A drumline comprised of individuals with autism and other disabilities is raising funds to fulfill their dream to “march” all the way to Disney World.
The Drumline is part of a musical arts program offered by (FREE), a not-for-profit agency based in Old Bethpage that supports more than 3,500 individuals with different abilities on Long Island.
The Drumline is seeking donations for travel and other expenses required to fulfill its commitment to perform at Downtown Disney’s Waterside Stage, part of the Disney Performing Arts Program, on Saturday May 11. The FREE program has been a valuable therapeutic experience for the drummers and has been proven to have a positive affect on their self-confidence and esteem, organizers said.
The Drumline is trained for both, traditional, parade-marching and staged, “Broadway-style” routines that include a mixture of drumming, dancing, acting and singing. The troupe has performed throughout the tri-state area and across the U.S.
For the first time ever, the FREE Players Drumline has been invited to perform in front of thousands of visitors at Disney from around the world. The area's Drumline is one of very few of its kind in the country, and the only one on Long Island for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities,” said Robert S. Budd, Chief Executive Officer for FREE.
As part of our ongoing work to dissolve boundaries for individuals with disabilities, our Drumline is an educational tool to demonstrate that people with special needs share the same common goals as their typical peers,” added Budd.
FREE was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Old Bethpage. The organization benefits more than 3,500 differently-abled individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities and their families each year.
FREE’s broad spectrum of services encourages individuals to share their gifts and talents as contributing members of the community. For more information, please call 516-870-1622 or visit www.familyres.org.
