The President's Message
May 25, 2010
Dear Friends,
Five years ago Bill Geddes asked me to become President of the Region 14 Music Foundation. Our mission was simple: to enrich enjoyment through musical experience of all Region 14 District students. Our specific objectives were to create programs that would enable our students to both experience the joy of music and help them start to play a musical instrument.
In our short existence, we have brought and sponsored programs in the District such as The Connecticut Opera, String Awareness program, Drums of Afrika, and a high school level Voice Master Class by world renowned voice teacher, Cynthia Servetas.
In addition, our Mini-Grant Program has paid for subsidized music lessons and summer camps for scores of Region 14 music students. This journey has given our Board great joy, creating these opportunities to musically enrich these young lives.
We have not yet completed our mission and have decided to expand our focus. Rather than just supporting music education for students in our District, we are now expanding our sponsorship to music programs for the enrichment of the communities of Woodbury and Bethlehem. Our goal is to reach a large audience in creating programs and ultimately to provide funding opportunities. In the past we have sponsored community events, such as Music Appreciation Day in Woodbury, which kicks off the Summer Concerts in the Parks Series. We plan to continue this sponsorship in the future. We are also in the early planning stages of offering a concert in Bethlehem. What better way to accomplish this expanded focus, than to become a community foundation? Our new name, more reflective of these broader goals, is the Woodbury-Bethlehem Community Music Foundation, Inc.
I will close by saying the Foundation is on the threshold of something very special. We have received the funding for (from a very generous benefactor) and plan to start a String Program for the Region 14 School District in September, 2010. We will sponsor the program for the long-term and hope to build it into a full-fledged orchestral program at the high school level. We are very excited and hope the community shares our excitement and commitment. We invite all to learn more about our programs and join us in the great work that is being done!
Marc Kroll
President, Woodbury-Bethlehem Community Music Foundation, Inc.
