On February 4, 2009, Peggy McClusky, grant chairperson, and the trustees of the Monroe Area Community Foundation approved a $500 grant to Mount Pleasant Retirement Village in order to support their purchase of a carillon.  A digital musical instrument, the carillon features the sounds of real cast bronze bells.  It has more than 400 pre-recorded songs and is to be played for memorial and church services , holiday seasonal songs,  and hourly basis chiming or other time increments.

Since music is proven to enrich social, emotional, and mental well-being for older adults, the purchase of the carillon is seen as a means for  Mount Pleasant to meet these  goals. There is also a known correlation between improvements in mental function and decreases in confusion for older adults with forms of dementia who listen to familiar songs and music from their life.  An added enhancement is that the lives of community members who have family and friends living at Mount Pleasant, as well as those that live within close proximity of the retirement community will be enhanced by the carillon's music.

To find out more about how your organization or club can apply for a grant from the Monroe Area Community Foundation, go to www.monroefoundation.com or call Peggy McClusky at  539-9406,  Ron Tubbs at 513-320-3674 or Gloria Miltenberger at 513-633-7672