— from Kristen Wilson —
At its annual meeting on May 9 the Music Advocacy Group (MAG) reviewed its gifts to the school music program. The purpose of MAG is to support and augment the Orcas Island Public School music program. During the 2013 to 2014 school year MAG contributed $8,938 in grants and other donations to support the music program.
The gifts included $1,000 for new orchestral sheet music, $2,750 to support the High School Strings performance trip to Disneyland, $220 for student registration to PLU Honor Band, $400 for school music supplies, $1,118 for teacher continuing education, $450 for Orcas Center rental for the High School music concert, and $3,000 for an important new percussion instrument for all levels of band and orchestra – a new Adams xylophone.
“MAG is fortunate to have the support of many island musicians and other community members,” said Catherine Pederson, President of MAG. “It is the participation of the Orcas Choral Society, Orcas Community Band, Island Sinfonia, and the Orcas Youth Orchestra that makes our major fundraiser of the year possible. And it is the generosity of hundreds of donors from the community who support a quality school music program that allow us to make these grants.”
MAG officers elected for the upcoming year are Catherine Pederson, President; Kristen Wilson, Vice-president; Ian Lister, Treasurer; and Ann Brewer, Secretary. Other members of the board include: Steve Alboucq, Marilyn Anderson, Joyce Burghardt, Jan Ehrlichman, Matt Jenson, and Jim Shaffer-Bauck.
Thank you, Kristen for reporting on such welcome news. Our children have benefited immeasurably by your and other MAG members’ commitment to quality music education in our schools.