Applewood Pointe of Maple Grove Hosts Outdoor Singing
Seniors living at Applewood Pointe in Maple Grove at Arbor Lakes participate in a social distancing singing on Wednesdays. Retired Osseo Senior High instructors Sandy Munson, Dave Haedt and Dave Miller are leading the group as seniors sing from their balconies.
The sing along began as a way for new neighbors to meet each other at the new Applewood Pointe in Maple Grove. Residents had just started moving into the new facility in January, only a few months before the novel coronavirus pandemic changed life for seniors. Managers wanted to find a way for people to interact.
“The first idea was everybody go out on your balcony at 1 o’clock on Wednesday and wave to your neighbors. Which we did. And that lasted about three seconds. Then we thought wouldn’t it be kinda fun to have a sing-along from the balconies. And I kinda perked up my ears and I thought, yeah,” said former Osseo High School choir director Sandy Munson.
She recruited Dave Miller to play the trombone.
“We don’t get to practice together, so whatever comes out comes out,” said Dave Miller. “But it is a lot of fun and to be with the people out there and see your neighbors that we can’t normally get too close to. So I’m enjoying it. I can hear him practicing. He lives right above me.”
He, would be the keyboard player Dave Haedt. Turns out Munson taught at Osseo at the same time Haedt was teaching jazz band there.
“I said, did you move a keyboard with you? Do you own it? He went, “yes,” said Munson.
“I was able to set it up so I was in the proximity of everybody on my balcony. And it worked out great,” said Haedt.
The trio performs about three or four songs every Wednesday at 1 p.m., weather permitting. The musicians are energized by the number of people who show up for the music.
“Just been a fun ride, this last month with all of us. I think the residents are liking it because they’re even showing up in dreary, almost rainy days,” said Munson.
For another story on how senior living facilities are getting social in an era of social distancing, click here.
