On Wednesday November 16, 2016, the Rotary Club of Des Moines & Normandy Park Washington made a $15,000.00 donation to Highline Music4Life. The monies are the result of the annual fundraiser "The Poverty Bay Blues & Brews Festival", held in August of this year.
CEO of the Music4Life Program, David Endicott had this to say about the donation and how it will be used. “These funds will help Music4Life present ready-to-play musical instruments to Highline kids who need them,” Endicott says. “Last year, we provided 71 instruments. We’re already off to a fast start in 2016-17, having delivered 12 instruments in September and October. We are acquiring three new trumpets at the request of Highline Public Schools and have another 24 instruments in process of repairs. That’s well more than half the instruments in one-fourth the time. “It’s important to understand that this is the cake, not the icing. Students who want to participate in instrumental music activities tend to do better in math, science and many other academic disciplines. Unless their families can’t afford to get a musical instrument. And in today’s economy, many can’t even afford to rent one. So Music4Life is just as much an ‘education program’ as it is an instrumental music program.” To learn more about Music4Life, click here.
In addition to the Highline Music4Life program, funds raised from the Poverty Bay Blues & Brews Festival also benefit the Des Moines Area Food Bank, Dictionaries for 3rd Graders, Helping Homeless Youth and many others.
