Music has incredible power, and leadership at Allies’ Shore Day Habilitation program, as well as attendees, have been rehearsing and performing music as ‘The Shoreberries.’
The idea to get day program attendees to participate in performing music came to Robert McBride, manager of the Shore Day Habilitation program, in the summer of 2025. McBride noticed that when music came on, the vibe of the program tended to shift positively.
“You put on music and everyone starts smiling and dancing,” McBride said. “I wanted to bring something into this space where everyone was able to express themselves, feel valued, and participate in a meaningful way.”
McBride had the idea to play music on a keyboard and to try to get participants involved with some singing. The first song they played, ‘Linger,’ by The Cranberries set the tone for the group.
Other than songs by The Cranberries, the group also has been practicing songs by Brittany Spears, the Backstreet Boys, and Journey.
“I thought it was just going to be a little hobby, but everyone has taken to it very seriously, and we are doing really well with it,” McBride says.
The rehearsals give participants and staff members an opportunity to bond while they work on improving their songs for an eventual concert performance.
“When all get together and unified in our goal of learning these songs and improving our performance, it exemplifies patience, teamwork, unity, and perseverance,” McBride said. “It is a positive way to keep the program going and keep everyone engaged and vital throughout the day.”
Robert is not alone in bringing the Shoreberries to life. Allies staff who work at Shore Day have large roles to play in the rehearsals. They assist in preparing for rehearsals by printing lyrics and helping arrange the space for music.
“I think the music is great,” Keyarah Searles, CISS at Shore Day, said. “You can really tell that everyone is enjoying themselves, which makes things much more enjoyable for everyone watching.”
Searles continued, “The best part is that these are songs they already know. It really makes them happy when they can contribute and put their own spin on these songs.”
Support from leadership is integral in developing and implementing activities and programs like the Shoreberries rehearsals.
“Day habilitation services leadership members have given me the blessing to try new things here, and if it didn’t work, it just didn’t work. But this caught on, and they have been very supportive,” McBride said.
The future is bright for The Shoreberries. McBride and the other performers are planning to participate in talent shows in the future.
