John A Waddell Foundation

06/08/2026

Poco a poco means "little by little" in Italian, and that's exactly how serious vocal training works. You don't arrive there overnight.

Founded by mezzo-soprano Kate Tombaugh in Streator, IL, Poco a Poco provides intensive vocal music training to students who are ready to go deep. This year, the Waddell Foundation is funding two scholarships for students to participate in that program.

Vocal training at this level isn't just about hitting the right notes. It's about discipline, breath, presence, and learning what your voice is actually capable of. For the right student, it's genuinely life-changing.

Two students are going to walk into this experience this year with support behind them. They'll work hard. They'll grow in ways they can't quite predict yet.

That's what poco a poco looks like in practice.

06/01/2026

More than 400 kids walk through the Music Connections Foundation presents KINDERMUSIK, Bloomington, IL door every week here in Bloomington. Some of them are navigating challenges that make the world feel pretty loud. Some are from families where a summer performance camp would sit forever in the "someday" column.

This year, the Waddell Foundation is sponsoring children from Music Connections to attend summer performance camp. Every kid who's ever stood on a stage and felt something click deserves that chance.

Music Connections serves children with special needs, children from underserved communities, and every kind of kid in between. The work they do week after week is quiet, consistent, and real.

We're glad to play a small part in making this summer a little bigger for some of those kids.

05/25/2026

Thousands of children in area schools are going to see live theater this year, some of them for the very first time, because Prairie Fire Theatre Children's Theater shows up in places where kids already are.

They bring performances into schools. They make live theater something a child doesn't need a ticket budget or a parent with a free weekend to access. That kind of reach matters.

This year, the Waddell Foundation is backing Prairie Fire Children's Theatre as a patron of their work. It's a partnership we're genuinely proud of, because what they're building is exactly what this foundation was created to support: performing arts in the hands of kids who'd otherwise miss out.

The curtain's going up. We're glad to have a hand in that.

05/18/2026

A huge thank-you to Prairie Fire Grill for making our April 4 fundraiser special!

When we're planning an event like this, good food makes people feel welcome, comfortable, and ready to stay awhile. Prairie Fire Grill showed up for this community in a big way, and it showed all evening long.

The dancers kept dancing, the music kept swinging, and the food kept everyone fueled and happy. That's the kind of night we dreamed of when we started planning this event.

The John A. Waddell Foundation exists so that kids who might not otherwise get the chance can step into a theater, pick up an instrument, or take the stage for the first time. Nights like April 4 make that work possible. And partners like Prairie Fire Grill make nights like April 4 possible.

We're so grateful. If you haven't visited them yet, now you have a reason.

Thank you, Prairie Fire Grill.

05/11/2026

That video says it all, doesn't it?

On April 4th, the John A Waddell Foundation hosted our "Night to Remember" fundraiser, and the Heartland Jazz Orchestra brought the kind of live music that makes a room come alive. From the first note, they set a tone that kept people on their feet and smiling all night.

Live music like this is the whole point. The Waddell Foundation exists so that kids who wouldn't otherwise get the chance can experience exactly what filled that room on April 4th. A real jazz ensemble. Real energy. The kind of performance that sticks with you.

We're so grateful to the Heartland Jazz Orchestra for sharing their talent with us and for believing in what we're building together. You helped us show our community why this work matters, and we couldn't have done it without you.

Thank you. Truly.

If you haven't heard the Heartland Jazz Orchestra perform, keep an eye on their schedule. You'll want to.

05/05/2026

This year, the Foundation is making sure more kids got to say yes.

Yes to a summer performance camp with Music Connections, where 400 kids a week show up to learn, rehearse, and belong.

Yes to a seat in the audience at Prairie Fire Children's Theatre, where about 8,000 school kids across the area get to experience live theater, many for the very first time.

Yes to intensive vocal training at Poco a Poco in Streator, where a high school student gets the kind of instruction that can genuinely change what they believe is possible for themselves.

