Friends of Uptown Social to Launch Free ‘Janet L. Herrick Dementia-Friendly Choir’ After $5,000 Grant
Sheboygan, WI — July 8, 2026
Friends of Uptown Social is preparing to launch the Janet L. Herrick Dementia-Friendly Choir, a new community singing group designed to help people feel included through music. The program is set to meet at Uptown Social, 1817 N. 8th St., Sheboygan.
According to the City of Sheboygan’s News Flash, the Friends of Uptown Social received a $5,000 grant from Giving Voice to create the choir. The program is intended for people living with memory loss, care partners, and other community members who want to sing and connect.
Free participation, no diagnosis required
City details say participation is free, and no memory-loss diagnosis is required. Rehearsals are planned for Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., starting Sept. 10, 2026 and continuing through Nov. 19, 2026.
Local leaders and familiar music
The choir will be led by Music Director Carra-Lyn Conger, who the City notes recently retired from the Sheboygan Area School District after a career as a music teacher. The City also says Emily Rendall-Araujo (Director of Senior Services) will accompany on piano and administer the program.
Both the City announcement and local reporting emphasize that the choir is built to be welcoming and accessible, with music selections intended to be familiar and enjoyable for singers of all ability levels.
Community concert set for Nov. 20
The season will conclude with a free community concert on Nov. 20, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at Uptown Social.
How to sign up
For more information or to sign up for the Janet L. Herrick Dementia-Friendly Choir, call 920-459-3290 or email uptownsocial@sheboyganwi.gov.
Sources
- City of Sheboygan News Flash: Friends of Uptown Social Receives Grant to Launch Dementia-Friendly Choir in Sheboygan (Posted June 29, 2026)
- Seehafer News: Uptown Social Receives Grant Funding to Launch Janet L. Herrick Dementia-Friendly Choir (Jul. 3, 2026)
- Lakeland University: Uptown Social, Lakeland grads honor former professor (Jul. 1, 2026)
- Giving Voice Choirs / Giving Voice Initiative (Program background)
- Uptown Social: About page (organization identity/mission framing)
