The third quarter grant from the Chaffee Women Who Care organization has been awarded to the Walden Chamber Music Society (WCMS). The Society has been bringing live classical music concerts to the SteamPlant with world-class musicians since 2003.
While presenting the best in classical music has been their major mission, their other programs reflect their desire to promote interest in classical music with all the students in this valley.
The Chaffee County Women Who Care presented their third quarter grant to the Walden Chamber Music Society. From left to Right: Karen Lundberg (CCWWC), Pam Groebner (CCWWC), Sally Kriebel (WCMS), Marilyn Bouldin (CCWWC), Rita Leydon (CCWWC)
WCMS has been able to fulfill all of its missions, even as it has had to adjust to the COVID-19 realities of these past two-plus years, but it is now financially stressed.
Walden asked Women Who Care for this grant of $13,750 to, among other things, allow it to provide a free ticket ($20 value) to any adult accompanying one child or more to any given concert. Walden has always given free tickets to students as a way to introduce them to classical music.
The organization says that it plans to use a good portion of this award to expand its “Helping Hands” mini-grants of $300 for music teachers in our local schools who all too often find their budgets leaving no margin for extras.
These mini-grants have helped teachers get band instruments repaired and cover the costs to send students to state competitions. One of Walden’s dreams has been to expand these grants to help financially strapped families to be able to afford to rent a band instrument for their students who want to participate in school music programs.
WCMS always awards one or two scholarships to valley students pursuing further studies in music, music education, or music therapy. The plan is for this grant award to help bolster that mission as well.
Foremostly, though, WCMS is excited to have this money to pay their concert musicians to go to the BV and Salida schools to perform live for the students at least once, if not twice during the school year. In the past, when Walden was able to do this, the students were wildly enthusiastic.
As WCMS notes “There is nothing like a live concert. Walden Chamber Music Society is profoundly grateful to Women Who Care.”
Recent Comments