Meet Brooke Diaz, our featured volunteer from Denver!
Get to know our volunteers!
Do you volunteer at a specific hospital? I volunteer at the VA of Denver
How long have you been volunteering with Musicians On Call? One year
Are you a Volunteer Guide or Volunteer Musician? Guide
What is your occupation outside of MOC? Director of NE Promotion for Big Machine Records
Do you have any hidden talents? I can pick up pens/clothes from the floor with my toes. Gross — I know.
What is your story? What connects you with music and why do you volunteer with MOC? Music has ALWAYS moved me and spoke to me — at every point in my life/every crossroads/every hardship there has always been a song that has managed to get me through. Even know — if a certain song comes on — it sends me right back to the moment that it helped me get through. That is why I wanted to do MOC — because music has helped me heal and grow my entire life. I work in the music business trying to connect songs to listeners through radio — and why I volunteer for Veterans — if I can help one get through another day/another surgery/another moment…it’s a good day.
What makes MOC different from your other volunteer experiences? The music. I have volunteered at a lot of different organizations, but this puts the music first and lets the music do the healing and make magic.
Has your life changed because of your experience with MOC? I have had a really intense year with travel/busy schedule. But — as tired as I am or as crazed my life is — the days/nights I get to volunteer with MOC make me realize that what I do matters to people every day. Music heals people at all stages of their life, and if I can just be one part of that — it makes the work/exhaustion worth it.
What is your favorite #MOCmoment? My favorite moment came just last month when my musician was performing and our patient had a harmonica — and he decided to play along with him. It turned into this 15 minute jam session that I got to sit and watch. He hadn’t played his harmonica in a long time and had just gotten a new one — and while it was difficult to play/running out of breath — I could see him smiling through and just playing along. It was a great moment — a magical moment — I will never forget.
