Five Barrington employees form musical group to entertain residents

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The Barrington 5 are a versatile group of performers.

“We play everything from The Beach Boys to The Beatles to The Everly Brothers to Jimmy Buffett,”  Tim Fishburn said. “There is probably nothing we haven’t attempted to sing.”

What makes the group even more unique is all five are employees of The Barrington of Carmel, a senior living community, and are all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

They formed the singing group approximately 15 months ago. The Barrington 5 performs each Friday night between 30 and 40 minutes at all four care levels of The Barrington, starting at the independent living level during social hour.

“We usually have 90 to 100 people show up there,” said Fishburn, resident services coordinator. “We then go to memory care, then assisted living and finish in skilled nursing.”

The other members of the group are Fishers residents David Hui Hui and Scott Buhler and Geist-area residents Sarah Lopez and Laura Haynie.

Haynie works in the elite concierge services department on the independent living side. Lopez is the lifestyles coordinator for memory care. Hui Hui and Buhler are drivers.

“The Barrington 5 is rewarding in a multitude of ways,” Lopez said. “I love connecting with the residents on this more personal level. It helps build community and family. I started working for The Barrington four years ago and it led me to bring in these four friends of mine, but I had no idea at the time what that would mean to me and the residents here. I had close relationships with residents and these friends before our group formed. But serving this way has made us all a strong family group that are there for each other and lift one another up. It has been a joy and blessing.”

Fishburn said the musical performances usually has a theme. For instance, a recent theme was beach songs, featuring songs by The Beach Boys and similar groups.

“They’ll choose after every song what they think the theme for that night is,” Fishburn said. “Usually, they guess it after two or three, unless we are being really cantankerous and making it really hard. But not often will we do that.”

The group performed Disney songs for the memory care unit and Lopez dressed as Snow White.

Fishburn said everyone sings. Hui Hui, who is from Hawaii, plays the guitar.

“He’s extremely gifted in many ways,” Fishburn said. “He put himself through college (BYU-Hawaii) by singing at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii. He is incredible.”

Fishburn also can play guitar when Hui Hui isn’t there. There also is a karaoke box available if needed to play in the background as the group sings.

“We all ended up at The Barrington one by one, and we were drawn here to have this music ministry,” Fishburn said.

Lopez organized the Christmas program and The Barrington 5 provided the entertainment.

“She wrote it, choreographed the whole thing,” Fishburn said.

Fishburn said Hui Hui and Lopez occasionally perform as a duet called Serendipity.

“Once a quarter, they will put on a concert,” Fishburn said. “They did all songs from movies or plays. It was incredibly good. I emceed it and they did all the talent-side of it.”

Lopez suggested The Barrington as a job for Fishburn, who had turned his business, Midwest Sports Complex, over to his son.

“I just fell in love with it,” said Fishburn, who was originally hired as a driver.

Fishburn said the music ministry gets a number of requests from residents to sing at funerals.

“We have also been able to go to the residents’ apartments and sing happy birthday as well as sing them one or two of their favorite songs,” Fishburn said.


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