Singing for Seniors

SAN CLEMENTE, CA — Evelyn Sooy, one of the first female Naval Commanders deployed during WWII, smiled broadly at her well wishers with sparkling eyes. Commander “Dene” as she is known at San Clemente Villas, was decked out in red, white and blue and surrounded by balloons, posters, and gifts as she celebrated her 101st birthday in style. Not only did several generations of relatives show up to wish her well, but a crowd of community members, led by local singer/guitarist, Sal Landers, was on hand to celebrate birthdays for Dene and several fellow residents.

In addition to the traditional “Happy Birthday”, sung to the May birthday boys and girls, (Olga, Peggy, Joan, Jean, Evelyn, Irene, Marty, Betty, Joy and Mary) Sal led the group in a beautiful rendition of “Amazing Grace” plus “Lean on Me” and even a little Elvis and a lively “La Bamba” that had some of the seniors literally dancing in the aisles. (See partial video of the performance here: https://www.facebook.com/600435840061864/posts/2641496872622407/.)

Community members sang joyfully through masks while maintaining social distance. They cheered, clapped and danced, engaging the seniors in conversation as they showed their appreciation for a generation that has been especially hard hit by recent events.

Singing for Seniors is the brainchild of Sal Landers, 63, an accomplished performer who toured internationally with an all-female band called Side Swipe until 2003. Last Christmas, Landers performed at a holiday event at San Clemente Villas with a number of women from local philanthropy group, Diamonds of Dana Point. She noticed that some of the residents had few or no visitors, phone calls and gifts, and was struck by the simple joy she was able to impart by bringing “my guitar, my voice, and most importantly, my ears to listen – just listen, to these people who had such great stories to tell.” Sal recalled her own father, recently deceased, who would sit in his room between visits with a bored, dejected expression. “His whole face would light up when he saw me. “she said. “A small effort on my part was completely transformative.”

With the advent of the pandemic, Landers was looking for a way to reach out and be of service. She immediately thought about the seniors she had met and how lonely they must be, especially with visitors restricted. She approached the Activities Director at San Clemente Villas with an idea for a birthday celebration; posted a request for volunteers on the Facebook page of local community group Capo Cares; and enticed community members to join in the fun.

Sal hopes to expand Singing for Seniors to more assisted living facilities. “It’s such a nominal time commitment, but it’s a huge bang for your buck,” she says. “Twenty minutes out of your day to celebrate our seniors and let them know they matter and that the community really cares.”

Judging from the energy and smiles at two birthday events last week, Landers and her volunteers have found a great way to give back to a generation who, like Commander Dene, has sacrificed so much. To learn more about Singing for Seniors, contact Sal at salness@mac.com and watch for upcoming volunteer events at www.Facebook.com/capocares

Do you have some good news to share? Send story leads and reader tips to your Patch Orange County Editor for a chance to be featured on Patch.com.