I have known Ms. Holliday for a long time. My two children used to perform and volunteer with the Tacy Foundation, recording CDs to send to hospitals. My daughter has now graduated from college. At that time, there were probably only two or three senior homes or hospitals where we could volunteer.
Over the past 10 years, the Tacy Foundation has grown so much. Although I left the Foundation more than 10 years ago, Ms. Holliday has continued working there, and the number of volunteer sites has kept increasing. I am truly inspired by her dedication.
This year, I originally planned to bring my students to volunteer for a holiday recital. When Rouen Lane/Eden Homes of Potomac, a new senior home, opened, I felt it was the right time for me to give back to the community again, so I volunteered to be a supervisor.
On Dec. 13, we brought Christmas music to the senior home. When my students began playing, the seniors sang along to every song and kept saying, “Nice.” It was such a warm and amazing moment. I was deeply touched hearing them sing.
After the performance, all of my students said they want to come back. The seniors’ encouragement — even just a simple word — made a huge impact on my students. I never expected this at the beginning. What an amazing performance to wrap up the year!
