Total Instruments Delivered Music4Life™ has authorized resumed delivery of ready-to-play musical instruments to our school district-based representatives who are available to receive them. These senior-level instrumental music teachers, appointed by their respective superintendents, are holding the instruments until they can be delivered to the schools and ultimately to the students who need them. As of now, we have delivered 224 donated and repaired full-sized musical instruments since Sept. 1st to our ten public school districts for use by students qualifying for free or reduced cost school meals. The total "fair market value" of these 224 instruments and related materials is $127,909. This is 81 percent of last year’s total. All instrument values are according to our independent third-party vendor-experts.
Gosieski Donates Reeds About a month ago our Treasurer, Gary Ryno, introduced Music4Life to George Gosieski, formerly a professional musician doing session work for radio and TV, as well as live shows. Gosieski donated 66 boxes of new B-flat clarinet and soprano, alto and tenor saxophone reeds to Music4Life. Each box contains up to ten new high-quality reeds. He also has agreed to teach senior-level music teachers how to cut and shave the reeds. Gosieski has gone on to lead a startup (www.jumpstartcsr.com) that has artificial intelligence (AI) for predicting, diagnosing, and treating biomechanical performance. Its focus is on preventing falls and over exertion/repetitive stress injuries. The reeds will be provided to our public school district-based Programs on the basis of the relative financial productivity of their booster clubs. If any of our school district representatives are interested in learning how to cut and shave these professional-quality reeds, contact David@Music4Life.org. Many thanks to George, and to Gary for the introduction!
Spirit of Harmony Collaboration
Since our founding in 2007, we've always said that we're glad to work cooperatively with anyone else who wants to serve "kids," "instrumental music" or "education." So it is with the Chicago-based Todd Rundgren Spirit of Harmony Foundation. Spirit of Harmony (SoH) is a national organization that spirit_harmony_logoadvocates for music education for children, particularly in public schools. Founder and President Todd Rundgren is a well-known musician, songwriter and record producer as a solo artist, member of the band Utopia and various collaborations including Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band. SoH brings a national footprint to our party and was brought to us by instrument donor Jennifer Jantzen of Federal Way, Washington. Music4Life, of course, delivers ready-to-play musical instruments to public school district students. Let the party begin!
OneHope Wines
Amazing as it seems, the coronavirus pandemic also brings opportunity. OneHope Wines is a Napa Valley winery that was built on hope and rooted in purpose. As in your purpose. It was created about a dozen years ago to help local and national non-profit causes to deliver on their promises. In the process, OneHope has delivered more than $5 million to worthy non-profits. Music4Life recently began a collaboration with OneHope to provide year-long financial support to each of our ten school district-based Programs (you might think of them as "chapters"), or to the global Music4Life parent organization. Ten percent of wine purchases at OneHope are delivered to the Music4Life Program of your choice. Wines are ordered and paid for online and then delivered right to your door, a real convenience during these quarantine times. Each separate Program is renewable every month. Tell your friends who might also be willing to support Music4Life while drinking some of the world's best wine.
Poverty Bay Blues & Brews Cancelled So sad to say that the 2020 edition of the Poverty Bay Blues & Brews Festival has been cancelled due to the pandemic. Blues & Brews is the second of the major fund raising events presented by the Des Moines / Normandy Park Rotary Club. The first was the Poverty Bay Wine Festival that also was cancelled in early March for the same reason. A virtual wine festival was held in late July. Look for both events next year after the pandemic passes.
Booster Club Feature: Auburn The Music4Life booster club supporting Auburn Public Schools is one of our newest public school district-based Programs. Ably led by President Shannon Spicciati (also Principle Oboist of the Auburn Symphony Orchestra and the superintendent's wife), other members of the Auburn Music4Life Booster Club include Randy Campbell, Natasha Daily, Cari Manry, senior-level music teacher Kevin Paustian and Skip Rowland. MANY THANKS to all our Auburn booster club friends!
End of Fiscal Year Approaches August 31st marks the end of the Music4Life fiscal year, just as it does for most public schools. It's more of an accounting nicety than anything. But is our attempt to stay in-sync with public school districts and set a drop-dead deadline for getting ready-to-play musical instruments to schools so students who need them can start using them as soon as they return for classes. That also makes it a best case scenario in light of the pandemic and online classes.
