The Happiness Singers, a group started by the Junior League of Little Rock over 30 years ago, put on a short concert Monday at the Easter Seals Children's Rehabilitation Center to celebrate the forthcoming holidays.
The singers spend much of their time singing for church groups, nursing homes and veterans hospitals in the area. Gwen Holton-Langley, 76, of Little Rock has been with the group for over 25 years.
“I’m almost as old as those ladies we sing for in the nursing home,” she said.
Holton-Langley said singing for Easter Seals children with disabilities always breaks her heart a little, but she and the other singers think it’s important to share with others the gift of music.
“Music is just such a wonderful thing, that most of the Happiness Singers enjoy that as much as the people that are listening, we hope,” Holton-Langley said.
The Easter Seals Children's Rehabilitation Center is home to about 40 kids, all of whom have some form of mental disability. The residential facility houses kids for one to three years, and provides education, therapy and rehabilitation.
An Easter Seals volunteer said there is a lot of family involvement and parents come in and the kids can go home on weekends or for holidays.
For the children who stay at the facility during the holiday season, volunteers organize singers and holiday parties for the kids.
Facility staff will throw an annual Christmas party Wednesday for the kids, including Santa Claus and presents brought in by volunteers.