Bringing people together through the gift of song, that was the vision of Lynn Johnson, resident coordinator at St. Martin’s Manor.
               “This choir can be a support system,” Lynn says. She wanted to form the choir, so she put her vision in the trusted hands of one of her residents. That’s where Ms. Albertina Rhyans stepped in. At a quick pace, Ms. Albertina set out to recruit her songbirds. Her goal was to have a choir ready in time to perform for the holidays.
               “I got about 22 people to sign up, but just 8 followed through,” says Ms. Albertina.
               But in those 8 voices she received so much more than just a chorus. She formed a fellowship with her neighbors. The group is made up of people from different denominations of faith. They all came to Christopher Homes and St. Martin’s Manor for different reasons, but they all came together to form this choir for one reason. They want to “open the avenues of the heart” for their listeners. Many of those in the choir also echoed the sentiments of keeping God centered in your life.
               Mr. Theodore Dubuclet, the only man in the group, has a specific talent that is important to the choir. He can play the Alto Saxophone. As a young man he played in Carnival parades as part of the band.       
               “You had pride in your performance,” said Mr. Theodore talking about his time back in school.
               Many of those, like Mr. Theodore, started their love for music at a young age. Many sing in choirs outside of this one. They are part of their churches and communities and wanted to bring that to their home at St. Martin’s Manor.
               Ms. Gwendolyn Wright says, “Music is my life. I sing in different community choirs.”
               Some like Ms. Lillie Cheri sing in choirs at their church. Among a few others, Ms. Lillie sings in the St. Peter Claver Chorus. She was resident of Christopher Homes back in 1999, but Hurricane Katrina forced her all the way to California. She returned in 2008 to St. Martin’s Manor and has lived at the facility ever since. Many know her as a songbird, and know she loves to sing.
               “It touches their heart and soul,” says Ms. Lillie.
               So it is here at St. Martin’s Manor in the heart of the Treme neighborhood, where so many great musicians were born, a chorus is formed. A chorus of those who not only want to sing, but who want to be part of something bigger. They want to inspire others toward fellowship.
               “Our lives reflect us. What we put into it we get out of it.” Those are the words of Ms. Albertina.
               As for the future of the chorus, they want to grow and possibly incorporate other Christopher Homes properties in a larger chorus. They want to travel to all of the 16 sites and show their love of song, because they say it’s there that we can touch people in a way that is infection.