Don Soenen is a man who stands out in a crowd. He’s an engineer, a highly successful entrepreneur, a car collector, a champion race car driver, and a noted philanthropist. He’s the president of the Plymouth Arts and Recreational Center, or PARC. He’s also a member of the Lost Voices Board of Directors, and here’s what he has to say about that:
What was your first impression of Lost Voices?
“I’ve been involved with a lot of nonprofits for a lot of years. The first time I saw a Lost Voices concert, I was just blown away by the commitment, the passionate feeling, and the focus of Lost Voices, both the musicians who work directly with the kids, and their supporters. And when I saw some of the kids who were in the program pouring out their hearts on the stage, I realized that I was witnessing those children healing and growing right in front of us.”
What made you decide to become more involved?
“After that one concert, I was so touched by what I saw that I really got involved with Mike, and next thing I knew I was on the Board of Directors! I always like to be an active participant in anything I support in a significant way, and I saw this as the perfect opportunity. I knew that in addition to my financial contribution, I could bring my business expertise and organizational skills, and really make a difference.”
Why are you so generous with your time and money?
“I’m a firm believer that if you’ve been blessed with skills and success in life, you have a responsibility to give back to the community. After all, without the community supporting you, you would never have been able to achieve your own success. I’m just so pleased that I’m able to make a contribution to the terrific work the Lost Voices group does, not just for the kids whose lives they touch directly, but for the benefit of everyone in our community.”
What are your impressions of the organization?
“I’ve been really impressed by the high caliber of people involved with this group, and not that’s just the musicians. The Board of Directors meetings are well-run and friendly, there’s a wide diversity of skills and backgrounds, and every member makes a significant contribution. They’re well-disciplined, with good financial organization, and fiscally responsible. This is a real talented group of people.”
Tell us about the recent fundraising event you put together.
“I’ve spent decades building relationships with people who share my ideas about the value of community. Over the years I’ve worked with these folks on various projects, so I decided it was time to bring a bunch of them together and introduce them to Lost Voices. I invited sixty five people out to dinner at Stella’s Trackside in Plymouth, and Mike brought a group of the Lost Voices artists to sing and talk about the work they do with the kids. Then I showed them that I was not kidding around and matched all their donations. Not only were we able to raise a significant amount of money to further the Lost Voices work, but we recruited a whole lot of new supporters.”
Can you sum up Lost Voices in a sentence?
“Bottom line, this Lost Voices group does a really great job at reaching out and making changes in the lives of at-risk kids.”
