Meet Laurel Johnson, Our Featured Volunteer from San Jose!
Get to know our volunteers!
Do you volunteer at a specific hospital? Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
How long have you been volunteering with Musicians On Call? 7 months
Are you a volunteer guide or musician? Guide
What is your occupation outside of MOC? Finance Consultant
Do you have any hidden talents? I make mosaic garden pots. My dad was a bird artist and my brother and I are starting a business to showcase and sell my dad’s art on prints and canvas. We have big plans to expand our inventory to mugs, coasters and so much more!
What is your story? What connects you with music and why do you volunteer with MOC? I was driving to work one morning and heard an interview with the CEO of MOC on the radio. I was so inspired and excited that I could participate in such an amazing program, that as soon as I got to my office, I pulled up the website and submitted my volunteer request. The only problem: I had a bit of a phobia of hospitals…but after my training and first “tour” with a musician, I was cured of that. Now I am comfortable in the hospital and see it as a wonderful place where healing is taking place. I’m making friends with the nurses too. They just love that we’re there!
What makes MOC different from your other volunteer experiences? I get to spend an evening listening to music and seeing patients faces light up. It’s not work, or a chore, it’s a blessing. It’s pure joy. I leave the hospital after each visit feeling grateful and elevated, and I always have a song running through my head.
Has your life changed because of your experience with Musicians On Call? Absolutely. I feel so much gratitude. For my health. For the gift of music. For the opportunity to get to know these talented musicians.
What is your favorite #MOCmoment? I have two. The first one was when we went into a room and the patient couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak. His family member said they would love to hear a song. When I brought the musician in and he started singing a song, a huge smile broke out on the patient’s face. It brought me to tears to see how happy he was to hear the music. He could not stop smiling. The other favorite moment was when we went into a room where the patients were about to participate in a game of Jeopardy. They invited us in to play a few songs before the game started. There were about 10 patients in the room. The musician started singing his song and the whole room was singing along with him. It was a beautiful moment to see the pure joy and hear their singing.