Music creates connection for the Defense Federal Choir

About a dozen Defense Supply Center Columbus associates never let the pandemic stop them from singing.

They hail from all over the installation and have one thing in common - they are all members of the Defense Federal Choir.

The choir has been an integral part of DSCC for more than six decades - names, directors and members may have changed, but the Gospel-based group has always stayed true to its purpose, to uplift others through inspirational and spiritual melodies.

"We are a close-knit group," Michelle Marioth said of the choir's longevity and shared purpose.

Marioth, a technical and quality analyst for Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime said the one thing that has kept the group together is their collective faith and spiritual beliefs.

"That is the catalyst which has kept us intricately intertwined with each other so much that it is more of a brother and sisterhood that has developed, and we have maintained that for many years," she said.

Donna Walker Griffin, choir director and a former training officer with DLA Training who retired in January 2024 after a 38-year federal career, said she has no plans to step down as director.

Singing, directing and playing piano for the group provides an outlet to continue her passion for music while staying connected with the DSCC community, she added.

"The choir is like family to me, and I want to stay involved as long as I can," she said.

With a lifelong passion for music, supported by her family's musical background and her music degree from The Ohio State University, she felt that the all-volunteer group was a natural outlet for her to give back to the local community.

"I fell in love with the choir members, the music and the director at the time," she recalled.

Walker Griffin who became director of the choir sometime in 1996, said the group has performed at venues all over Columbus and their connection with the greater central Ohio community kept them together during the pandemic when everything on the base shut down.

"The pandemic caused us to pause our activities on DSCC because most of the base population were working remotely," said choir member Linda Thomas. "But we never stopped singing throughout the local community."

Like Walker Griffin, Thomas, who worked as a contract specialist with the Strategic Acquisition Process Directorate at DLA Land and Maritime, continued her involvement in the group after her retirement in 2018.

"Being able to create community by lifting up our voices in song, is just a beautiful thing," Thomas said of her participation in the choir.

Thomas said she has vivid memories of watching her father sing in the choir, so she made it a point to join the group once she started working at DSCC many years later in 1984.

"My father worked in the warehouse on base and was a member of the choir," she recalled, noting that what attracted her to joining the group was its history of fostering camaraderie and cultural engagement on the installation while serving as a tangible connection to the community.

Thomas said the choir was recently named Gospel Choir of the Year by the 100 Black Women Columbus Chapter for their dedication to the community by lifting their voices in song to serve as an inspiration for others for many years.

"In the past, the choir was extremely active in the community," Thomas explained. "We used to go to city [Columbus, Bexley, Whitehall] events, nursing homes, hospitals, church events, shopping malls…we sang all over the community at one point in time."

The choir would also participate in various special emphasis programs like Women's Equality Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month among others, she added.

Caroling during the holidays was a longtime choir tradition many DSCC employees looked forward to each year.

"When we used to go around [in many of the DSCC buildings] and sing during the holiday season, associates would share homemade cookies to thank us for offering our vocal talents to brighten their day," Thomas said.

In recent times, the group has remained in high demand, Walker Griffin said.

"The choir is so phenomenal that we get asked to sing at a wide variety of venues and events," Walker Griffin said. "But we feel it is time to get back to our roots and perform more on the installation again."

Lisa Griffin, a resolution specialist for DLA Land and Maritime, who has been a part of the choir for about 30 years, said they are always looking for new members, noting that any Columbus-based federal employee is welcome to join no matter their skill level.

"We all come together, and love and encourage each other," she said of the choir. "We welcome anyone, even the new singers who don't have much confidence, because by the time we are done, they are not only singing a song but are singing it well."

As for repertoire, Walker Griffin said the group has always been flexible in its musical selections, tailoring sets to a particular audience or event.

"Normally since we are a gospel group, we predominantly sing a gospel repertoire, however, we can sing anything. We are very versatile," she said.

Griffin said the choir will be performing in front of the Mission Park Pavilion at Multi-Cultural Day on Sept. 12.

"We will be singing soon after the event starts, so please come down to see us," Griffin said.

The choir is actively recruiting new members and all Columbus-based federal employees, both military and civilian, are invited to join. Military reservists and guard members are also encouraged to participate. Rehearsals take place in the Building 20 auditorium during lunch periods with additional rehearsals outside work hours as necessary. For more information on joining or having the choir sing at an event, please contact Lisa Griffin at [email protected].