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February 2010

       We have just begin to put the wheels in motion for the Marilyn Koenen Music for Kids Society. This website is the first major move forward for us. We have registered the name “Music Kids” as the short form representing the full name of the foundation. We have begun supplying musical instruments to The MusicKids  Mazatlan Chapter that was started in January through donations and fund raising musical events. They desperately need two acoustic pianos. We are half way to purchasing one and hope to get to two before long. The Kelowna Chapter will begin giving lessons and instruments within the next month. We are working at combining information technology with musical training in order to reach more children. We are extremely busy in getting all the nuts and bolts together to support the kids and the infrastructure needed to do that. If you wish to help us as a volunteer  or with financial sponsorship we will accept your help with open arms. We really need financial support right now as we have plans for fund raising musical events that will require up front financial commitments. Not to mention the start-up costs for musical instruments and lessons for our first wave of students.

             The results of our efforts may not happen overnight but they will

March 12, 2010

             Jim Donovan has been busy down in Mazatlan. He presented the school down there with a new Spanish guitar and some much needed percussion instruments. We have finalized the plans for the first public event in Edmonton at the beautiful Muttart Conservatory on June 5th. We have  200 tickets available for this event . It is called “An Evening with Marilyn and Music”. Please contact us for tickets if you are looking for a special time at a special place. Tickets are $35.00 with advance tickets for $30.00 up until April 30th. We have received a device ordered from China that will be tested for supplying musical training over any television with a memory stick. We are excited about this technology because we will be able to reach any child with a television. I would like to thank the many people that have come forward to offer their help in getting things rolling. It is truly amazing to me and I really feel blessed and I know Marilyn would feel the same way. Music has always been a very positive influence in my life, especially during and after my baby’s passing and there are so many children that if they had the chance to make music they would discover hope in the future.

April 30, 2010

Lessons are well underway in Kelowna BC.  We are seeing progress and some very happy and excited children. The planning and ticket sales for the first ever “Marilyn Koenen Music for Kids Society” fund raising event  is well underway. We have some exceptional musicians volunteering their time and talent to provide us with some great sounds for the evening. The tickets are now over 60% sold  so if you know of someone who has not got tickets, get on the phone and order them to avoid not being able to attend. We have a strict code we must adhere to from the City of Edmonton and cannot sell one ticket more than 200. This will be a very special night for all in attendance. A special thank you to Blain Doherty for offering to provide the sound stage for this event at  no cost.

 

Mazatlan Update.

Jim Donovan has obtained a source for pianos in Mazatlan. We are going to be purchasing one for the school which will be heavily used and very much needed. It is at the top of their list. They do have a few pianos but they are very rough and at least 2 are unplayable. We are looking forward to getting this for them. Also Jim has sent violin  strings to the school which they were in dire need of.

 

Thank you to the many who have helped us to get this far. Your contribution of both time and money has and will continue to make a difference. A special thank you to JD Electric and ESCOM Electrical Distributors for sponsoring the “An Evening for Marilyn and Music” Muttart Conservatory Event.

June 9, 2010

Our first Gala fund raising event at the Muttart Conservatory in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada was a great success and we want to thank everyone for attending  and helping our cause. We are having a directors meeting in Kelowna, BC on June 25th and we will be setting new directions for the coming months. We are going to begin raising donated musical instruments immediately for our Mexican Children who desperately need them. So please get the word out to everyone  so that we can turn those “closet “ instruments into the hands of needy children. Our first campaign will be in Edmonton because we have the warehouse space to store and collect them and we have the shipping capabilities from Edmonton as well. A request has come in from Los Cabos for opening a chapter in that region of Mexico so that will be discussed. We introduced the card reader program for remote offerings to children for music training on any television. Some very good ideas were raised after the introduction from attendees at the June 5th Gala. One offer that was expressed was from an adult wishing that he could learn from the program and was asking if he made a sizable donation if that could be a possibility. That opens a whole new opportunity for us that previously was not considered. Please Blog us with and suggestions or feed back you may have because we can’t do this alone.

Tony Koenen