205 S. Walnut Avenue
Ames, IA 50010
Volunteer Spotlight
Alice
Thompson
Volunteer Extraordinaire
Every
Tuesday morning, Alice Thompson arrives early at Heartland Senior
Services to arrange her last-minute musical thoughts and greet the
senior singers as they arrive from throughout the area. The
Songbirds Chorus has been meeting at Heartland for the past 25 years,
practicing once a week under Thompson’s humorous, yet time-efficient
tutelage. Some of the members have been with the chorus for many
years; some faces are relatively new, but they come from all corners of
the county, currently representing Ames, Cambridge, Luther, Story City,
Huxley, Slater, Polk City, and Nevada. “The only requirements to
be a Songbird are to be over 60 years of age and enjoy singing,”
explains Thompson. “We are a very welcoming and flexible group.”
Thompson’s background is rural Iowa, Johnson County. She was the 6th of seven children, attending a one-room country school for nine years followed by a small rural high school. After graduation she attended Business School and then was needed back on the farm to help with dairying while her brothers went off to war. In 1944 she became the secretary for the Farm Bureau/Extension Service in Iowa City and in 1949 moved to Ames as the secretary for the new Dean of Agriculture at ISU. It was there she met and married her husband of 53 years, Harvey Thompson. Two daughters soon followed and Alice became a devoted stay-at-home mom, occasionally subbing but mainly making motherhood and volunteerism her career. Through the years Thompson’s volunteer roles involved Campfire, Pink Lady at the hospital, and St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church ( in several different capacities). Currently she and Harvey are meals-on-wheels volunteers for Mary Greeley Medical Center.
Thompson’s many hobbies go beyond her interest in singing/conducting to include an extensive collection of musical instruments (dulcimer, tenor guitar, jaws harp, ukulele, autoharp, rhythmic bones, etc.), photography, genealogy, and traveling/camping. She and Harvey have camped every year since 1958, so far hitting all states except Florida and Alabama. She says they have gone through seven modes of camping outfits and are back to the nylon tent! They also enjoy keeping up with their four grandchildren in Story City and Rolfe, Iowa.
Several years ago Thompson received the Governor’s Shining Star Award for her longevity and enthusiasm in providing musical leadership for the Heartland Songbirds. Today, Heartland continues to be very proud of the ambassadorship of the Songbirds Chorus and their fearless leader. Thank you and congratulations, Alice Thompson, on your remarkable tenure. We thoroughly appreciate your stellar approach to aging successfully!
Thompson’s background is rural Iowa, Johnson County. She was the 6th of seven children, attending a one-room country school for nine years followed by a small rural high school. After graduation she attended Business School and then was needed back on the farm to help with dairying while her brothers went off to war. In 1944 she became the secretary for the Farm Bureau/Extension Service in Iowa City and in 1949 moved to Ames as the secretary for the new Dean of Agriculture at ISU. It was there she met and married her husband of 53 years, Harvey Thompson. Two daughters soon followed and Alice became a devoted stay-at-home mom, occasionally subbing but mainly making motherhood and volunteerism her career. Through the years Thompson’s volunteer roles involved Campfire, Pink Lady at the hospital, and St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church ( in several different capacities). Currently she and Harvey are meals-on-wheels volunteers for Mary Greeley Medical Center.
Thompson’s many hobbies go beyond her interest in singing/conducting to include an extensive collection of musical instruments (dulcimer, tenor guitar, jaws harp, ukulele, autoharp, rhythmic bones, etc.), photography, genealogy, and traveling/camping. She and Harvey have camped every year since 1958, so far hitting all states except Florida and Alabama. She says they have gone through seven modes of camping outfits and are back to the nylon tent! They also enjoy keeping up with their four grandchildren in Story City and Rolfe, Iowa.
Several years ago Thompson received the Governor’s Shining Star Award for her longevity and enthusiasm in providing musical leadership for the Heartland Songbirds. Today, Heartland continues to be very proud of the ambassadorship of the Songbirds Chorus and their fearless leader. Thank you and congratulations, Alice Thompson, on your remarkable tenure. We thoroughly appreciate your stellar approach to aging successfully!
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