Are you looking for something a little different for your group or residence?
Would you like to sing along, have some fun, reminisce and experience a warm and refreshing performance?
Music can bring out the best in people of all ages. Patti Ecker provides distinctive, interactive programs and plays guitar, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, Irish Drum and even the musical spoons!
St. Paddy’s Day songs! MacNamara’s Band, Danny Boy, and an Irish lullaby or two. Plus, pub songs from The Emerald Isle and a tall tale about a wee Leprechaun and his pot of gold! With guitar and Irish drum.
Travel on the Red White and Blue Express! Train songs, like Wabash Cannonball, Freight Train and Railroad Bill are a rich part of our American heritage. Add some favorite patriotic songs like Yankee Doodle and You’re a Grand Old Flag and “All Aboard, America!” comes to life. With guitar, banjo and Irish drum.
Honoring our veterans with songs from American conflicts through history.
Sing away your blues! This program is just brimming with favorites--Blue Hawaii, Blue Skies, Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain, St, Louis Blues, Blues in the Night, Am I Blue? and many more classics. With guitar, banjo, mandolin and spoons.
Christmas sing - along favorites like Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls, Silent Night plus some Olde English gems. A story and/or Hanukkah songs available.
Aloha! Come along on a tropical tour of island melodies. Lovely Hula Hands, My Little Grass Shack, Yellow Bird, Pearly Shells and more. With tenor ukulele, guitar, mandolin.
Laissez les bons temps rouler! Come to the Carnival right at home with New Orleans favorites like Iko Iko, When the Saints Go Marching In, Just a Closer Walk With Thee, Jambalaya and many classics from the King of Jazz, Louis Armstrong. Guitar, banjo, mandolin.
Join Patti in a light-hearted journey to our region’s past titled, “Prairie Memories.” Patti will engage your group in a selection of sweet, funny and familiar folk songs. Sing along with spirited songs of America’s Pioneer yesteryears, like Oh, Susanna!, Wait for the Wagon, Blue Tail Fly and others. With guitar, banjo, Irish drum and spoons.
Let's hear it for the heartbreakers! Classic songs from Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Ethel Waters, Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, plus the original Red Hot Mama, Sophie Tucker. Songs include "Hard Hearted Hannah," "Lilli Marlene," "Some of These Days." "I Wanna Be Loved By You" and much more.
Award-winning performer Patti Ecker accompanies her expressive contralto voice with parlor guitar, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, Irish drum and often brings out the musical spoons for a special treat.
A veteran of concerts and cafes, Patti is also an artist-in-residence for the prestigious Old Town School of Folk Music’s elementary school outreach programs in Chicago. She provides a variety of performances for schools, museums, libraries and park districts around the Chicagoland area.
"Patti has been coming and entertaining our Reminiscence residents for just a short time, but it has grown into a wonderful event that our Assisted Living comes to now. Patti makes it very interactive--everyone gets a chance to be a part of the show. From touching and drumming drums to shaking the egg shakers to her songs, we all look forward to her being here. It has been a blast. Thank You Patti!!!!"
--Shannon Chrapkowski, Brighton Gardens of Orland Park
"Patti sang here at The Village at Victory Lakes for our St. Patrick's parties. I say parties (plural) because she spent the day with us. First performing at our Continuing Care in the morning, then off to Assisted Living in the afternoon and with enough steam left, she performed in our Independent Living in the evening. What energy and talent. We will be sure to have her back for some of her other programs."
-- Cathy L. Reilly
Life Enrichment Coordinator
Village At Victory Lakes
Lindenhurst, IL
"...charming!"
"I love your enthusiasm!"
"...a refreshing change from our usual programs!"
"... a true entertainer!"
-- Residents at The Holmstad, Batavia, IL
"Patti’s energy and enthusiasm pleases all ages."
--Renae Delles, Sunnymere
Alden Court in Bloomingdale
Alden Court Waterford
Alexian Village
Apostolic Christian Resthaven
Asbury Court
Asbury Gardens
Aurora Woman's Club
Batavia Woman's Club
Beacon Hill
Bethany Methodist Service Guild
Cedar Lake in Plainfield
Celebrate Senior (Christ Lutheran Church)
Delta Kappa Gamma
Des Plaines Woman’s Club
Dundee Township Library
Edgewater Beach Apartments
Edison Park Woman's Club
Elgin Woman's Club
Essington Place
Fox Valley Woodworkers
Brandel Care Center
Brighton Gardens of Orland Park
Franklin Park Woman’s Club
Geneva Care Center
Geneva Place
Glen Ellyn Woman's Club
Glenview Officers’ Wives Club
Glenview Woman’s Club
Glenview Methodist Women
Hearthstone Village
Heritage Woods, Yorkville
Hanover Township Seniors
Hinsdale Women’s Club
Illinois Mayflower Society
Immaculate Conception CCW
Immanuel UCC
Immanuel Residences
Independence Village, Naperville
Independence Village, Rockford
Keen-Agers
King Home
Lake Forest Place
Lutheran Home
Lutheran Memorial WELCA
Mather Place at the Georgian
Michaelsen Health Care
Mokena Woman’s Club
Mount Prospect Public Library
Niles Community Church
Niles Senior Center
Norwood Park Garden Club
Oak Brook AAUW
Oakton Arms
Our Lady of the Snows CCW
Our Lady Of Victory Sodality
Park Ridge Catholic Woman’s Club
Peace Village
Pinecrest Community
Prime Timers (St. Peter's United Church of Christ)
Resurrection Retirement Club
Rolling Meadows Library
Rosehill Cemetery Veteran's Day Service
Saratoga Grove
Spring Meadows, Libertyville
St. Andrew Life Center
St. Anne’s Young at Heart, Barrington
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Mount Prospect
Sunrise of Barrington
Sunrise of Highland Park
Sunrise of Willowbrook
The Birches
The Heritage Des Plaines
The Holmstad
The Park at Vernon Hills
Victory Centre of Bartlett
Village at Victory Lakes
Villa Park Library
West Chicago Public Library
Windsor Park Manor
Irish Festival at The Birches Assisted Living
By: Ginny Richardson
02/24/09
The Birches Assisted Living continues its series, “Traveling ‘Round the World,” with an Ireland Festival on Tuesday, March 17, 2009, at The Birches, 215 55th St., Clarendon Hills. Decorations will set the mood, and the staff members will dress in Irish costumes.
Residents will enjoy an Irish buffet from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. featuring corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, and a very special Irish dessert.
From 2 – 3 p.m., entertainer Patti Ecker will present a show titled, “A Bit of Blarney” which features St. Paddy’s Day songs such as MacNamara’s Band, Danny Boy, and an Irish lullaby or two. With guitar and Irish drum, Ecker will perform pub songs from The Emerald Isle and she’ll tell a tall tale about a wee Leprechaun and his pot of gold.
Ecker is an outreach artist with the Old Town School of Folk for the Chicago Public Schools. She won honors at the National Parenting Publications Awards, and she was a finalist in the Children’s Music Web. She is a frequent performer for Chicagoland libraries, schools, museums, festivals, park districts, clubs and organizations, senior groups and many other events.
The public is welcome to any of the festivals, space permitting, and reservations are required.
For more information, call Carol Weigel at 630-789-1135.
Copyright © 2009 Chicagoland Publishing Company, Inc.