Pictured left to right (Stephen R. Elville, Founder; Jeffrey D. Stauffer, Executive Director, Andre G. Cooper, Chief Executive Officer of The Children’s Home)
By: Jeffrey D. Stauffer – Executive Director, jeff@elvilleassociates.com, 443-393-7696
On June 16th, The Elville Center for the Creative Arts was privileged to receive a Community Service Award from The Children’s Home at its Annual Meeting, held at Matthews 1600 in Catonsville.
Over the past several months, The Elville Center has partnered with The Children’s Home to lay the foundation for a music program for its residents, and the relationship and flourished since its inception.
A Children’s Home resident singing at Songbuilder Studio
The Children’s Home has been in existence since 1853 and sits on a 54-acre campus in Catonsville. Its mission is to provide residential and community services to promote long-term well-being and success for young people and families who experience disruption in their lives. Many of the young people who reside at The Children’s Home find the arts to be a very positive outlet for them, and TCH has wanted to establish a music program for its residents for many years. After one of its staff members heard about The Elville Center on the classical music station 91.5 WBJC, work began to bring music to the students.
Many different types of instruments ranging from clarinets and trumpets, to guitars and flutes have been refurbished and donated to the program thus far, and The Elville Center also purchased a drum set and new guitar for the program as well. TCH is also establishing a permanent home for the music program in a building that will be considered a Cultural Center on the campus.
Along with practicing the instruments on their own time, The Elvile Center has arranged for practice time for the residents every two weeks with a music teacher who visis the campus to provide instruction to those interested in a more structured environment.
Also, on June 27th, eight students along with staff members of TCH visited Catonsville’s Songbuilder Studio to learn the ins and out of recording music and singing in a sound studio, and students were given the wonderful opportunity to sing in the studio as well.
We’ve just scratched the surface of what will be accomplished at The Children’s Home, and The Elville Center is proud to call this fine organization its partner. We look forward to working with its residents and staff to grow its music program for many years to come!
For more information about The Children’s Home, please visit www.thechildrenshome.net.
