Merakey's Bandstand Bash was a Smash!
The Virtual Merakey Bandstand Bash was held on August 13 through Zoom! The event brought together hundreds of individuals supported by Merakey IDD, staff members, sponsors and others - from across the country - for a night of dancing, trivia, and FUN! The event was originally scheduled for June at Heinz Field but had to be postponed due to the pandemic, which gave us the opportunity to open it up to all of Merakey IDD, nationwide. Eric Burnett from Fireside Events hosted the Bash with help from Merakey’s Employment Services Supervisor DJ Joe “Electric” Ledrick. Throughout the event there were shoutouts and song requests from participants in numerous locations. The chat feature on Zoom helped everyone to stay connected and many were sending messages with song requests and notes to their friends all evening. DJ Joe Electric led two rounds of TV theme song trivia. Many dressed up in formal attire or costumes from their favorite decade and added to the fun by decorating their homes. Contests were held for Best Dressed, Best Decorations, and Best Food Display – check back next week for pictures of the winners.
Bash committee member Liz, who lives at Merakey’s Maratta home, had the following pre-event comment: “Thank you for considering something like this. It definitely gave us something to look forward to. I have been talking to the ladies in my house about it for a long time. We got up that morning and decorated. Everyone was pumped. This is not just a dance on Zoom…it’s more than that. It means something…it’s a light for us because we don’t do a lot right now. It puts our minds in a different mode. I’m excited just thinking about it.” “If ever there was a time to be re-inspired and reminded why we do what we do, it was during this event,” commented Hummelstown Campus Residential Services Manager Niki Ubaldi. “It was truly one of the best memories that I will hold onto. Thanks for all your hard work in providing such a special time for the individuals during such a trying time.”
A big THANK YOU to everyone who helped to make the Merakey Bandstand Bash possible!
