The Vernon Community Singers are once again providing much-needed funds to music programs in the Vernon area.
Sherri Field, chair of the Singers’ donations committee, said schools are historically under-funded, particularly music programs, which is why the Singers have created a mandate for themselves to fund various music programs in the Vernon School District.
On Wednesday, April 24, Field handed cheques amounting to $600 to music teachers from six schools in the North Okanagan: Alexis Park Elementary, J.W. Inglis Elementary, Charles Bloom Secondary, Ellison Elementary, Okanagan Landing Elementary and Silver Star Elementary.
Another $600 was given to the Vernon Registered Music Teachers Association, which provides scholarships for students. The Singers have also added funds to the Molly Boyd scholarship through the North Okanagan Community Foundation.
“It’s our pleasure to hand out money to schools who need some cash to buy instruments or repair instruments,” Field said. “Next to singing, this is the next best thing.”
The Vernon Community Singers raise the money to give to school music programs through ticket sales for their concerts. Their December Christmas concert was very well attended, and the 68 members wrapped up their spring concert earlier this month.
Tobi Huggins, a teacher at Alexis Park Elementary, said she will use the funding to create a music instrument lending library at her school.
“We have families that maybe can’t afford to own their own instruments,” she explained, adding she’s unable to lend out the classroom instruments to students looking to use them.
Huggins said she plans to purchase instruments for the lending library, complete with bar codes. Students will be able to rent a guitar, for example, and take it home and practice.
Lori Robinson, a teacher at Ellison Elementary, said her school will put the funds towards buying a set of hand chimes for the music program.
“A lot of our students struggle socially or emotionally, and I think music provides an outlet for them,” Robinson said, referring to the importance of the music program in her school. “It just gives those kids the opportunity to have a full, rounded education, to give them a different opportunity that they may not have otherwise.”
The teachers thanked Field and the rest of the Vernon Community Singers for their help adding to their music program repertoires.
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