Voices of the Village brings together adults with special needs

Published 11:52 pm Wednesday, July 2, 2008

ARLINGTON — Their goal is to have Voices of the Village invited to play at the Experience Music Project in Seattle and perhaps someday appear on Oprah Winfrey’s television talk show.

Even if those events never happen, however, Vicki Adams and Margaret McClure have found their passion.

Adams and McClure, both 54, are the volunteer managers of the Voices of the Village, a 16-member group of developmentally disabled adults who perform as a rock band throughout Snohomish County and the region.

Longtime friends, the women also are in charge of a music jam session on Fridays at Arlington United Church. And they serve on the board of directors of Village Community Services, an Arlington-based nonprofit agency that helps adults with special needs and sponsors the music programs.

At a recent jam session, Adams and McClure helped participants get settled while the guitars were tuned by professional musician Jon Dalgarn, who contracts with the agency to lead the session and the band.

When the music started, the volunteers joined the enthusiastic chorus and rhythm section by clapping along.

“Everybody here has challenges,” McClure said. “But when they play music, they get a chance to celebrate life, show their talents, work together on something creative and enjoy their friendships.”

The origin of the Village music program goes back several years, but it wasn’t until her own handicapped children participated that McClure got involved.

Initially McClure took a short respite each week while her children joined the jam session. Then she began to help out.

“At first I thought, ‘Isn’t this nice,’ and then it hit me that it was a such a fresh expression that it actually lifted me up. I had to tell Vicki,” McClure said.

And she did. The mothers knew each other because their children were involved in support programs at Village Community Services.

“Margaret kept bugging me. Finally I agreed to help with the jam session and I really fell in love with it all,” Adams said.

An Arlington native, Adams is the mother of two adopted handicapped sons, ages 40 and 43, whom she has cared for since they were both age 9.

“The motivation for my volunteer work is my sons,” Adams said. “Music is such a wonderful outlet for them.”

McClure moved to Arlington in 1998 with her husband and two handicapped children, now ages 27 and 23.

“Vicki and I got to know each other because we needed each other for support,” McClure said. “Who else in Arlington had handicapped kids and wanted to go out to eat? We’re very good tippers at the local restaurants.”

McClure and Adams and their husbands often socialize and take vacations together, but much of their time is spent on scheduling, promoting and raising money to keep Voices of the Village performing.

“At first we started bugging everybody we knew for gigs,” Adams said.

They contacted coffee shops, nursing homes, service clubs and festivals, and soon they were being asked to play, she said. The group even has received a little funding from the state Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

“A lot of people don’t get it until they’ve seen a performance,” Adams said. “And then they cheer for the band.”

The love and hugs Adams and McClure receive from jam session regulars and members of the band are plenty of reward for all the hard work, the women said.

“We do this because we know how much difference it makes in their lives,” Adams said.

Cindy Somers, the mother of one of the band members, has tears in her eyes when she talks about Adams and McClure.

“They are incredible ladies,” Somers said. “They have such hearts for these kids with special needs.”

McClure said she and Adams wouldn’t have it any other way.

“When I watch the Voices of the Village, I am worshipping in a cathedral of joy,” McClure said. “The world needs them more than they need the world.”

Reporter Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427 or gfiege@heraldnet.com.