On Friday, Averett University students were dancing around with maracas and drums with the residents of 2526 North Main Street.
But this was not a college party ? they were simply joining in with the rest of the people at Roman Eagle Memorial Home.
In honor of Grandparent?s Day on Sunday, Connie Ralston came to Roman Eagle to show off her ?world rhythm workshop? to the residents. Several members of the Averett softball team just came to join the fun.
For the past 13 years, Ralston, who lives in Newport News, brings dozens of Djembe drums and holds a ?workshop? for elderly people. However, there is not a lot of work involved.
Residents at Roman Eagle shook maracas, sang and got to play the drums. The rhythm is supposed to be therapeutic even for people who have arthritis.
?Rhythm is inside everyone,? said Ralston.
It was inside resident Ruby Walker. Half way into the event, Walker had enough of her wheelchair and decided to get up and dance with the rest of the students. Resident Thomas Watkins also enjoyed the event. He got to play a conga drum after some instruction from Averett sophomore Kelsee Grant.
For Ralston, teaching people to play conga drums is not just a side job ? it?s personal. When she was a child, she suffered from polio paralyzing the right side of her body.
?I know what it?s like being trapped in a body that doesn?t do what you want it to all the time,? said Ralston.
While she was still in braces from the polio, she saw legendary mime and silent movie actor Marcel Marceau perform to a group of children who suffered from the crippling disease. The event inspired her to be able to teach movements and vibrations. Even though she couldn?t use her body as it was, she could still use it.
As an adult she learned about the power of vibration through playing the drums. She joined a drum-playing band of other women, Beleza, which plays native music from around the world.
The music is especially therapeutic for elderly people, she said, which is an underserved part of society.
?The best part is watching the faces change,? said Ralston. ?Even if they have trouble drumming.?
Before leaving, one resident stopped Ralston and thanked her for stopping by Roman Eagle.
?We never had nothing like that here before,? said the resident.
The Averett softball team came on board as part of community service. Assistant softball coach Emily Atkinson has volunteered there before and thought it would be a good experience for the young women, who returned on Saturday.
?We like to bring in young people with the elderly people any time we can,? said Brenda Walker, Roman Eagle?s activities coordinator. ?A lot of times people will come in and say ?this isn?t what I expected at all.??
Ralston said a lot of elderly people are not taken care of as well as the residents of Roman Eagle, so she considers her work as part of a service to people that truly need it.
?My grandma and grandpa died, so I have to adopt more,? said Ralston.
Roman Eagle tries to do something special for every Grandparent?s Day, since so many of the residents are grandparents. Some of the residents? family members were on hand to see the drum workshop and joined in themselves ? exemplifying that some experiences fit all age groups.
?You got to challenge yourself or you don?t feel alive,? Ralston said.
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