That's what your support does. It covers the cost when a family can't. It keeps the door open.

Jack loved this community. The foundation that carries his name is still doing exactly that: making sure kids who want in, get in.

You don't have to wait for an event to support the Foundation, you can donate any time at https://johnawaddellfoundation.org

04/21/2026

There's something special about a community that shows up, not just with good intentions, but with real joy.

West Coast Swing Bloomington (WCS Blono) brought that joy to our April 4th fundraiser. They filled the room with movement, connection, and the kind of energy that makes an evening feel effortless. Watching dancers of every level take the floor together, you could feel what this community is really about: showing up for each other and having a genuinely great time doing it.

That spirit matters to us. The John A. Waddell Foundation exists so kids who wouldn't otherwise have the chance can experience the transformative power of performing arts, whether through live music, vocal training, theater, or summer performance camps. Nights like April 4th remind us that those same values (community, joy, access, belonging) are already alive right here in Bloomington-Normal.

We're so grateful to West Coast Swing Bloomington for being part of this. Here's to more nights on the dance floor.

https://www.wcsblono.com

04/21/2026

There's something special about a community that shows up, not just with good intentions, but with real joy.

West Coast Swing Bloomington (WCS Blono) brought that joy to our April 4th fundraiser. They filled the room with movement, connection, and the kind of energy that makes an evening feel effortless. Watching dancers of every level take the floor together, you could feel what this community is really about: showing up for each other and having a genuinely great time doing it.

That spirit matters to us.

The John A Waddell Foundation exists so kids who wouldn't otherwise have the chance can experience the transformative power of performing arts, whether it be live music, vocal training, theater, or summer performance camps. Nights like April 4th remind us that those same values (community, joy, access, belonging) are already alive right here in Bloomington-Normal.

We're so grateful to West Coast Swing Bloomington for being part of this. Here's to more nights on the dance floor.

04/13/2026

Every kid deserves a chance to sit behind a drum kit, step onto a stage, or walk into a rehearsal room and think, "I could do this."

That's what the John A. Waddell Foundation is about.

Jack believed the arts weren't extras. They weren't rewards for families who could already afford them. They were the thing that helped a kid find out who they were.

We're here to make sure that door stays open. This year, thanks to our spring fundraiser, we're supporting programs that bring music and the arts to kids who normally couldn't attend. Summer performance camps through Music Connections Foundation presents KINDERMUSIK, Bloomington, IL. Live theater experiences for 8,000 school kids through Prairie Fire Theatre Children's Theatre. Intensive vocal training for high school students through Poco a Poco.

Three programs. Three ways a kid gets to walk through a door that might've been closed without us.

You'll be seeing more of Jack around here. His story. The partners who show up alongside us. The kids we're doing this for.

This is who we are. We're glad you're here.

Learn more:

Celebrating the legacy of John A. Waddell by supporting young voices through music, mentorship, and community.

04/12/2026

What a night.

A week ago today, the room was full of music, dancing, and the kind of laughter that makes a building feel alive. The second annual A Night to Remember is in the books, and we're still smiling about it.

Thank you to every single person who showed up for Jack, for the kids he believed in, and for the future of arts and music in this community. You danced, you gave, you cheered, and you reminded us why this work matters.

A huge thank you to our partners who made the whole thing possible:

West Coast Swing Bloomington (WCS Blono), you brought the joy and the footwork. The dance floor never sat empty.

Heartland Jazz Orchestra, you gave us a soundtrack Jack would have loved. Every note felt like a tribute.

Prairie Fire Grill, you fed a room full of happy people and didn't miss a beat.

And to every donor, volunteer, board member, and friend who wrapped your arms around this mission, thank you. Because of you, more kids will get the chance to step into a music room, a dance class, a summer camp, a stage. More kids will get to discover what's inside them.

That's what Jack wanted. That's what we're here for.

More soon. For now, just gratitude.