhythm Drum and Bugle Corps, performs with multiple groups including Little Chicago and Southern Minnesota's Real Big Band; Michael Looft: City Administrator for Winthrop and is an integral part of the Bavarian Blast music festival, New Ulm; Randy Mediger: retired principal and teacher and charter member of LeSueur Community Theater; Kjerstin Moody: associate professor of Scandinavian Studies at Gustavus Adolphus College, leads a Nordic Book Circle at the American Swedish Institute, served on the board of the Modern Literature Association (MLA) Nordic Literature group; Kerry Nagel-Allen: guardian and/or conservatorship for individuals with mental health, developmental disabilities and the elderly, served and volunteers with the Fairmont Opera House; Gabriela Roemhildt: St. Peter Recreation Department coordinating lifelong learning and entertainment programs for adults, has served on the board of Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra; Sandy Sunde: retired Language Arts teacher and high school musical director, member of Uniting Cultures Community Theater Board and CAPP-Comprehensive Arts Planning Program; Dave Wahl: singer, actor, and former musician, and an active board member of the Springfield Community Theatre; Mark Wamma: Music Director and Operations Director for Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra, teaches violin and viola, and a founding member of the Two Rivers Community Orchestra and River Valley String Quartet.

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Julie Forderer: retired elementary and special education teacher at United South Central Public School, Wells, choreographer for school musicals and community theater events; Moni Harper: musician with the Fairmont City Band, the Trimont Centennial Band, and the bugler for Fairmont VFW and Legion Honor Guard, has served on the Boards for Fairmont Opera House and Civic Summer Theatre; Emily Heinis: writer, communications professional, and former english teacher,received the Prentice Hall Developing Leadership Award from the MN Council of Teachers of English, and served as Poetry and Visual Arts Editor for Blue Earth Review; Devon Lawrence: directs all 9th-12th grade bands at Waseca Jr. Sr. High School, Program Coordinator for River City Rhythm Drum and Bugle Corps, performs with multiple groups including Little Chicago and Southern Minnesota's Real Big Band; Michael Looft: City Administrator for Winthrop and is an integral part of the Bavarian Blast music festival, New Ulm; Randy Mediger: retired principal and teacher and charter member of LeSueur Community Theater; Kjerstin Moody: associate professor of Scandinavian Studies at Gustavus Adolphus College, leads a Nordic Book Circle at the American Swedish Institute, served on the board of the Modern Literature Association (MLA) Nordic Literature group; Kerry Nagel-Allen: guardian and/or conservatorship for individuals with mental health, developmental disabilities and the elderly, served and volunteers with the Fairmont Opera House; Gabriela Roemhildt: St. Peter Recreation Department coordinating lifelong learning and entertainment programs for adults, has served on the board of Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra; Sandy Sunde: retired Language Arts teacher and high school musical director, member of Uniting Cultures Community Theater Board and CAPP-Comprehensive Arts Planning Program; Dave Wahl: singer, actor, and former musician, and an active board member of the Springfield Community Theatre; Mark Wamma: Music Director and Operations Director for Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra, teaches violin and viola, and a founding member of the Two Rivers Community Orchestra and River Valley String Quartet.

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2025 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$8,313
Other Funds Leveraged
$30,687
Direct expenses
$39,000
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

The number of Minnesotans who are able to participate in the arts increases. Real or perceived barriers to arts participation and arts access are identified and addressed. We will create a survey that will be administered during a rehearsal early and late in the season. The questions are for all members but designed in particular for people living with ADRD and have symptoms of memory loss. We often use a question format that begins with "would you rather" because this format doesn't rely on memory and there are no "wrong" answers. The survey will explore the experiences and relationship our members have with this arts experience during a rehearsal. It will include a "would you rather" question that relates to a singing experience; a word bank to select an emotion or feeling; and a question with a scale as it relates to a response to a more difficult song. The director will administer it and a volunteer will tabulate the results.

Source of Additional Funds

Other,local or private

Project Manager
First Name
Sandi
Last Name
Lubrant
Organization Name
Mankato and North Mankato ACT on Alzheimer's
Street Address
424 N Riverfront Dr Ste 300P
City
Mankato
State
MN
Zip Code
56001
Phone
(507) 779-9043
Email
sjlubrant@yahoo.com
Administered By
Administered by
Location

Griggs Midway Building, Suite 304,
540 Fairview Avenue North,
St. Paul, MN 55104

Phone
(651) 539-2650 or toll-free (800) 866-2787
Email the Agency
Location

105 22nd Avenue NE, Suite A
Waseca, MN 56093

Phone
Project Manager: Anna Pollock
507-833-8721
Email the Agency
Location

105 22nd Avenue NE, Suite A
Waseca, MN 56093

Phone
Project Manager: Anna Pollock
507-833-8721
Email the Agency