Hurricanes Katrina and Rita left musicians, music teachers and
educators
without many of the tools they desperately need to rebuild lives
and
programs in the hardest hit areas of the Gulf Coast. Homes,
businesses and
lives are destroyed and changed forever, and in many cases familiar
routines and the possibilities of what could have been are lost for
good.
Instrument Aid hopes to assist in schools, private studios, and in
the
lives of young musicians in the Gulf Coast region by replacing
instruments
in schools and private studios in the coming months/years.
Through partnerships with instrument manufacturers, music stores
and
industry organizations such as The Mister Hollands Opus Foundation,
NAMM,
Percussive Arts Society (PAS) and the Percussion Marketing Council
(PMC),
we are collecting instruments for donation. Every donation will be
used
towards the purchase or replacement of instruments and vital
equipment
needed by schools, teachers and students in the Gulf Coast region.
Although this is a long term effort we are currently working on
developing
a strategic plan of action and infrastructure for Instrument Aid.
Our web
site,
www.instrumentaid.com
should be up and running within a week and
that will be used as a center for updates, donations and pertinent
information and resources. Until the Instrument Aid web site goes
live,
please use
www.ppdsonline.com
for updates and a contact point. This is the
web site for Progressive Music Center, whose founder, Billy Cuthrell,
is
overseeing Instrument Aid at this time.
How can you help right now?
We are in need of drop-off donation sites around the country.
Donation
sites can be music studios, music stores and school band rooms. If
you
would like to volunteer a donation site please contact
billy@ppdsonline.com for further assistance.
If you have an instrument to donate please hold on to it at this
time.
Once we have a list of donation spots we will post that on
www.instrumentaid.com.
Instrument Aid is in the beginning stages of this operation, so we
are all
in this together from the start. If you have questions or would
like to
volunteer your energy and time, please email billy@ppdsonline.com
and
check Drum Radio at
www.drumradio.com
often for updates as well.
Best Regards,
Billy Cuthrell
Progressive Music Center
A Division of Progressive Percussion Drum Studios, Inc.
billy@ppdsonline.com
_www.ppdsonline.com_ (http://www.ppdsonline.com)
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