Local Kiwanis bring the jazz

When Hurricane Katrina blew through the Gulf Coast, it didn’t take the music, but it did take the means of making it. Students in the Metairie School District lost all their band instruments to the hurricane and resulting flood.

Though the district’s high school received a grant to replace their instruments, the district’s middle-school students have secured a music room and a music teacher but no instruments. The Kiwanis Club of Carmichael is hoping to correct that by donating gently used instruments to the budding musicians. They’ll be renting a truck and delivering the instruments to Metairie middle-school students at the end of this month.

According to Chaplain Sarge Wright, they’ve gathered about 100 instruments so far. “We’re looking for the usual band instruments: cornet, saxophone, trombone, clarinet. Whatever people have that is in playable condition,” Wright said.

The deadline for donating is April 29. People with instruments should call or e-mail Wright, (916) 300-7448 or sarge6220@comcast.net, to arrange pickup.