It is rare that I share ultra-personal information when it comes to running our organization, but I have just been reflecting upon something very important and dear to my heart.  I can't help but think that my late father, Dan Schram - a professional pianist, vocalist, and guitarist - is somehow watching over IoH with a proud heart.  I don't say this merely because he is a doting dad.  It goes much deeper than that.  It is because he has seen life from the perspective of some of our program participants.  He was a peer. 

In 1969, when my dad was 19 years old, he was hospitalized for two and a half years at a state psychiatric hospital in New York.  He had experienced a drug-induced psychosis from a bad LSD trip and was displaying violent behavior.   I can picture him there, without the things he loved and valued.  He was a musician at heart and was probably lost without his instruments and music.  

I feel like my dad would have such an appreciation for the amazing gift we bring people when we bring our instruments and music into state hospitals and other facilities.  If IoH had the luxury of going back in time to 1969 and could bring our instruments - especially our guitars and keyboards - into the hospital in New York where my dad was, I know he would have absolutely lit that place up!  He would have played for all the other patients, and had everyone singing along with him.  The musical experience would have brought HIM so much wellness, joy, and self-confidence.  The patients and staff would have had a different perception of him as being a huge talent, instead of a quirky patient who liked to roam the halls barefoot.  The whole experience would have brought a lot of happiness and healing into the facility.  It is amazing how one positive musical experience can transform the people it affects in so many ways!  

I think somewhere out there, my dad knows that every person IoH helps could have just as easily been him.  And he is proud that we are helping them in their recovery through the use of music.  I picture that young, scared 19 year-old dad, hospitalized - but full of potential.  He ended up being more than his illness, making a successful recovery, and using music as a wellness tool - to a point that it eventually became his career.  While I don't expect most of our participants to become professional musicians, I would love them to follow in my dad's great legacy, and learn to use music as a wellness tool in order to help them be successful in their recovery.  

Wherever he may be, I'd like to thank my dad for passing on his gift and love of music - for being a shining example of a successful person in recovery - for his support and love, now and always - and for watching over IoH with a proud heart.  As IoH continues to carry out our mission of using music to motivate peers in their recovery, may you and your story ever inspire us to "make each day count", because the people we serve are "worth it"! 

IoH is thrilled to announce that we hit exactly half our annual fundraising goal, bringing in $2500 during our 2014 Online Silent Auction & Donation Campaign that took place between Black Friday, Nov 28th, through December 31st!  We would like to wholeheartedly thank all who participated, including the people and businesses which contributed the items auctioned.  IoH would like to give a special thank you to a particular donor, Mr. Loren Lewallen, who gave IoH our largest donation to date, along with a corporate match from his workplace.   

We had a blast collecting and preparing the items for auction.  The process of getting an auction together is not an easy one, but having such great donations to the auction made it easier, and having our Board pitch in was just phenomenal!  Although things were not quite smooth with PayPal, the platform we used - 32auctions.com - was very thorough and easy to use from an administrative standpoint.  It helped our auction run as smooth as it did.  However, some people who had trouble with payment will be glad to know that if we do another auction, we will look into using a different platform for that reason.    

IoH is indeed exploring the possibility of conducting another auction in the Spring.  Other possibilities are in the works as well, though, as we gear up for Part 2 of FY15 fundraising (it is part of our strategic plan to hold 2 fundraisers per year as we start up).  Look out for our announcements and various forms of social media advertising  -  coming up!

In a sweet turn of events for IoH's July calendar, we were asked to headline the closing ceremonies for the "Rock Star Youth Track" of the 2014 Georgetown University Training Institutes.  Held at the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center at the National Harbor, this massive conference ended on a high note for the youth involved, who hailed from all over the country.   They displayed their multitude of talents for each other - supporting one another in their performances, showing spirit and camaraderie as the future of mental health consumer advocacy.  It was so refreshing to see this young creativity at work, watching the evening unfold as more and more people signed up to perform.  There ended up being such an abundance of people who wanted to perform that we had to extend the event past the original time to fit everyone in!

