Cover Story
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Story by Bailey Hemphill. Photos by Bill Sitzmann
Guitarist “Hillbilly Hal” Cottrell performs for a group of seniors at Corrigan Heights senior apartments in Omaha.
Merrymakers Association Bringing Music and Memories to Seniors in Omaha
F
or many elderly citizens, living in
a retirement community or a nursing home can be a lonely existence, what with being cut off from family, old friends, and—what sometimes seems like—the outside world. Several factors can keep someone from being able to leave the senior facility, whether it be physical immobility or mental functioning, which can often inhibit residents from
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being able to enjoy the leisure activities they used to—going to movies, visiting with people in the community, or watching musical performances. But one nonprofit organization is dedicated to brightening the lives of those very seniors by bringing the music and laughter to them. Merrymakers Association began serving seniors in nursing homes in 1986 after a local entertainer met
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