Can anyone help???

My problem is this; my daughter who will be 11 on Tuesday wants to join band this fall at school. If she does not start now then she cannot start ever. She is going into the sixth grade and wants to play the clarinet. My aunt and uncle usually helps us with these expenses since both my husband and I are disabled and low income, but they have had alot of medical expenseds lately and cannot help this time. Does anyone know of a charity or organization that would help me get her the clarinet for school. She starts back in early august. Any information would be greatly appreciated. While I was sitting today trying to figure out how to pull this off I thought of all of my gardening friends here and felt I should ask you for your input. Maybe the good Lord is guiding me on a path of help. I know he answers our prayers and I believe he will help my child with this one. Thanks to all of you who take time to read this. Janet

I'll see if I can find some information on organizations for you, jcf. In the meantime, could she babysit or do odd jobs for neighbors to earn some toward buying an instrument? I know the great sense of ownership I had when I worked to earn money toward my first guitar!

How about renting one until you find out she is really interested enough to stick with it.....?

Thanks gardenwife, we live in rural ga. our small neighbor hood has very few children babysitting age and I do not want her working for strangers. Theres just too much meanness these days you cannot be too careful. She does work around the house and helps me greatly in the garden and I pay her what I can. This is not very much. Unfortunately our families are spread 50 to 100's of miles apart and she is the youngest of all her cousins. My parensts are both deseased and my mother in law helps us when she can but she is on a fixed income now. I havd tried looking on the net for organizations but have yet to find any.

You might try approaching the school itself for the loan or gift of an instrument (discreetly, I would say - your daughter might be embarrassed, or let something slip to one of her friends, etc.) The school I attend will often let students off the hook for various extra course costs (like CanCopy photocopying fees, or lab fees). A friend of mine was recently able to have a $100 unpaid photocopy fee erased from her account because she simply could not pay it. People are usually more than willing to help if they can, and if they see a need. I'm betting that your child's music teacher will definitely understand the need to foster such an important interest.

I know the rental fee is only $45.00 a month but I am so srapped now that I really cannot afford that. This is so embarrassing to it it but I have swallowed my pride to help my child.

jcf...Have you tried contacting the band teacher? I believe he/she would have some info or maybe could put you in contact with someone who no longer has any use for their clarinet. A music store may also know of a charity who can assist. You could also contact your clergyman and have him ask the members of your church as well as other clergymen to see if someone has one that's just sitting in their closet. Please let us know when you find one. I have a feeling this may be alot easier than you thought.
Carol

I know the schools by us do help out with expenses like that when the family is unable to afford it. My daughter learned violin on a too small instrument that my brother got at a flea market. She played that for two years until I was able to afford to get her a full size instrument (and even that came from eBay!!) If she wants to play, you need to do whatever is necessary for her to play. Band, orchestra, dance, gymnastics are things that kids need to get involved in early, because once they get a bit older, they don't have the same opportunities. I wish you luck in your quest, because I know how important it is.
Debbie

I want to make sure, too, that you realize that there is nothing at all embarrassing in not being rich. Forty five dollars a month is a huge chunk of cash - that's my phone bill, or a week's worth of groceries. It's not a small amount, and there's no reason in the world why you should be ashamed of not having it. From the tone of your initial post, it sounds like you're rich in something much better - familial love, and that's worth more than all the cash in the world. I'm sure that you will find a clarinet for your daughter.

Shelly

pisces, thank you so much. I have found the music teachers phone number and will call her tomorrow. I'll let you know what I find out. Thank all of you for your input.

jcf...When I read that the rental fee was $45 per month,(sounded pretty steep to me), I was curious how much a clarinet costs these days. Overstock.com has a Heimer Child's Clarinet for $95. I'll admit it's not top of the line, but would that work? If I remember right, alot of kids had Bundy clarinets, which usually cost around $250 new if you shop around. I still believe if you do some "networking" you will find one for free or very little. So many children, myself included, had band instruments that they lost interest in as they became older. Where did they all go?
Carol

the problem is i don't know where to network too.

You might want to try the MARS Music Foundation:

http://www.marsmusic.com/aboutmars/foundation/

AnnMarie

thanks ann marie, this is a start

To tell you the truth, my old clarinet needs reconditioning with Capital Letters. I am afraid that the cost of a good cleaning and all new pads would be more that the $95 that another poster listed for a instrument in good condition.

I think perhaps you are onto a good thing here.

Good Luck, and Bless you on behalf of your efforts.

If I had not inherited my clarinet from my cousin, my folks could not have afforded my being in band either. And this was um, 25 or so years ago. That's why the stupid thing needs a good cleaning and reconditioning. 25 years is a long time for insects to feed and breed in the case lining!

Eeeeeeewwwwww!
Cena

Good luck, Janet. Pride can oftentimes be more foolish, than it is helpful, and it's something you don't need, in the company of friends.

jcf, our middle school owns all the instruments so anyone who wants to be in band can no matter what their family income is. The instruments are checked out for the school year, just like textbooks. Several years ago the principal decided this was the fair and kind way to go so the PTO held several fund-raisers and businesses contributed to the fund. This might be something your school's parent organization would want to do.

WARNING: I'm not sure if this is cool protocol for the forum, and if it's not, just let me know, and I'll delete the message.

