When I was in elementary school, my mom and dad pushed me to play the violin. I wasn’t very good at all, but it opened up a world of experiences for a kid from a working class family who had never touched a string instrument before that. My parents rented my violin. Making the payments was a stretch. That’s why this story caught my eye. Students in the music program at Zebulon Elementary School got a big surprise, thanks to a nonprofit group and one of its corporate supporters, Fidelity Investments.
The new instruments the Zebulon programs received included four violins, two string basses, two cellos, a flute, a tenor saxophone, a clarinet and a bass clarinet.
Fidelity provided the money, and The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, through a grant process, identified Zebulon Elementary as a prime candidate for the donation and helped determine what instruments the school needed.
No government funds were involved in these instruments. Just a private nonprofit and a corporate supporter who wanted to enrich the lives of these kids. Thanks to them both for reminding us that individuals make the difference.
