ON ISLAND
Going Global
Rick Bausman's Drum Workshop
by Karla Araujo
Rick Bausman was three years old when his parents, out of self-defense, bought him his first set of drums. “They were tired of listening to me beat on the dishes, pots and pans,” he says, chuckling at the memory. Today, 44 years later, he is busy drumming up support for his unique Edgartown-based nonprofit organization, The Drum Workshop, which offers a wide range of ensemble drumming programs for pre-school, elementary and high school students, people with disabilities, the elderly, and other populations with special needs.
What is it about beating a drum that compels hundreds of organizations to contact Rick each year? “Drumming with a group is transformative,” he explains. “It’s a magical language that brings people together. It promotes physical and emotional healing. I watch people’s expressions – from age 3 to 93 – and the change is palpable.”
Rick came to the Vineyard as a volunteer counselor at Camp Jabberwocky in 1980, sharing his music with campers and discovering that the joy of drumming is contagious. He returned after college to work as a caregiver for a family whose son had cerebral palsy. Playing with a band during his free time, he was approached by a pre-school teacher who invited him to visit her classroom. Instead of performing alone, he brought drums for the children to join in and an idea was born.
An instant hit on the Island, word gradually spread across the U.S. and worldwide that the Drum Workshop’s effects are profound: enhanced self-esteem, a deepened sense of community, improved physical and cognitive function. In 1988, Rick left his job to devote all of his time to sharing the therapeutic rewards and joy of drumming on a larger scale.
Ironically, while the demand for workshops has never been stronger, the organization is in jeopardy. The recession, according to Rick, has slashed donations by 50 percent, making it increasingly difficult to respond to requests. “Most of the organiza-tions I work with are nonprofits that are also strapped for cash,” he says. “We do a lot of programs at greatly reduced rates, so we rely on donations as subsidies. We’re in dire need of financial support.”
While The Drum Workshop has an active Board of Directors, Rick says he needs a paid staff and a dedicated facility to foster growth. “I’m supposed to be playing drums and my Board members are volunteers with families and full-time jobs.” He also envisions bringing trainees to the Vineyard regularly throughout the year to teach them how to implement programs in their own communities. The curricula are ready, he says. All that’s missing is the funding to share them with others.
While The Drum Workshop started with children in a mainstream classroom setting, Rick has adapted his methods to work with special populations: those with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Down syndrome, autism, as well as at risk youth, the incarcerated and, most recently, adults and children traumatized by conflict in the Middle East. Drumming, it seems, can provide a bridge over even very troubled waters.
One beat at a time, Rick Bausman is making a difference.
For more information on The Drum Workshop and how you can lend your support, visit: www.drum-workshop.org.
What is it about beating a drum that compels hundreds of organizations to contact Rick each year? “Drumming with a group is transformative,” he explains. “It’s a magical language that brings people together. It promotes physical and emotional healing. I watch people’s expressions – from age 3 to 93 – and the change is palpable.”
Rick came to the Vineyard as a volunteer counselor at Camp Jabberwocky in 1980, sharing his music with campers and discovering that the joy of drumming is contagious. He returned after college to work as a caregiver for a family whose son had cerebral palsy. Playing with a band during his free time, he was approached by a pre-school teacher who invited him to visit her classroom. Instead of performing alone, he brought drums for the children to join in and an idea was born.
An instant hit on the Island, word gradually spread across the U.S. and worldwide that the Drum Workshop’s effects are profound: enhanced self-esteem, a deepened sense of community, improved physical and cognitive function. In 1988, Rick left his job to devote all of his time to sharing the therapeutic rewards and joy of drumming on a larger scale.
Ironically, while the demand for workshops has never been stronger, the organization is in jeopardy. The recession, according to Rick, has slashed donations by 50 percent, making it increasingly difficult to respond to requests. “Most of the organiza-tions I work with are nonprofits that are also strapped for cash,” he says. “We do a lot of programs at greatly reduced rates, so we rely on donations as subsidies. We’re in dire need of financial support.”
While The Drum Workshop has an active Board of Directors, Rick says he needs a paid staff and a dedicated facility to foster growth. “I’m supposed to be playing drums and my Board members are volunteers with families and full-time jobs.” He also envisions bringing trainees to the Vineyard regularly throughout the year to teach them how to implement programs in their own communities. The curricula are ready, he says. All that’s missing is the funding to share them with others.
While The Drum Workshop started with children in a mainstream classroom setting, Rick has adapted his methods to work with special populations: those with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Down syndrome, autism, as well as at risk youth, the incarcerated and, most recently, adults and children traumatized by conflict in the Middle East. Drumming, it seems, can provide a bridge over even very troubled waters.
One beat at a time, Rick Bausman is making a difference.
For more information on The Drum Workshop and how you can lend your support, visit: www.drum-workshop.org.