| 5/4/2010 |
| Monarch Star Catchers Wow Audiences |
Walnut Cove, NC – With television shows like American Idol and Dancing with the Stars all the rage across the U.S., it’s no wonder that many have gotten the bug for performing live and watching live entertainment. Monarch’s Stokes Opportunity Center is no exception with their own fair share of talented individuals who love nothing more than to “ham it up” for a great audience. The Star Catchers, the performing arts arm of the Center’s compensatory education program (a community college program for adults with developmental disabilities), has performed to rave reviews all over the area. Excitement as a result of recent shows has the group taking bookings for appearances into the end of 2010.
Everyone knows that it takes a lot of nerve to perform in front of an audience. Perhaps the most inspirational aspect of the Star Catchers is the fact that group members have developmental and intellectual disabilities and have overcome many challenges and obstacles. Star Catchers members participate in Monarch’s vocational workshop program at Stokes Opportunity Center. Stokes provides ADVP (vocational opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities), CAP (community alternative programs which provide everyday skills assistance to adults with developmental disabilities), and supported employment services (assistance to help the people they support learn work skills, find a job, and perform their duties) as well as a compensatory education program.
The Star Catchers arts-based program encourages expression in a variety of areas. The group has performed in plays, singing groups, karaoke performances, drumming ensembles, hand bell groups, mandolin performances, and more. This year marks the second appearance for the group at the LEAF Festival in Black Mountain May 6-9, 2010. For more information, go to www.theleaf.com. The Star Catchers have also put on shows at state-wide community college conferences in Durham and Cary and have played to numerous audiences at Walnut Cove Masonic Lodge, schools, churches, civic groups, and local community events.
Cathy Long, Director at Monarch’s Stokes Opportunity Center, is thrilled with the way the program has evolved, “Our goal is to provide our folks with the best life possible. While we value our work highly, work is not the only part of life. We wanted to develop a program that would allow the people we support to explore other talents. One of our visiting artists said that ‘Art opens new worlds,’ and we have surely seen that happen.”
As part of the hands-on aspect of the program, the group also travels to many attractions such as Biltmore House in Asheville, the N.C. Museum of Natural History and Museum of Art in Raleigh, Independence Day in Washington, DC, Panther Stadium in Charlotte, and various locations where the group is able to experience culture and entertainment at its best. The travel aspect of the program provides group members with an opportunity to travel and even stay in hotels – an experience many of these individuals have never had.
Interested in having the Star Catchers perform an inspirational show for your
organization or at your event? Please contact Cathy Long at 336-591-5446 x 21
or chutchinson@monarchnc.org.
This exceptional Monarch program would not be possible without the support of the community. The Monarch arts-based program is made possible through a partnership with Forsyth Technical Community College. For more information on Forsyth Tech, please go to www.forsythtech.edu. The Stokes County Arts Council (SCAC) has hosted exhibitions of the student’s work. For more information on SCAC, please go to www.stokesarts.org.
Monarch provides support and resources to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental illness, and substance abuse issues throughout North Carolina. Monarch is a nonprofit and is an affiliated chapter of The Arc of North Carolina and The Arc of the United States. To learn more about how Monarch helps “dreams take flight” for people living in our communities, please call 1-800-230-7525 or visit online at www.MonarchNC.org.
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