This was a real learning experience for IoH.  The event was very different from others we have done before.  Andy and Sabrina stayed hands-off as performers, and the whole program was performances by the youth.  Most of them had songs in mind that they wanted to perform which were not on our list.  Some had rap or original songs that they wanted to perform.  Others wanted a dance number thrown in here or there (see the amazing Wobble Dance above!).  These were almost all achieved by plugging cell phones in to our PA system and playing the music already on the phones or from youtube for the performances.  While this was not completely new to us (we have done this for people who have rapped in our programs before), we have never used cell phones so heavily as a tool before. It becomes much like karaoke or DJing, which are other potential ways to expand on helping people through music.  It definitely gives us some ideas of new ways and modalities of reaching people.  Also, as IoH grows larger and larger, we are becoming much more of a hands-off program for us as facilitators.  The program is more and more featuring and showcasing our participants, as people start feeling comfortable with the spotlight, knowing they are surrounded by the support of their peers.   

Of course, as you can see, there were also people at this program who went classic IoH style, using our instruments - and used them beautifully.  So much talent!  We had folks singing memorized songs on guitar & piano - jamming together along with drums.  And a few people sang their songs completely a capella.  We were just endlessly impressed.  

Please check out the full spread from this event on the website at:  
http://www.instrumentsofhealing.org/georgetown-university-training-institutes-2014---rock-star-youth-track.html

IoH turned over a new leaf in its ability to help people to heal through the power of music this past Saturday, as we visited St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington D.C., visiting the intensive care area.  As we played the music that moved and grooved the people in care, we watched people transform before our very eyes into animated, involved participants in our program.  People who came in with a frown or a distant sad look, left with smiles on their faces!
         
             The program opened up with a rousing version of  "My Country 'Tis of Thee" led by a patriotic participant.  Sabrina then led everyone in Michael Jackson's inspirational "Man in the Mirror"....and it was off to the races!  
  
            Three of our participants who had brought their own instruments then taught others to play who signed up to try instruments.  One shy participant got to play the drums, and shared how it brought back memories of his childhood when he used to play the drums.  People were happy and excited to get the chance to try out the instruments, and seemed to really enjoy the experience.    
          
          Many folks were thrilled to get a chance to come up to the microphone and sing some fun and energizing songs.  Several participants made a collaborative effort, singing their favorite songs together.  This visit saw a lot of bonding and joining together over music.  The grande finale had just about everyone in the room one their feet, up by the stage, and standing in a semi-circle as we joined together in singing "Lean On Me".   It was a very moving moment for everyone involved.

          This visit to St. Elizabeth's truly confirms what IoH has known all along - that music has the power to transform people.  The shyest of people come out of their shells, people who almost never talk suddenly pick up a microphone and sing, people who have never had the chance to give of themselves teach others, and everyone supports their peers, always without judgment.   Most of all, those who almost never smile, have something to smile about.  Music makes us smile.  Music brings joy into our worlds, when we experience it from the inside out.   And THAT is what IoH is about.  The musical experience from the inside out!


         IoH would like to thank the people who made this day possible.  First, thank you to Iden Campbell McCollum and The Campbell Center for generously funding this event and partnering to make this happen.  Thank you to Katrina Carter, Director of Consumer Affairs and Kate Stanley, Music Therapist, both at St. E's, for being so helpful in setting this up, leading up to and during the program.  Thank you to Allen Sweatt, who volunteered to help us with our technical set up before the program.  Finally, thank you to our volunteer, Esther Whitlock, who played and taught keyboards at the program, and shared her incredible talents with all.  Your duets with Andy rocked the house, Esther!


        Stay tuned to read about our program at the Eastern Shore Hospital Center in Maryland....where we will be in July!!!!   Until then.....keep rockin'!!!