Bringing Healing Rhythm to Seniors’ Lives through Percussion Instruments!
Heart for Music was thrilled to partner with Long & McQuade for a BC-wide Percussion Instrument Drive that began on August 1st, 2025. We invited our community to donate gently used percussion instruments, such as tambourines, shakers, and hand drums, which were distributed to not-for-profit care homes across BC.
These instruments enhanced music programming for seniors, offering joy, connection, and creative expression. Long & McQuade generously opened their BC store locations to accept gently used percussion instrument donations. Together, we helped make music equipment accessible for seniors across British Columbia.
Drum & Decorate Worshop
As a part of our instrument drive, we held a Drum & Decorate workshop event at L&M Vancouver in August, where we met with the community to celebrate this Drive.
We decorated shakers for seniors in care, gathered together for a Drum Circle, and connected over an enjoyment for music and a passion for seniors.
Special thanks to the lovely staff at Long & McQuade Vancouver and to Rhonda Bruce at Balanced ~ Energy ~ Wellness for making this possible, and our generous community for helping us leave with a box full of donations for our drive!
Instrument drive
“The important thing is to feel your music, really feel it and believe it.”
~ Ray Charles
We’re deeply grateful to everyone who looked through their instruments and chose to give during our Used Percussion Instrument Drive. Already two care homes are lined up to receive a bin full of instruments in Vancouver and Langford.
Heart for Music would like to express our thanks to Long & McQuade for opening many of their BC stores to host our Used Percussion Instrument Drive and for supporting our recent in-person workshop for seniors in care. Your donations are making a real difference in the lives of local seniors who often face isolation and have limited resources. Thanks to their support, we received four bins full of 100 instruments that will be donated to local care homes, and the 200 egg shakers gifted to Heart for Music. Seniors in not-for-profit care homes now have more opportunities to engage in hands-on music-making. These instruments are resources for care homes, but they’re also tools for music therapy, to bring comfort, and shared joy. We are so thankful for their help organizing and helping us to set-up this campaign. We’re deeply grateful for Long & McQuade’s support in helping us expand this impact through the power of music.
