The Arizona Commission on the Arts awarded a $7,500 grant to Drum Arizona, Inc., a nonprofit 501c3 organization located in Sun City.

This grant, titled the “Lifelong Arts Engagement Grant,” supports projects that foster artistic learning experiences for adults of any age.

Dr. Lydia A Woods’ proposal for the grant was to have 45 seniors make and paint their own Native American style drum and beater. Her plan is to spread that opportunity to seven participants over seven locations: Peoria Community Center, Lakeview United Methodist Church, Bellevue Heights Church, Sierra Winds Senior Living, Wooddale Senior Living Community, El Dorado Senior Living and Drum Arizona community drum circle. This opportunity is for Sun City residents and those in the surrounding community.

The first session was hosted Nov. 8-9 by the Peoria Community Center and eight participants took part in a two-hour session, starting with an “Honoring Ceremony” then the making of their own 15” Native American-style drum and beater. The following day, in another two-hour session, they participated in an “Awakening Ceremony” for the new drum and then proceeded to select a meaningful image that they painted on their drums.

Woods plans to facilitate the experience for other Sun City residents in 2024.