Meet Kathy McMinn, Our Featured Volunteer from Boston!
Get to know our volunteers!
Do you volunteer at a specific hospital? I volunteer at Tufts Floating Hospital for Children
How long have you been volunteering with Musicians On Call? I have been volunteering for one year
Are you a volunteer guide or musician? Musician
What is your favorite song to play for patients? Whatever the patient asks for at the time
Have you ever been part of an impromptu jam session with patients or family in a hospital room? Yes, I love when everyone in the room sings and dances.
Do you perform anywhere else besides with MOC? I sing with Sippican Chorus.
What is your occupation outside of MOC? I am a retired music teacher and direct three youth choruses at Indian Hill Music School.
Do you have any hidden talents? I like making things with my hands. I like to watercolor, make stained glass and knit. I can also whistle with two fingers loud enough to stop a room full of elementary kids in their tracks!
What is your story? What connects you with music and why do you volunteer with MOC? I always say that a musician doesn’t choose music, it chooses them. A musician can no sooner stop making music than stop breathing. It’s part of the fabric of who we are. When I can share that with another person and it enriches their life in some way, the pay back is enormous. I volunteer with MOC because I have witnessed time and time again the healing impact music has. It may, in fact be the best homeopathic healer there is.
What makes MOC different from your other volunteer experiences? Singing bedside is a very personal experience. Each room has a different patient with very different needs. The families are often present and deciding what the best song will be is both challenging and rewarding. I love the intimacy of the experience.
Has your life changed because of your experience with Musicians On Call? Yes. I have come to recognize that I can share my gift in a way that has an immediate impact on another person and that I can become part of that person’s healing process.
What is your favorite #MOCmoment? There are so many. I love that I was able to pick a song that had a very deep and personal meaning to one dad and his daughter without even realizing it at the time. I love that I had a whole room singing and dancing with me, including the nurse who danced in from the hallway. I love that sweet moment when an exhausted mom and a fretful baby relaxed and listened to a lullaby. I love that by singing “Let It Go” I could distract a child long enough for the nurse to administer their meds. Each moment is special.
