Why Good morning, Community Living Toronto.

I suppose since this is my first post regarding the service learning project, I would have to thank my group members Erin, Scott, and Brian for the excellent morning of music and interaction I had with the people at Community Living Toronto! At first we were quite apprehensive about the entire project, since we didn't know how many people we would be working with, and although we had been told that we would be working with people with disabilities, we didn't know how to cater to their needs in respect to their cognitive impairments. The most challenging part was in trying to come up with a plan that would help establish a fun and enjoyable atmosphere for everyone. However, our initial anxieties quickly subsided because as we entered the facility, Community Living Toronto, we were warmly greeted by a student volunteer who showed us the available supplies which we could use for our music workshop as well as the parameters of the facility we would be using. For the workshop, we did karaoke which was really simple in format, and involved everyone. We ran through songs including Beatles hits such as "Hey Jude" and "Yellow Submarine." Overall, the experience was really quite enjoyable,and as we progressed to more challenging pursuits such as singing the words instead of just listening to the song, the crowd grew increasingly energetic and enthusiastic about the whole approach to music. Some got up and danced freely on their feet, and couples even waltzed in duple time to our song selection. Somehow, we had transformed the once barren room save for a few chairs lying around to a place bustling with activity, reminiscent of the street parties that are infamous for loud music and uninhibited people, freely expressing themselves in a manner appropriate to the occasion. I hope I speak for the members of my group and for the participants of the workshop when I say that it was a memorable experience, and one that I will look forward to participating again in the near future.