Adult care facilty beckons to musicians

Sisters residents who have a talent for music and a desire to share are welcome to spend some time at the Powell House, an adult care home in Sisters. The house is tucked away in a neighborhood beyond Sisters Elementary School and has been there for many years.

Sisters resident Susan Bird found out about the home when her daughter, now a senior at Sisters High School, was a Brownie. The girls would visit the residents at Christmas time and sing to them. Several years later, a friend went to visit the home, hoping it would suit his elderly mother. It did, and Bird had an idea that some music might liven things up a bit.

"I turned up with some friends, and we sang out of tune, but the residents loved it," she said.

Since then, with Bird coordinating the visits, the residents have been entertained by a guitar player, a harpist, a teenage cellist with blue hair and, most recently, an organist.

The organ was donated to the home by Sisters Community Church. Paul Rawlins is the head of outward ministries at the church, and Bird told him about the musical visits. His response was to mention that the old organ was in storage at the church and wouldn't it be nice to dust it off and get some joy from it again.

It fit into the house, and Roger Mackenstadt arrived to entertain with some tunes from the '30s and '40s.

"The residents all had big smiles on their faces," he said.

Bird is looking for more volunteers to play short sets of music of any style and on a variety of instruments.

Interested musicians can call her at 549-7139.