IN Mt. Lebanon Summer 2014 | Page 52

Pittsburgh Threshold Choir Comforts the Suffering Singers focus on easing the pain of those in hospice care through song. By Melanie O. Paulick There are moments in life when it seems impossible to provide adequate and lasting comfort to loved ones. Impending death and serious illness are some of those times. Yet, there is something that brings much relief to those who are suffering: singing. It is the aim to console and comfort that brings the members of the Pittsburgh Threshold Choir together to sing at bedsides. Peaceful and uplifting lyrics, accompanied by the gentle voices of a small group of dedicated and talented women, provide immediate rest to the suffering. The Pittsburgh Threshold Choir is the local chapter of a larger organization: the Threshold Choir Network. This organization was founded in 2000 by Kate Munger, whose background and life experiences taught her valuable lessons about the ways in which music can provide solace and comfort. Munger’s first chapters were established in California; now, the organization has grown to include chapters throughout the United States, Canada, and other parts of the world. see page 52 › 50 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Mt. Lebanon