Choir brings intergenerational understanding and a lot of laughs

While young people often perform for senior citizens, you rarely see senior citizens perform for school-age kids. And even rarer is a choir of seniors that instigates sing-alongs and dance parties when they do perform. But, the choir from Waterford at Harwood Groves does all that and more.

This lively group of residents and employees, ranging in age from 28 to 98 years old, began singing together in the fall of 2010. Since then they have performed in area schools, other retirement communities, and for a local Kiwanis club.

The choir is directed by Dawn Papenfuss, whose mother is a Waterford resident. After agreeing to lead the choir, Papenfuss, the music director at St. John’s Lutheran Church, recruited her good friend Suzanne Schultz, an elementary music teacher, as co-director.

“Suzanne is incredibly talented. She knows choreography, and together we just try to keep everybody active and let them use their gifts,” Papenfuss said.

According to choir member and Waterford resident Phyllis Dowdell, the choir is a gift to its members as well. “It has been a great addition to the community, not just for me but for others who have been less active. When we sing, we all go back to where we knew that music.”

Nancy Thorndal agreed. “There’s something about being in a choir that changes your life. We have so much fun,” the 81-yearold said.

The choir developed two shows last year, Love through the Ages, consisting of Broadway show tunes that tell the story of love, and another show that included a song from each decade of the 20th century.

“We just try to choose music that we love,” said Papenfuss.

Thorndal said songs she was initially hesitant about become their best numbers, including her favorite, “Mamma Mia.” She also enjoyed singing a selection from “Annie” to a group of elementary students. “Many of the girls had been in the Trollwood performance [of “Annie”], and you could see their eyes lighting up, and then they sang along.”

Dowdell and her husband Tom have always been involved in music, and he, too, sings in the choir. Married 60 years, the two sang a duet as part of the Love through the Ages show. In one performance, after closing their duet with a “fairly passionate kiss,” Phyllis improvised in the next number.

“Tom had another duet with another woman, and when he kissed her on the cheek at the end of the song, I stood up, put my hand on my hip and said, ‘Now, wait just a minute!’”

That impromptu addition brought down the house of high school students and exemplifies the spirit and energy of this group.

“People have gifts to give to others at any age. This choir is as much about building community and having fun as it is about singing. Truthfully, this is the most fun I’ve ever had as a volunteer,” said Papenfuss. [AWM]

For more information about the Waterford choir, contact Waterford Life Enrichment/Wellness director Mary Tvedt at (701) 476-1200. To learn more about Waterford at Harwood Groves, visit WaterfordFargo.com. Waterford is a part of the Touchmark communities and will be changing its name to Touchmark later this year.