Nielsen Teambuilding Event

Dear Steve,

I'd like to personally thank you for providing the most unique and entertaining teambuilding event for my project team. After several months of highly intenseive, deadline driven project work, I could think of nothing better than getting all people on my team to bang on drums to help relieve stress and, most importantly, stop thinking about work for a little while. It also showed my team how we can continue to work as a team in a totally different capacity. Everyone enjoyed themselves (including the introverts), and it turned out to be a great kickoff to our project celebration that everyone is still talking about!

I've openly recommended you to my colleagues around the company and hope that you get additional events at Nielsen and elsewhere in the future. Personally, I will not hesitate to contact you again for another event, should the opportunity arise in the future.

Thanks and best of luck,
Adam
Project Manager
Knowledge Management
The Nielson Company

YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg

Steve,

You were awesome!! Thank you for bringing so much energy and fun to our meeting! Everyone had a blast! There were even a few employees that this was their first All Staff Meeting and they couldn’t stop talking about how much fun they had.

Thanks,

Ashley Zarle

Community Relations Director

YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg

American Express Business Travel

The atmosphere in the Call center this morning is still a buzz from our Saturday event.
Some of the comments I am hearing:

• the drumming was the best part of the event
• I havent had so much fun on a saturday morning in years

Thank you again for your terrific presence......your energy added tremendously to our event and setting the feel for the day.

Thank you again!
Sherry Musnicki, MBA
Director-Service Delivery
American Express Business Travel

La Leche League of Florida and the ESI

"Being part of the drum circles was both energizing and deeply relaxing. Each person enjoyed the sound of his/her own drum, while immersed in the powerful experience of the group's song. Many participants considered this a highlight of their conference weekend. Working with Steve in planning our event was a joy, he is a charismatic performer and as warm and friendly as a good neighbor."

Elaine Ziska
La Leche League of Florida and the ESI

Seminole Community Library

Steve,
Thank you so much for the program you presented at the Seminole
Community Library @ St. Petersburg College, Seminole Campus on June
18. The drum circle was a very enjoyable and memorable part of our
summer programming at the library. It was amazing how you got all 178
program attendees, from toddlers to great-grandparents, playing
together. Your love of drumming is obvious and your energy is
contagious. We can't wait to have you back to the library again!
Kim
Kimberly Goonis
Youth Services Supervisor
Seminole Community Library
@ St. Petersburg College, Seminole Campus

Winston Park NE

Dear Steve.......I would never be able to thank you enough for the wonderful Drum Circle experience our condo folks experienced here at Winston Park NE.

For the new folks, well they complained that they don't know how to drum and they planned to sit back and listen.......well, needless to say, they were as enthusiastic as everyone else and they loved every minute of playing the wonderful rhythm.

Julie as our leader was tops. She knows how to get everyone interested in learning about the drums. How we all loved her singing and leading us into the various rhythms. She worked awfully hard to get the drums into the clubhouse....of course the folks here did help. She was a great representative of Giving Tree and we loved her.

Again, thank you for a special musical and heartfelt evening. Of course, we hope you'll come back soon.
Cordially,
Thomasina (Tommie) McCain

Tampa Lighthouse for the Blind

“Don’t forget to turn in your timesheet!” “Remember to take initiative at your jobs!” “Stop banging on the tables!!” “Clean up when you’re finished eating!!”

For a group of 18 teens participating in a summer career and life training program at the Tampa Lighthouse for the Blind, hearing Steve Turner say, “There are no mistakes in drumming” is music to their ears! Besides being teenagers, the one thing all these students have in common is that they all have a visual impairment. Some are totally blind and some have low vision. And unlike common misconceptions, none of these students was born with a musical ability or super sense of hearing. Some of them have just as poor listening skills as their sighted peers, while others work twice as hard to develop their listening skills in order to complete the same tasks. Fortunately, “drumming is easy” and everyone, no matter ability, senses, or experience can be successful.

For 5 weeks, Steve brought music to their ears and the teens reciprocated with emotion, conviction, and determination. With such a wide range of abilities in our group of students, Monday afternoon was always the one time that everyone could participate at the same level. Whether a student had a physical impairment, a cognitive impairment, or any other disability, everyone drummed, everyone participated, and everyone contributed equally to the finished product. Steve recognized this before we did and he truly valued each and every student’s drumming. During our final presentation at the program’s closing ceremony, he even recognized the hidden talent in all of the students’ parents, families, and guests by surprising the group with enough drums for everyone to join in. The feedback we received from parents and guests ranged from “this was the best program yet” to “what an amazing addition”.

