Funders of Henry Viscardi School’s Dance Movement Therapy program, they’re seeing how transformational music and motion
can be for the students.
“Viscardi spoke to our hearts… We are totally blessed to be able to give back.”
Carole and Michael Marks know just how transformational “movement” can be. Their life was transformed when Carole, a teacher who grew up on a small farm in Missouri, and Michael, a successful business executive and budding entrepreneur, moved cross-country with two young children and no jobs ready for what she describes as “a joy ride”.
Now as a result of Michael’s business successes, the Marks are changing the lives of children with severe physical disabilities at the Henry Viscardi School at The Viscardi Center through movement – Dance Movement Therapy, that is. The initial benefactors of the School’s DMT program, they see how transformational the classes are for the students.
“We knew even the smallest movement could have a positive impact on their physical and mental health and quality of life,” explains Carole. “The ability to move around is often taken for granted.” The DMT program has helped Viscardi students find a new sense of self, build confidence, interact with one another, and enjoy motion and music.
Carole recalls how the moment she stepped onto the campus she could feel it was a special place. “There was this unparalleled dedication and commitment by its staff. You could see the life in the children’s eyes and tell they were being nurtured, given a sense of hope and would achieve their full potential.”
“Viscardi spoke to our hearts,” says Carole, who with her sister, Jan, designed and created a hand-made Viscardi quilt to be displayed at the Center. “We are totally blessed to be able to give back.”