Giving Voice Rural Initiative Welcomes
Five New Communities

Giving Voice is excited to announce that five new communities have been selected to join the Rural Initiative and will launch dementia-friendly choruses in 2026. These new choruses will expand opportunities for people living with dementia, their care partners, and community members to experience the joy and connection of singing together.

The newly funded communities are:

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• Brainerd, MN

• Ely, MN

• Northfield, MN

• Red Wing, MN

• Superior, WI

 

The five communities were awarded funding in 2025 and will begin rehearsals and performances throughout 2026.

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Joining a Growing Network of Rural Choruses

These new communities will join the four Wisconsin choruses funded earlier in 2025:

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• Melody Lane Singers – Ashland, WI

• Northern Lights Choir – Shell Lake, WI

• The Forget-Me-Nots – Black River Falls (Jackson County), WI

• Vibrant Voices – Menomonie, WI

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Together, the nine choirs will create welcoming spaces where people living with dementia, their care partners and members of the community can come together to sing, laugh, and build community. Singing together not only brings joy but also helps reduce isolation and strengthen connections for everyone involved.

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Celebrating Our Choirs: Stories, Articles, 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).

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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About the Giving Voice Rural Initiative

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The Rural Initiative increases opportunities for communities across Minnesota and Wisconsin to create dementia-friendly choruses where none currently exist. Through seed funding, training, resources, and mentorship, Giving Voice supports local organizations as they design, launch, and sustain their choirs. Together, we are building a movement that celebrates music, connection, and joy for people living with dementia, their care partners, and their communities.