Donated Instruments Make a Difference
The musical instrument sitting in storage that served you or a loved one so well in high school has a second chance at life.
A Des Moines Public Schools student may be waiting for an opportunity to play it in a marching band or an orchestra concert. The school district is now accepting donations of gently used instruments.
“The goal is to provide an instrument for any child who would want to play,” said school board member Connie Boesen Thursday morning on WHO Radio.
Boesen is part of the philanthropic Des Moines School Foundation, started a few years ago to focus on kindergarten through 8th grade students and concentrate on improving arts and sciences. At a fundraiser this spring, a guest mentioned she had an instrument sitting at home in her closet she’d like to donate.
“With the funding we raised we were hoping to go out and buy instruments but then we thought well, why not get instruments that nobody is using that we might be able to repair so we could really stretch our dollar?” Boesen said.
So far, more than a dozen instruments have been donated, ranging from a grand piano to a trumpet that was played in a 1950’s Rose Bowl marching band. KCCI’s Steve Karlin brought in his wife’s clarinet and Iowa Court of Appeals Judge Mary Tabor donated her trumpet.
Boesen said all instruments are welcome and that DMPS has a special demand for clarinets, flutes, violins, violas, trombones and trumpets.
“We’d like gently used instruments,” Boesen said, “but we’ll take them all.”
Donors will receive a receipt for tax credit purposes and the satisfaction of knowing the instrument is furthering a greater cause.
“We know through the arts that we can improve education outcomes,” Boesen said. “And we know we can get more kids involved if they have the opportunity.”
Instrument donations can be made at 901 Walnut Street between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
For directions, call 242-8104.
