Giving Voice Rural Initiative

The Giving Voice Rural Initiative partners with rural communities across Minnesota and Wisconsin to launch dementia-friendly community choirs. Together, local organizations, volunteers, and music leaders create welcoming places where people living with dementia, care partners, family members, and community singers experience joy, connection, purpose, and belonging through music.
 

Growing Across Minnesota and Wisconsin
The Giving Voice Rural Initiative continues to expand, with new communities preparing to launch choirs while existing choirs continue to grow and welcome new singers.
 

Launching Fall 2026
These communities are preparing to begin rehearsals and performances during Fall 2026.

• Fergus Falls, MN - Voices Rise

• Hurley, WI - Harmony on Silver

• Owatonna, MN - Timeless Voices

• Red Wing, MN – Legacy Choir

• Richland Center, WI - Harmony and Hope Choir

• River Falls, WI - Side by Side Memory Choir

• Sheboygan, WI - Jackie L. Herrick Dementia-Friendly Choir

Now Singing

These communities have successfully launched dementia-friendly choirs through the Giving Voice Rural Initiative and continue to welcome new singers, volunteers, and community supporters.

• Ashland, WI – Melody Lane Singers

• Black River Falls, WI – The Forget-Me-Nots

• Brainerd, MN – Still We Sing

• Ely, MN – The Unforgettables

• Menomonie, WI – Vibrant Voices

• Northfield, MN – Lifting Voices

• Shell Lake, WI – Northern Lights Choir

• Superior, WI – Voices of Lake Superior

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Choir Stories, News, and Videos

Melody Lane Singers – Ashland, WI

• Bottom Line News & Views feature introducing the Melody Lane Singers and their community vision (Sept 2025).

• Ashland Daily Press article covering the choir’s first public performance (Nov 2025).

• Fall 2025 Concert Video: Experience the Melody Lane Singers’ inaugural performance and see how a dementia-friendly choir brings joy and connection to the Chequamegon Bay community.

• Wisconsin Public Radio Interview: Explore how memory choirs create community, belonging, and joy through singing together. The conversation highlights the choir’s inclusive approach and the power of music for people living with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s (Dec 2025).

 

Lifting Voices – Northfield, MN

• KYMN Radio interview featuring choir leaders Kristin Kivell and Gail Alman, highlighting the launch of Lifting Voices and how a dementia-friendly choir fosters connection, joy, and belonging through singing together (Dec 2025).
   

Northern Lights Choir – Shell Lake, WI

• Spooner Advocate story exploring the origins of the Northern Lights Choir and the personal story behind it (Sept 2025).

Vibrant Voices – Menomonie, WI

• Menomonie News Net profile highlighting the launch of Vibrant Voices (Sept 2025).

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