A week ago, I took a lady I'm the legal guardian of to Louisville to the elementary school graduation of her granddaughter, who goes to a school for challenged kids.

Angela, her teacher, was quietly crying as the kids were recognized...genuine love for kids who often have a hard time.

When I went to the girl's room, there were a few guitar bags there. I asked about them, and found out that for 10 years, Angela has been running a guitar program (guitar club), with all costs paid out of her pocket.

She and her husband pick-up and patch up whatever they can find at garage sales and other places. She anticipates 12 students in the guitar club in the fall.

A little checking in Fayette County (Lexington)told me that, for beginning elementary school, there are two guitars...a Yamaha and a Honer that most schools use. They are 3/4 size nylon string, with narrow necks for small hands.

I'm going up to Louisville Sunday with a sample of each. Then, after Angela chooses, I'll get 10 more, 12 bags, a couple of tuners, lots of picks, 24 sets of strings and about 10 extra E and B strings. I'll probably throw in 5 sets of steel strings for the old guitars, but there's not much there.

The point is, for less than $2,000.00, we can establish a program with much better equipment; then maintain it for $250.00 or so a year.I'm going to handle that for the near future.

Much respect for Angela and others like her.


Russ

You should see some of these challenged kids light up when they play or listen to Angela. Music is such a "healer".
And, guess who's going to be the "guest player" first session in the fall?

Sounds like a great idea Russ. Definitely, need to keep music in our schools. It's nice to see you and Angela, are helping these kids. Best of Luck!

That's a fantastic cause Russ. Do you have a Paypal email address we can use to contribute to this? Angela deserves all the help she can get. Thanks so much for telling us about this.

And you will be a great guest player to have to encourage them. I only wish I could be there to hear you play.

Thanks so much, Nigel. I'm covering the cost of this little program, and didn't mean to solicit contributions. Actually, I did this out of the blue. I just saw the gig bags in Angela's home room and offered to help when she explained what she did. The school has no formal program to raise funds. (I didn't even check with them, but made the commitment to Angela. Can't imagine there would be any objections). It will cost me $2,000 to set things up the first year and lots less in subsequent years. Considering the benefits, that's a BARGAIN!

The school involved is the Kenwood Elementary School in Louisville, Kentucky. Angela has been doing this for years and using "garage sale" instruments...barely playable when new. Because there is no funding, she and her husband have always covered the costs, even though the school promotes the program, and includes it in the list of "clubs"(All kids have to belong to several of the "clubs").

The challenged granddaughter of the widow of a musician who passed in 2007(I serve as guardian for the widow) is in Angela's home room. I drove Janice, who is also challenged, to Kenwood for graduation.

Actually, my commitment is to Angela, and I have offered to fund the program by buying 12 new Yamaha 3/4 size classics (the one that most elementary school systems use), plus bags, strings, winders...whatever will help. Then, we're going to fix up as many of the old steel strings as possible and let kids check them out to take home a week at a time. Now, they only get to play on "club day", and that's not ideal!

While we're covered here, I'll bet it wouldn't take 5 minutes to discover an elementary school guitar program in any town in the United States who could use the donation of a set of strings, a winder...a gig bag, or ,in the case of good "pickers" (like Nigel), an offer to help teach.

You'd be amaised at the joy I see in these kids faces when they get to hear or play live music.


That's why the front bumper on my Subaru has a plate that reads:

MUSIC MATTERS!

Thanks, again Nigel!

Russ

I think this is terrific. It is refreshing to see someone who has the resources to be this generous actually doing so.

Hi Russ,
Firstly I think you should use a capital "C" for Captain, you are worthy of that.
Secondly, how well named is ANGELA (ANGEL)?
Thirdly, I support the compassion you show to so many people.
Nevertheless, although my financial resourses may not be as extensive as I would like, I hope that I can contribute to the benefit of others by copying your example and emulating your benevolence wherever possible in other ways.
Many times we have said we could do more, but at least we have done something!!!

Ray, you're a kind, sensitive individual, who does not have to brag, as some do (maybe me).

Today, at a mall, I bought a little pair of baby booties for a newborn. They had the University of Kentucky mascot (a Wildcat) on them. I gave them to a young lady I didn't know at all. She was sitting on a bench looking like the world was about to end. She was about 8 months pregnant.

I did not want to get into her life story, but, when I gave them to her, she had the sweetest smile. She said she was going to keep them and tell her baby that her nice adopted "grandpa" gave them to him. What a paycheck for a $9.95 purchase! That's less than lunch at a fast food restaurant.

Then, reality set in. An old female sitting next to the girl says to her, "go on away, now. You don't need to mess with that old white man".

Some things never change, but we can't let them bother us too much.

So good to hear from you!

Be well,

Russ

Well Russ, you can add that little "fella" to your entourage with "Da Dude" when he/she comes along!!!!!

Slight alterations to the program:

* I'm providing a better instrument ($300.00 range) to the top student each year to keep.

* I'm supplying two 5 guitar racks for the classroom.

* Angela is playing a worn-out Ovation, in need of lots of repairs. I'm going to give her her choice of one of my acoustics...something in the $1,000.00-1,200.00 range. I hope she chooses one with a pre-amp. If she does, I'll get her a little Fender Acoustasonic amplifier.

Man, I feel GOOD about this!


Russ (little kid at heart) Lay


Russ

Russ that is awesome. What you are doing will affect lives long after we have all gone. What better way to leave your imprint on this world.