Bus drivers bring music to assisted living facilities through annual Christmas choir

Employees at the Voyageur Bus Company have been making music together for years.This season, they are gearing up once again to bring music to others.

Cindy McCormick, the organizer of the group’s choir, bringing the tradition to Duluth from her last job.

"I had started a bus choir when I worked for my last company and it was successful. Then I thought ‘Oh, that would be fun and give a little joy to the community’ so let’s start a choir!"

Voyageur Bus Company Christmas Choir has been rehearsing for the last seven weeks to bring music to assisted living facilities in the Northland this December. They meet every Monday night to practice eight to ten songs and enjoy dinner together.

McCormick says that what they do is important for those who can’t leave home during the holidays.

"We do this because of the inability that a lot of those folks have to get out and go to their church for the Christmas music. It just felt important to us to give a little bit of ourselves for a joyful experience that they might not otherwise have."

The owner of the company, Mike Krois, saying this singing tradition actually started decades ago, in the late 70s and 80s.

"We used to do it with school kids and some of our special needs kids and, we probably did it for 5 to 7 years and then it just kind of died out," said Krois.

He is now glad to bring some of that joy back, saying it puts some of the Christmas spirit back into some of the people who are in nursing and assisted living homes.

Monday night, the group posing for the company’s Christmas card ahead of their second to last rehearsal of the year.

They have chosen to sing at four facilities this year on December 12th: Chris Jensen Health & Rehabilitation Center, Primrose Retirement Community of Duluth, Aftenroe Home, and St. Anne’s Residence.