Volunteer band “Pay it Forward,” a group that performs exclusively for nursing homes all over L.A., bring its nostalgic Christmas show to three Santa Monica nursing homes this Saturday, Dec. 10.
It is part of an effort that will see the band perform at 50 skilled nursing facilities between Dec. 3 and Christmas Day.
The three Santa Monica facilities enjoying the holiday gift are Good Shepherd Health Care, Seaport 17th Care, and Arbor View Rehabilitation and Wellness.
The unique band, with members aged 9 to 90, has more than 120 volunteer musicians and combines full time professional musicians, talented amateurs, and students.
The group will field as many as three jazz ensembles a day in order to meet their goal.
Its second band tomorrow will be deployed in the San Fernando Valley.
This is the band’s third year of providing Christmas joy to the people they feel need that joy the most.
Last year they performed their nostalgic concert of classic Christmas pop tunes made famous by Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, and others for 55 skilled nursing facilities.
The group said many of their favorite skilled nursing facilities are in Santa Monica, although it is impossible to get there as often as they like since there are about 350 skilled nursing facilities in Los Angeles County.
In addition to bringing joy to the patients the group’s mission is to remind people that everyone should be doing more and better for our elders, especially those in nursing homes.
