Virtual Connections Hosts Holiday Concert
On a chilly winter night, a Zoom meeting brought music and cheer to houses across Long Island and beyond as part of the Virtual Connections Holiday Concert, with family, friends, and staff members in attendance.
Twice a week, friends log onto Zoom to connect, talk, and sing as part of Virtual Connections. Attendees look forward to this online meetup, as it’s a chance to maintain friendships that blossomed online during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The meetings and concerts are entirely led by friends who met through Camp Loyaltown and other services.
“We discuss the songs and play different songs,” said Michelle Rudoff, a member of Virtual Connections and Quality Assurance Trainer. “It’s a family atmosphere. We come on. We talk about each other’s day. If someone has a problem and if they feel comfortable talking about what’s upsetting them, we listen.”
For this concert, singers practiced for weeks. They chose the song they’d like to perform and practiced together during Virtual Connections meetings.
During the Holiday Concert, attendees took turns singing. The song line-up included “Frosty the Snowman,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” In addition to joyfully singing, everyone laughed the whole evening as they made jokes, including saying “Santa Claus has left town.”
Among the members of Virtual Connections is Jeri Lynn Passarella, who attends Camp Loyaltown and enjoys getting dressed up to sing with her friends during concerts. During the Fall Concert, Jeri wore Minnie Mouse ears to sing the “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” theme song.
“She knows everyone, and she’s been with them since the beginning, during the pandemic,” Jeri-Lynn’s mother, Carolyn, said. “She just loves it. She sits there from 7:30 to 9 o’clock. She’s interacting with them. She’s dancing in her chair. It’s really good.”
The singers also dedicated “Christmas in Heaven” by Scotty McCreery to Paul Cullen, the former Camp Loyaltown director who passed away in November. It was a heartfelt moment to remember a man who made a profound difference in the community.
Originally, Virtual Connections was a service led by Camp Loyaltown staff during the pandemic. Since then, it has transformed into a self-advocate-led music class and social club. Together, Virtual Connections attendees raised $1,200 to fight food insecurity on Long Island while providing support for one another.
To learn more about Virtual Connections and how to get involved, email Michelle Rudoff at mrudoff@ahrc.org.