The “Pay it Forward†Volunteer Band, an organization that performs exclusively for nursing homes all over Los Angeles, honors veterans today by bringing their nostalgic music show to two Veteran skilled nursing facilities on the Westside. Their 10:30 a.m. show is at the State’s CalVet facility, which opened just last year. A 1:30 p.m. show will be at the VA “Home for Heroes†facility in the West LA Healthcare Center.
While the one-of-a-kind volunteer band has performed more than 250 shows for skilled nursing facilities all over Los Angeles County since starting in March of 2010, special attention has always been given to the veterans nursing home facilities where you find many vets who participated in the legendary battles of WWII and the Korean war. Nine year old Jessica Belkin, the band’s most requested performer, is the featured singer.
Today the organization of more than 100 musicians and volunteers fields a larger than normal 11 person ensemble performing music that has been specifically requested by the veterans themselves. The show will include WWII era swing and big band tunes, country, R&B, oldie rock and roll and more. “The older patients get first dibs on the tunes, though, because they are the primary reason we
started this organization†, said a band spokesman. “To the patients with Alzheimers and Dementia our shows are also a special kind of therapy†.
Musicians and others who would like to join this unique organization in bringing joy to people who need that joy most can call their 7 a.m to midnight seven days a week number, (213) 388-8500.