Sheboygan’s senior-based community center has received grant funding.
The Friends of Uptown Social have shared that they have received a $5,000 grant from Giving Voice to launch the Janet L. Herrick Dementia-Friendly Choir, an inclusive program designed for individuals with memory loss.
The choir will be led by Music Director Carra-Lyn Conger, a recently retired educator with years of experience as a music teacher in the Sheboygan Area School District.
Emily Rendall-Araujo, Director of Senior Services for the City of Sheboygan, will also accompany the choir on piano.
On the choir, Rendall-Araujo noted, “This program reflects the heart of our community. We want individuals with memory loss, their loved ones, and anyone who loves to sing to feel fully included.”
Participation in the choir will be free of charge an no diagnosis of memory loss is required, however, community members, care partners, and individuals living with dementia are all encouraged to join.
Rehearsals will be held at Uptown Social on Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. from September 10th through November 19th, culminating in a free community concert on November 20th.
The choir is named after Janet L. Herrick, a longtime music and choral professor at Lakeland University, who passed away in 2025 from complications related to dementia.
