R.F. Staples is applying for a $10,000 grant with the help of a cash injection from the Westlock Rotary Club to cover the costs of replacing its aging musical instrument collection.
School band teacher Quinn Shelton announced that the school was fundraising for $5,000 to match a $5,000 grant from the Westlock Rotary Club during the band’s holiday concert Dec. 11. If the school reaches its total goal of $10,000 it can apply for a matching grant from the Rotary District 5370 for $10,000. She is also waiting on a $5,000 Band-Aid grant from Music Counts Canada, but said she would not hear back from them until the spring.
“This year, we are fundraising to replace some of the school-owned instruments,” she said. “Many of the instruments that the school owns should be retired as they now cost more to repair than they are worth.”
To this end, the school is selling tickets for the West Edmonton Mall Water Park. Tickets are $10 each until Dec. 31 and will cost $15 in the New Year and can be purchased at the school office. She explained that the process had started in the previous year under the last instructor but the Rotary Club didn’t finalize its decision until the end of October after she made a presentation to the service club.
With 15 instruments on in need of replacement and counting, Shelton added that getting the $20,000 grant was just the start. To cover the school’s needs in total will take $43,240.
“This is just where I would like to start,” she said.
“Honestly, the majority of the instruments that the school owns are in average to poor condition with maybe 10 or so in good to excellent condition.”
She added that once the school makes the first $20,000, a new goal would be set to carry them the rest of the way.
Shelton also said she was working on re-instating a Music Parent Association to help fundraise in the new year.
The R.F. Staples band was the obvious choice, explained Westlock Rotary Club president Peter Yeung.
“Last year we helped out with the St. Mary School’s new playground,” he said. “So this year we went with R.F. Staples. We like to keep the grants spread around.”
Normally the club helps out a number of groups each year, but Yeung noted that the Rotary Club had to reduce its spending a bit this year after helping cover the costs of the town’s centennial last year.
Rotary collects funds every year through its dinner theatre and other big fundraising events throughout the year.
