Meet David Dannenbaum, Our Featured Volunteer from Baltimore!
Get to know our volunteers!
Do you volunteer at a specific hospital? Yes, at the VA Hospital in Baltimore
How long have you been volunteering with Musicians On Call? About one year
Are you a Volunteer Guide or Volunteer Musician? Guide
What is your occupation outside of MOC? Business Management
What is your story? What connects you with music and why do you volunteer with MOC? “I’ve always been a music fan, especially going to live shows. I’ve tried picking up a few instruments over the years, but haven’t really had the patience to practice. I was looking for a way to use my passion for music to do more than just listen. I came across MOC in a Google search and it immediately spoke to me. Being a Guide was the perfect opportunity and it has been more than I could have expected.”
Has your life changed because of your experience with MOC? “Yes, dramatically. I joined MOC at a challenging time in my life. I was in the process of reinventing myself after the end of a 15 year career in retail. It was stressful. MOC contributed greatly in helping me ground myself so I could begin to rebuild that part of my life. It’s been an outstanding catalyst in helping me appreciate the small victories in life and gave me a great outlet for my passion, which was really necessary as my work life was in transformation.”
What is your favorite #MOCmoment? “Every visit is filled with great moments. Every patient that lets us come in and entertain them is a gift. So many patients are eager to hear the musician play, often singing along with a big smile. But one #MOCmoment that I really appreciate was when we entered a room of a man who was not so interested in the music and reluctantly agreed to let us play. He showed no obvious reaction. But after we finished, one of the nurses told us that she couldn’t believe how the patient was tapping his foot the whole time. She had never seen him do anything like that, and that the music obviously had a real impact. Only because she was so familiar with the patient was she able to notice. It’s a big lesson. In life we look for the obvious indicators, but sometimes it’s the small things that tell the biggest story.“
