About Us
Abilities in Harmony is an adaptive show choir camp started in Onalaska, WI by Sierra Lyon. She was inspired to provide an opportunity for middle and high school students with the chance to experience the joy of show choir after living with a family who have two children that love to sing and dance, but are not able to participate in show choir because of their disabilities. She worked with her former show choir director, Richard Moses, to start a camp for students with special needs in the Coulee Region.
The first camp was in the summer of 2017 with eight students participating, and the camp was so loved by all who were involved that a winter camp was held the following February with 16 students participating. The camp is growing in size and popularity which has led to the camp being split into a middle and high school camp. There have been six camps held at Onalaska High School thus far. After the first camp, Sierra began receiving inquiries from across Wisconsin asking if this opportunity could be brought to their community. In the summer of 2019, there were camps held in Neenah, Wisconsin, De Pere, Wisconsin, Holmen, Wisconsin, and St. Paul, Minnesota.
Abilities in Harmony has made a strong effort to bring the camps to as many communities in the Midwest as we could. The organization has had many impactful interactions outside of the La Crosse area, but the impacts of COVID-19 and external demands on our directors has led the board of directors to change the scope of the organization to provide programming only in the La Crosse community and limit our support in other regions. Adaptive show choir camps will continue to be held semi-annually at Onalaska High School for students from any community. Additionally, the organization will provide "Plant a Camp" grants to support other communities looking to bring a similar opportunity to their area through:
The organization is a tax exempt 501c3 non-profit organization. Contact us if you would like further information.
The first camp was in the summer of 2017 with eight students participating, and the camp was so loved by all who were involved that a winter camp was held the following February with 16 students participating. The camp is growing in size and popularity which has led to the camp being split into a middle and high school camp. There have been six camps held at Onalaska High School thus far. After the first camp, Sierra began receiving inquiries from across Wisconsin asking if this opportunity could be brought to their community. In the summer of 2019, there were camps held in Neenah, Wisconsin, De Pere, Wisconsin, Holmen, Wisconsin, and St. Paul, Minnesota.
Abilities in Harmony has made a strong effort to bring the camps to as many communities in the Midwest as we could. The organization has had many impactful interactions outside of the La Crosse area, but the impacts of COVID-19 and external demands on our directors has led the board of directors to change the scope of the organization to provide programming only in the La Crosse community and limit our support in other regions. Adaptive show choir camps will continue to be held semi-annually at Onalaska High School for students from any community. Additionally, the organization will provide "Plant a Camp" grants to support other communities looking to bring a similar opportunity to their area through:
- Grants for initial camp start-up costs
- Detailed informational documents recommending procedures for successful camps
- Consultation with our camp and organization directors
The organization is a tax exempt 501c3 non-profit organization. Contact us if you would like further information.
