I have lived in Cuyahoga County all of my life. I now reside in Parma, a suburb of Cleveland.

My wife and I attended an elderhostel in Georgia in April 2002. The topic was Appalachian Music and the featured instrument was the mountain dulcimer. I was delighted by the beautiful sound of the dulcimer and I thought that I could use it in my work as a hospice volunteer. The director of the elderhostel told me about a small shop in North Carolina where I could buy a good instrument.On our way back to Ohio we found the store. The salesman showed us several instruments and he assured me that I could easily learn how to play it. Knowing nothing about dulcimers, I selected one that was engraved with humming birds because I like humming birds. Lucky for me, it has a sweet soft tone and sounds like a harp when fingerpicked.I practiced with the book that was given me with the dulcimer and I found some helpful material in the library.

About five months later I met Colleen Chittum who gave me a few lessons and invited me to join the Wayne County Dulcimer Club. A few months later I met Vici who invited me to join the Mixed-Up Strings. With the help of these two groups I began to make some progress with the dulcimer.

The mountain dulcimer has turned out to be an excellent tool in my volunteer work at the Seasons Of Life Hospice in Parma. The Hospice has a modern facility with 10 private rooms for hospice patients. I visit patients there on Wednesdays.I see patients respond to the music I play by moving their toes or tapping their fingers to keep time with the rhythm. Sometimes they just close their eyes and lie back on their pillows.

I went into the room of a male hospice patient. His wife happened to be visiting him at that time. They told me about their life together and it seemed like a good life. They were very much in love with each other. I played some tunes for them and then I began to play "You Are My Sunshine." The lady rose from her chair, walked over to her husband's chair and knelt down in front of him. She then put her arms around him and held him ever so tightly. He lowered his head so that it was resting on her head. I continued to play "You Are My Sunshine." After a few minutes the lady returned to her chair. When I left the room she followed me and said to me, "This has been the highlight of my week."

I played for a lady who appeared to be sleeping in a chair in the Great room. Her daughter was with her. After a few tunes she opened her eyes and stared out of the window. Slowly she turned her head toward me until she was looking directly at me. Then she smiled. She didn't say a word. She just kept smiling.

On a different day I visited another male patient. He seemed to be sleeping in bed. His wife was there so I decided to play some tunes for her. Her hand was resting on the bed. She seemed very sad when she told me about her life with her husband. She said that he called her "Pest" especially when she wanted to get something done around the house. I felt sorry for her but I didn't know what to say. I played some tunes for her. Her husband may have been listening to what she said because he moved his hand so that it touched hers. She was completely surprised and she shouted to me, "He touched me. He must love me. He must really love me." The following day was a good day for them. They spent time talking and enjoying each other's company. A few days later he died.

The sweet voice of the mountain dulcimer can make beautiful things happen.