Thank you Steve for your contagious enthusiasm, encouragement, and ENERGY!

Warmly,
Sue Glaser
Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments
Tampa Lighthouse for the Blind

Home of the Stars

Dear Steve,

I would like to take a moment to extend a very sincere thank you for bringing such a wonderful gift to our school this week. I have been in attendance at multitudes of activities, assemblies, celebrations etc. but don't remember any that touched every student in the audience. Their faces told such a story of enjoyment. It is difficult to describe what it is like to watch 230 challenged students from ages 3 to 22 participating with such abandoned joy while beating on your 100 drums. Every student could shine, they were empowered and accomplished and a part of the circle of friendship.

I hope others will invite you to join them and have as wonderful an experience as we did. What a magical way to unite people from varied backgrounds, cultures, ability levels and so on. Music really is a giving tree and you do an awesome job of showing us how to be a part of it. If any group ever wants a recommendation, please don't hesitate to give them my name and number - it would my pleasure to provide a reference. Thank you again and I look forward to your next visit.

Ginger Wirt,, Principal

Paul B. Stephens School

Home of the Stars

KidsPeace Prairie Academy

Hi Steve,

You came today, and we LOVED you! Here are some of the comments from the kids: Awesome! Loved it! Steve was alot of fun, and the drumming was great too! The staff thought you intereacted well with the group, and kept all kids interested. Another said it was "cool". As a former teacher, I thought you did a fabulous job of reaching the kids at their level, and I loved it that you said "no one can do it wrong". My kids have heard their whole lives that they aren''t any good, and do nothing right. How cool it was for them to hear an adult who says they couldn''t do anything wrong! Thanks so much for all you did with us today. It was much appreciated. You certainly have a gift. Don''t let it get away!

Nancy Burt

KidsPeace Prairie Academy

Worthington MN

Britt Half Way House

It is with great pleasure that I express in this letter our appreciation for the performance you displayed for our youth and staff. It is with out question everyone in attendance learned and enjoyed your performance. I am forwarding this letter to other DJJ Facilities that have the same needs as ours. I am sure your group session can also be beneficial to them. I am looking forward to establishing a long-term relationship with your Organization. Our youth and staff have expressed the desire to continue group sessions as often as allowed.

Sincerely,
Bill McCullough Superintendent

Britt Half Way House

"Spirit Day" at Golda Meir Kent Center

Anybody, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, life experience, musical aptitude or preference is in for an exciting and moving experience with Steve and his drums. As the director of a day camp of school age children in Clearwater, I can tell you what a wonderful experience Steve's Drum Circles are. He had the complete attention and appreciation of all 130 of my campers and staff yesterday as Steve helped us celebrated our "Spirit Day" with an absolutely energized drum circle. This was Steves fourth performance at the Golda Meir Kent Center and they keep getting more thrilling and creative each time Steve does his thing and proclaims, "Drumming Is Easy!!!!!!" Steve got plenty of hugs and high fives before and after the event. He is truly unique and inspirational, but most importantly, everyone who participates in one of his drum circles smiles ear to ear throughout the experience. His passion and rhythm are contagious. For those of you who already know what I'm talking about, I know that you're smiling and nodding in agreement as you read this. For those of you who have not yet had the pleasure of meeting Steve and participating in one of his drum circles, all I can say is,"What are you waiting for??"

Jeff

Tyrone Elementary

On behalf of all of us involved...and all the spectators who couldn't help but be drawn to the event, we loved Steve. His energy, talent, knowledge and interaction with the children was perfect. He had everyone, including teachers and parents singing, dancing and playing an instrument. We will definitely be inviting him back again next year.

Kylie Evanz

Tyrone Elementary

Kings Highway Elementary School

Steve Turner was able to bring our whole school into an experience of harmony and oneness through the magic of his drums and the unified beat he called forth from our one soul. The children, second grade through fifth grade, loved it, as did the adult faculty and staff. I have never felt our school come together so completely as we did during this assembly! He was able to bring forth from within us an experience of unity and synergy that we have only talked about before!

Philip Orth

Guidance Counselor

Kings Highway Elementary School

North Greenwood Public Library

Steve,

I wanted to thank you for your program this morning at the North Greenwood Library. We had 106 kids attend and every single one of them left with a smile and a hop in their step. Thanks also for having an instrument for everyone. Your program was truly amazing.

Lisa Kothe

Branch Manager

North Greenwood Public Library