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INTERVIEW BY STEPHANIE MADSEN
Meet Darryl and Sandra Wernham, our tireless founders who created the Legacy Children’s Foundation and started our Gift of Music programs!
How did these programs start?
Darryl: The programs were initiated as a legacy project in honor of Sandra’s father/my father-in-law, Dr. Stan Finn. Stan was an accomplished musician, head of the music department at the U of C for many years and musical director of the Young Canadians and the Stampede Grandstand Show for 25 years.
We wanted to do something very different that would appeal to at risk young people and assist them in completing their education and help them to stay on a positive life path.
Sandra: We’ve been offering instruments and weekly music lessons and workshops to youth through schools and service agencies in the community for 13 years and we’ve been consistently 80% successful at achieving our noted objectives.
What are your roles?
Sandra: Darryl and I have been running the program out of our home since the program’s inception…we coordinate all the efforts related to programming, do all the promotions and community networking, the on-going fundraising, program evaluation and tracking, manage the instrument bank and all the matters related to accountability including donor reporting and finances.
What did you do before Legacy?
Darryl: I have a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the U of C and 40+ years of clinical, community and management practice experience from government, non-government and community based organizations.
Sandra: I have Degrees in Physics and Medical Research and previously spent more than 30 years working in a variety of not-for-profit, educational, and corporate settings,
We have very different backgrounds and experiences and we complement each other very well with respect to our very different skill sets.
Are either of you musicians? If so, what instruments do you play?
Darryl: We don’t play any instruments and we’re actually very “un-musical”. We just know the value of music and the arts and how music in particular can assist youth in achieving their goals. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how youth who are struggling in so many areas begin to achieve success in all aspects of their lives thanks to their involvement in our program.
What is your favourite part about working with the programs?
Darryl: As I noted it’s seeing how powerful a program like this can be and we’re particularly impressed with the quality of musicians we’ve been able to recruit. They are really what makes this program tick, with many youth being with the same instructor for 7-8 years…more than a music program, this initiative is really a long-term mentorship program that impacts youth in some very significant ways.
Sandra: It is also very rewarding to experience the gratitude from parents who come to our home to pick up instruments for their youth – many of whom never imagined being able to provide experiences such as we provide for their children.
What are your favourite songs/bands right now?
Darryl: Our favorite song is Kokomo by the Beach Boys because our 4-year-old granddaughter loves it and sings it with us in the car.
If you could have any superpower what would it be?
Darryl: I would love to be able to fly, even though I’m afraid of heights.
Sandra: I would just like the ability to ‘transport’ myself to any location (like in Star Trek) so I wouldn’t have to take gravol every time I travel.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
Sandra: We are both the same age as a famous Beatles song ☺
Meet Darryl and Sandra Wernham, our tireless founders who created the Legacy Children’s Foundation and started our Gift of Music programs!
How did these programs start?
Darryl: The programs were initiated as a legacy project in honor of Sandra’s father/my father-in-law, Dr. Stan Finn. Stan was an accomplished musician, head of the music department at the U of C for many years and musical director of the Young Canadians and the Stampede Grandstand Show for 25 years.
We wanted to do something very different that would appeal to at risk young people and assist them in completing their education and help them to stay on a positive life path.
Sandra: We’ve been offering instruments and weekly music lessons and workshops to youth through schools and service agencies in the community for 13 years and we’ve been consistently 80% successful at achieving our noted objectives.
What are your roles?
Sandra: Darryl and I have been running the program out of our home since the program’s inception…we coordinate all the efforts related to programming, do all the promotions and community networking, the on-going fundraising, program evaluation and tracking, manage the instrument bank and all the matters related to accountability including donor reporting and finances.
What did you do before Legacy?
Darryl: I have a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the U of C and 40+ years of clinical, community and management practice experience from government, non-government and community based organizations.
Sandra: I have Degrees in Physics and Medical Research and previously spent more than 30 years working in a variety of not-for-profit, educational, and corporate settings,
We have very different backgrounds and experiences and we complement each other very well with respect to our very different skill sets.
Are either of you musicians? If so, what instruments do you play?
Darryl: We don’t play any instruments and we’re actually very “un-musical”. We just know the value of music and the arts and how music in particular can assist youth in achieving their goals. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how youth who are struggling in so many areas begin to achieve success in all aspects of their lives thanks to their involvement in our program.
What is your favourite part about working with the programs?
Darryl: As I noted it’s seeing how powerful a program like this can be and we’re particularly impressed with the quality of musicians we’ve been able to recruit. They are really what makes this program tick, with many youth being with the same instructor for 7-8 years…more than a music program, this initiative is really a long-term mentorship program that impacts youth in some very significant ways.
Sandra: It is also very rewarding to experience the gratitude from parents who come to our home to pick up instruments for their youth – many of whom never imagined being able to provide experiences such as we provide for their children.
What are your favourite songs/bands right now?
Darryl: Our favorite song is Kokomo by the Beach Boys because our 4-year-old granddaughter loves it and sings it with us in the car.
If you could have any superpower what would it be?
Darryl: I would love to be able to fly, even though I’m afraid of heights.
Sandra: I would just like the ability to ‘transport’ myself to any location (like in Star Trek) so I wouldn’t have to take gravol every time I travel.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
Sandra: We are both the same age as a famous Beatles song ☺
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