A suggestion? How's about a little contest? There are 2000+ members on this site. Surely one of us can come up with a used clarinet. Janet's going through a pretty [deleted] deal right now (see my thread "Shiny Happy Pretty Thoughts" or whatever it's called), and probably won't have time to go looking for a clarinet for her daughter. Let's see who can score a used clarinet for a member in need first. The winner gets to feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

pisces, i don't know it fits protocal or not but you are so kind and caring to suggests it. On top of everything my father-in-law died in his sleep this morning. We knew it was coming and now he is at peace with our Lord. janet

Well, Janet, I went down to the local high school today to ask if anyone there knew where to find a used clarinet, but guess what? SCHOOL'S OUT! Huh! I'll keep checking around town for you though. Maybe some of the good Christian people here will have better luck.

Pisces, sorry you had bad luck, but in my neck of the woods there's usually at least one member of the office staff at the schools here. I also have a feeling, regardless of religious beliefs, that the majority of people of the world and here, want nothing less than a child to have the opportunity to pursue their dreams. I'm going to keep my eyes open for her. Just another pisces who swims upstream.

thank you so much for your concern and help. i may jeapordize getting help by saying this but here i go any way. please, lets not turn this into another religiuos debate. your religious beliefs do not make or brake the kind of person you are. Anyone can be a caring and kind hearted person regardless what faith they are. or at least i think so. So please kets stick to the issue here, ok. and thank you all again. Janet

exactly janet, i agree. People are people no matter what religion and not being a religious person myself doesn't make me any better or worse in my opinion.

Aren't there any 2nd hand music shops out there where you would be able to pick up a clarinet for a small price? When i was at school i used to play the french horn and other kids used to play the violin (including my sister), saxophone, trumpet etc. these were on loan from the school, just like at daysi's kid's school. Maybe the music teacher will be able to help. I was really glad to be able to play my instrument at the time, although i used to moan about saturday lessons!, and although i don't play it now i learned a lot at the time, including compostition and how to read music which could be very helpful in her future career. Keep pushing !!

lil

Thanks Carol, three people looking is always better than one. There is office staff at the school here, but I would need to speak to a music teacher. The office staff is strictly clerical. I think I'll check out the university chapel this afternoon, and see if they know of any charitable institutions around town that help with this kind of thing.

Lilith, buying a clarinet is unfortunately not an option for Janet and her family. So, the only option is to find a donated one.

Janet, so sorry if it seemed as though I were blasting off religious propaganda. I certainly didn't mean to taint this wonderful thing with unsavory stuff.

Keep on truckin'

45 dollars is steep for an instrument rental. i think i can find one around here for 12 at most 15 if you are interested in that. i'd be willing to mail it to you. i can also check out an instrument from the college i'm at for a quarter at a time for free, but it does have to come back and get checked out again so that may be a bit of a hassle. thank you so much for doing this for your daughter. i couldn't afford an instrument when i first learned how to play violin, but wanted to play. i just went to every lesson regardless of wether i had an instrument or not. my teacher usually lent me hers and then low and behold she found one for me. i would definitely have a talk with the music teacher. good luck.

guynh, thanks so much. if we do not find one in a few more weeks i would be willing to send it back and forth andpay for postage until we could find her one. i would never not return it to you . this is so sweet of you. so we will definitely keep it in mind. how much notice to you have to have before checking it out. i just can't believe you are willing to do this for a stranger. there are those people who would stiff you with this. you are so caring and kind. i just told my daughter that if we do not find one to keep that we can do this for a while. she is jumping for joy. yesterday was her 11th birthday and we buried her granddaddy today. so it has been a sad birthday for her. you just brought a smile to her face in this sad time for her. bless you for caring.


and thanks again and again and again to all of you!!!!!!!

jfc sweet lady, you are not a stranger

umm i guess notice wise it's gotta be tomorrow. i'm leaving for my 2 month road trip on friday. i'm positive they have violins to check. i will have to varify that there is one left to be checked out, but clarinets aren't popular instruments around here. i'll let you know by tomorrow.

thanks, she definitely wants to do the clarinet.

i emailed my local communtiy forum to see if anyone has one so maybe we can find one she can have for keeps too.

I might should mention that she cannot use a childs clarinet because she is 5'11" tall and wears women sizes at 11 yrs old. Of course she gets it honestly. I am 6' and her dad is 6'3. her daddy's granddaddy was 7' and i have cousins that were over 7'.

i called the instrument checkout office, but they are closed for the summer. i will talk to the director when she comes in later today to see if i can make arrangements for the summer.
but better yet i got a response from community forum
here's what he wrote

I may have one, but I would have to dig back into a storage area to check. If it is still there, it would be a good beginners instrument. Let me check this weekend. I would have to talk to my daughter, who actually owns the clarinet, but I doubt that she wants it.

i will call him tonight and see if we can work something out this weekend before i leave seattle.

This sounds great!! I am emailing you my telephone number incase you need to talk with me. I really appeciate this so much. Janet

I will be waiting to hear.

If he needs to talk with me he may or you may call anytime

This message was edited Thursday, Jun 28th 5:26 PM

jcf
Let me know how you come out with the deal between you and quynh. If it doesn't work out, do e-mail personally for I just may have something for you. By the way, what is your daughter's name. Don't just want to call her your daughter. Would rather call her by name.
Best of luck.
CoCo

coco, my daughters name is deanna. pronounced D-ann-ah
thanks i'll let you know as soon as i know.