EFFINGHAM —
Kelly Willenborg is a big believer in the power of music to assist in the healing process, particularly among senior citizens.
The Effingham resident regularly shares her love of music with area nursing home residents. Now, she wants to enable seniors and disabled individuals to enjoy music's healing power even when she's not around.
That's why she is spearheading an iPod donation drive with a goal of bringing 100 of the personal listening devices into nursing homes and other facilities where they might be useful.
The drive begins Monday and will run through Monday, Feb. 11.
"Gently used" Apple iPods, as well as cables, iTunes gift cards and cash donations of any amount may be brought to Chesnut Family Music, 121 W. Jefferson Ave., or any branch of The First National Bank of Dieterich. The bank has branches in Effingham, Teutopolis, Dieterich, the Lake Sara area and Newton.
Drive organizers are only accepting Apple iPods. Willenborg said restricting the drive to Apple brand devices will facilitate the training process for staff.
Willenborg said she first noticed how music made people feel during her days as a concert promoter.
"It didn't matter whether they were young or old," she said. "You could see the power of music at every concert.
"They may have come to the concert in a bad mood, but for a two-hour concert, they were able to leave their sorrows behind."
Willenborg's concert observations caused her to seek knowledge about the curative effects of music.
"There are dozens of books on the power of music on the mind," she said.
Willenborg began to put what she had learned into practice in 2010 as a Brookstone Suites volunteer. She said the benefits were apparent after a matter of weeks.
"I could see mental and socialization benefits," she said, adding music has been known to relieve depression, anxiety and agitation.
Sharon Slifer, assistant activities director at Lakeland, said she sees the impact that music has on her residents.
"Residents who are normally non-responsive become more responsive," Slifer said. "And, they do better in other activities."
Slifer said Willenborg is a big draw at Lakeland.
"When I say she's coming, the residents get excited and tell me they want to go."
As part of her work, Willenborg became a volunteer advocate for Music and Memory, a nonprofit organization devoted to sharing music, particularly with Alzheimer's patients as a way to mitigate effects of the memory-loss disease.
Effingham is the fourth Illinois community to have an iPod drive. The drives have taken place to benefit 62 different facilities in 21 states and four foreign countries.
Willenborg said any slack between donations and the 100-iPod goal will be picked up by proceeds from the sale of a 1978 Volkswagen bus that she bought several years ago at a swap meet sponsored by Mid America Motorworks in Effingham. She said those proceeds can either be used to buy more iPods, which cost about $50 a piece, or training for nursing or group home personnel.
For more information about the bus or the iPod drive, call Willenborg at 217-254-2149.
Bill Grimes can be reached at 217-347-7151, ext. 132, or at bill.grimes@effinghamdailynews.com
Local News
Related Photos
-
Kelly Willenborg, standing, gives Lakeland Rehabilitation & Health Care Center resident Helen Kibler an instrument to play during a music session that included more than a dozen Lakeland residents. Willenborg said music has extensive healing and rejuvenenating power.
-
With an array of iPods and accessories, Willenborg shows off what she's looking forward to seeing more of after next week's community iPod drive. Bill Grimes
Discussion
January 31, 2013
iPod drive to facilitate healing through music
- Local News
-
-
Drug Court gives grads second chance at life
Greg Evans has been arrested more times than he can remember, spent time in jail, and been a drug user for 25 years of his life. At the Effingham Area Drug Court Graduation Friday, he hoped to put all that behind him. "The only hope we have is here t
-
Street closure
The city of Effingham has announced the closing of North Pembroke Street from Park Hills Drive to North Avenue will continue today, May 15, to allow the installation of a new sewer line.
-
Illinois Senate approves medical marijuana bill
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn must decide if he will sign a measure allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes after the state Senate approved legislation on Friday.
- Effingham County Engineers set facts straight on fracking A pair of petroleum engineers originally from Altamont told an Effingham County Board committee Thursday that hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, was much less dangerous than opponents make it appear. Fracking has been a point of contention in many st
- Yoder pleads not guilty to stabbing death A murder suspect pleaded not guilty Thursday to killing his roommate. Charles Douglas Yoder, who turned 52 Wednesday, entered his plea through Public Defender Lupita Thompson during a brief hearing Thursday in Effingham County Circuit Court. Yoder ha
-
Veteran returns to past war zone to celebrate triumph
When Marshall Taggart, 83, of Hazel Dell first went to South Korea in 1952, he didn’t think he was going to make it out alive.
- Teutopolis officials discuss village growth TEUTOPOLIS -- Teutopolis village officials engaged in a lengthy discussion Wednesday about the future of their community. "You can talk about economic development, but until you get young families moving here, the community is not going to grow," sai
-
Community turns to Franciscan decades after death
TEUTOPOLIS -- While Brother Simon Van Ackeren was only in Teutopolis a short time before his death from tuberculosis at age 20, local Catholic youth born decades after his death ask him for intercession. Lisa Siemer, the director of Christian educati
- Board looking to review study contract The effort to study the efficiency of the Effingham County Emergency Telephone (911) System is moving forward, even with questions on how the contract for it will be reviewed. After Tuesday's 911 Board meeting, Chairman Nick Althoff said Intertech As
-
May 16 street closure
The city of Effingham will be closing Kentucky Street from Maple to Mulberry for construction on Thursday, May 16.
- More Local News Headlines
-
