Chords and Camaraderie: New program encourages DeKalb-area veterans to share in song

DeKALB – Manuel Olalde believes there’s nothing like rounding up a group of like-minded folks to share in their love for music.

“Music brings everybody together,” Olalde said. “If you can share a little bit of how to create that music, that goes beyond anybody’s dreams to be able to play music not only here in this setting, but sitting around the campfire. As we get older and have grandkids, we want to play music around the grandkids. We want to play around our friends. We want to play it for ourselves.”

At the Hopkins Community Center in DeKalb this week, the Kishwaukee Special Recreation Association invited area veterans to take part in a new program meant to promote learning and foster a sense of community and belonging.

Dubbed “Chords and Camaraderie,” the program first got its start Nov. 5 and is expected to continue every Tuesday through Dec. 10. The group meets at 6 p.m. The program is only open to veterans at no cost.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 8

Veterans Ron Lofton (left) and Manuel Olalde play a song on guitar Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 during the Kishwaukee Special Recreation Association’s Chords and Camaraderie at the Hopkins Park Community Center in DeKalb. (Mark Busch)

Kishwaukee Special Recreation Association Executive Director Dawn Schaefer said it’s been a pleasure “seeing so many veterans from so many different eras come together and just jam” when they drop in.

“It’s a nice, safe space for them to be involved learning a new skill while also laughing and enjoying time and meeting new people,” Schaefer said.

DeKalb resident Ron Lofton, who is tasked with instructing the group, said he does his best to meet the group’s needs.

“We worked together as a group,” Lofton said. “I like it better if I could work one on one. I’m glad that it’s small. It helps me to help anybody at their level. A musician can come at any level they want. We could get experienced people in here, and they could go here.”

The program is supported by a $1,200 grant from the DeKalb County Community Foundation, which Schaefer said allowed program leaders to buy a selection of instruments to get the group started. Those include acoustic guitars, a keyboard and an assortment of percussion and rhythm instruments.

Olalde said it may not always be easy for veterans to connect with other veterans outside of traditional venues.

The DeKalb resident serves as president of DeKalb American Legion Post 66 and is a Marine Corps veteran.

“Outside of our normal arena, like at the American Legion, the VFW, the AMVets, the Lodges – the social aspect, this is something we can build camaraderie and lifelong friendship,” Olalde said. “We can say, ‘Hey, come on over. We’ll have a jam session.’”

DeKalb resident Rob McCann, who is an Army veteran who belongs to American Legion Post 66, said he wants to see programs like this expand.

“You’ve got to imagine that veterans are a tribe,” McCann said. “It’s a very small percentage of people [who] are veterans. You’ve got NIU vets. We do, from Memorial Day to Veterans Day, funerals in between. We continue to serve. Whenever the community wants to give back to veterans, we try to make sure that we attend and make it worthwhile, because if this were to grow, it could be tremendous for veterans.”

Schaefer said she and Lofton have been discussing what the future for this program could look like.

“He and I are talking about for next year, 2025, what else we can do,” she said, “how else we can share the word about this program. Because we received a grant to obtain all of the instruments that we have. So, we still have some money to plan. We do want to continue building [the program] and then have different classes for different levels of skills.”

The group has grown over time from having as few as two participants to six at most, program leaders said.

Schaefer credits much of the growth of the program to word of mouth.

“The veterans that attend tell other veteran friends how nice this program is, how very relaxed it is,” she said. “You don’t have to have any musical experience, so you don’t have to come in here knowing anything. You come, you learn, you jam.”

Lofton, who is an Army veteran, said he hopes more veterans will give this program a try.

“A lot of times, veterans, they’re reluctant to go out,” Lofton said. “They’re reluctant to get involved with programs and stuff, but it’s great once we try this. It’s great because we love the camaraderie with these guys. These guys are our guys. We share a lot in common. We are a tribe.”