In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition for the people, businesses and organizations that help make our city great. The team at KelownaNow.com is passionate about this community and the people that make it amazing. We want to show our friends, neighbours, family and colleagues that we notice them and the fabulous things that they do.
What is your name?
Heather McCullough
What do you always find yourself saying?
Five hugs a day and play nice with others.
If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select?
Ellen DeGeneres
If you were to receive any existing public award, what award would you like to win?
Community Improvement Award
If you could spend a day with any historical figure, who would you choose and why?
Amelia Earhart. I truly admire her for attempting to fly around the world. She never completed the trip but did set many other records. Being a former pilot myself I can truly understand the courage she had inside her to do the impossible.
Who inspires you?
My love of music and how it inspires my students and how it can change the world's thinking in a single note or song.
What are three things on your bucket list?
To build a music school and expand classes for all persons with disabilities.
Zip line to raise money for breast cancer.
To do a live performance with my grandson Seth McCullough.
If you had an enormous yacht, what would you name it?
Stephanie
If you could foresee a single day of your future in its entirety, what date would you select?
June 15th, 2016.
What are you passionate about?
I love working with seniors and children. I love teaching music and acting classes. I love my grandchildren, reading books, and writing music. I am also passionate about fundraising and helping people reach their goals.
What has been your favourite day of your life, up to this point?
The day my daughter was born.
What has been your proudest accomplishment?
A care home I ran called Elizabeth House for 23 years. It was a 24/7 operation and we ran it like the Patch Adams care home. Whatever we could do for those who had a bucket list. We had practicum students from nursing to care givers to help. I received the women's entrepreneur award and the small business award. This was a very rewarding business.
Where is your favourite place to dine in Kelowna? What do you like about it?
Yamma's Greek Restaurant
What is the name of your business/organization?
Exceptional Music Adventure (E.M.A)
What does your business/organization do?
We teach all persons with disabilities how to learn to play an instrument, vocal instruction, write music and songs, light and sound production, acting and theater.
Where can people find you or your business online?
www.emaprogram.org
Where can people find your business on Facebook?
Exceptional Music Adventure
How do people connect with you on Linkedin?
Seach E.M.A. Exceptional Music Adventure
What is your mission?
We provide a safe and challenging environment to all persons with disabilities. We hope to build careers and make dreams come true utilizing talents they might not felt they held within them.
If you could achieve one thing within your field, what would it be?
To find and build our very own school.
Where do you want your business/organization to be in five years?
We hope to be an established learning academy.
Who do you consider to be a forerunner within your field?
No one is really doing what we are doing as a school.
What three qualities do you feel that your business/organization exemplifies?
Giving opportunity to those who otherwise have no access to learning and being creative through music.
Giving our students an opportunity for employment.
Allowing our students to receive their own achievement awards.
What would you like to say to your employees/volunteers?
Learn about the student then teach the student. Have fun and be creative. Learn the art of music therapy.
How does your business/organization impact the community?
We give an opportunity that does not exist at this time. We have tried the program as a pilot in Vernon and Kelowna and we have proven the interest and need.
If you were trapped in an elevator with several wealthy investors from any field, which field would you want them to be experts in? What would say to them/talk about?
Small business advisor and investment, music talent investor, charity investors. I would ask about the best way to expand in working with universities and other institutes on the study of music therapy and the positive effects that impact our students.
If I could change one thing about Kelowna, it would be:
The downtown area to be lit up better for night walks and tourist attraction.
What do you think makes Kelowna great?
The location and wineries and scenery.
Some general comments I would like to share are:
We at E.M.A. are dedicated to building a school for all our students and raising funds for those who have no funding available to them. We do work with the Autism Foundation and we are applying for grants but we do need the support for our students. We will be asking our community for help through fundraising and donations to keep our goals and school alive.
We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below, and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE. Thank you, Kelowna!
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