Preventing a famine of the spirit.

Lizzie
Akil
Eli
Richard
Christian
Tionna
Sa'Coria
Isaiah
Austin
Patricia
Sharalyn
Charletta
Quinton
Gabriel
Fredetrice
Dedrick
Caitlin
Cameron
Christan
Teresa
Sandra
Lorenzo
Ashton

These are the 24 students who came to Scrollworks for free music lessons today. In addition, there were two little boys--3 and 4 years old--who came for drums and didn't sign in. Tomorrow we will likely double this again.

Everyone in the gym of Hill Elementary today was consumed with hunger. The students are reaching out for the sustenance of the soul that music can provide. The teachers look to be filled with the spirit of giving and the satisfaction that brings.

You can share this generous spirit, the very soul of Scrollworks, by sponsoring next week's lesson for one of these students. Each lesson costs us $10.



Who would you like to sponsor? Here are a few of their stories:

When Lizzie would come to Greencup for lessons, I felt like we were living in an Edgar Allen Poe tale. Long before we were done setting up, she would very slowly climb up the stairs with her metal cane: "CLUNK, thump, thump...CLUNK, thump, thump." Lizzie just turned 74. A stranger on the street asked her if she wanted free piano lessons and her heart leaped. She's been dreaming of learning the piano all her life. (The stranger was Mrs. Bullock!)

Tionna came for the first time last week. She's from a different neighborhood, so her mom drives her to Scrollworks. (It's amazing her mom's car can move.) After two lessons, Rick was comfortable leaving her to supervise Gabriel and Sa'Caria exploring the clarinet. She begged to take a clarinet home today. We have given our extras to students from Hill, so she'll have to wait until we can repair the broken one at the office.

Caitlin and Cameron, pictured at the top with Mary Lee, are long time favorites. Caitlin plays the piano and Cameron plays guitar. Their mom has MS, so their grandma brings them. They practice and make good progress.

Christan and Teresa are also favorites. Like the mother mentioned above, Teresa has serious health issues. But she always has a smile and works hard on learning the guitar. Christan does the teen-age pout almost as well as she plays piano.

Where would your money go if you sponsored a lesson? To our teachers, of course:

To Jimmy, who has been donating back part of his pay check and donating method books and has already written $15,000 in (pending) grants and is working on $70,000 more. If you love me, then you have to love Jimmy because he's given me more than just a day off each week. He's given me back my sanity.

To Amia, a recent immigrant. This is her first job, and it's an amazing choice for her to make, coming from South Africa to teach music to inner city children.

To Rick, and Marcus.

Claudia and Jordan volunteer their time on Fridays.
Me? I don't get paid in money, but my heart is always full.