At the Blooming Grove Center in Lords Grove, Pennsylvania, about a dozen senior citizens sing in unison Louis Armstrong’s song “When the Saints Go Marching In.” The musical group is called the Uku Ladies and Gents.
With their ukuleles in hand, the weekly seniors group comes together to practice and share their love for the four-string instrument.
“This group is the very best. It makes you feel like you are part of a family, not just a group of people playing ukulele,” said Martha Buzis, one of the Uku Ladies and Gents members.
Joan Edel, care manager supervisor at Pike County Area Agency on Aging, has been with the agency for about 15 years. Still, she’s never seen anything like the ukulele program.
“It used to be just the Uku ladies, but some gents wanted to join in,” said Joan Edel. “It’s the most inclusive group that I’ve ever seen at the senior center.”
Established in 2023 through a state grant, the Uku Ladies and Gents has been a tool to break social isolation amongst seniors and the broader northeast Pennsylvania community. The musical group has performed at church gatherings, senior centers, and holiday events.
While the state grant period has ended, Edel says the the ADRC Link program in Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties has stepped in to keep the program going. The weekly ukulele program has now expanded to the Lehman Community Outreach Center, Holly Senior Center, Morris Senior Center, and Blooming Grove Senior Center.
Todd Newman is the musical instructor for the Uku Ladies and Gents whose been giving ukulele lessons to the group for the past two years.
“My favorite part in teaching anything is when the light bulb moment happens when someone just can’t do it and all of a sudden they get it,” Newmans says, “But my favorite part is what you’re just experiencing here is just this community.”
Member Beth Massenet said she’d heard about the group through some friends of hers.
“ I hadn’t played my uku in a long time ’cause you’re just by yourself. And it was just, it’s like I found heaven. To come here and play with everybody, it’s heaven,” said member Beth Massenet.
Another member Richard Herbert said he had never picked up an instrument before in his life. “I’ve enjoyed it so much. This is great fun… it’s like a family here, and we all support each other and it couldn’t be better.”
Image: The Uku Ladies and Gents in Blooming Grove Center in Lords Valley, PA (Photo Credit: Kimberly Izar)
Kimberly Izar is a great interviewer. She made it very easy to open up. Thank you Kimberly and thank to all the members of these group Ukeladies and Gents and thank you Professor Tad you are a great teacher and wonderful human being thanks to Blooming Grove Center Lana for getting the grant.
I will be back in Hemlock Farms next week. I have a tenor and baritone Ike’s and a tenor guitar tuned to baritone Ike. I would love to join your group.