The members from Tau Beta Sigma, a national honorary band sorority, along with students from Georgia State University, Georgia Tech and Spelman College held the first March for Music Walk-a-Thon on March 9 at the Jim Miller Park in Marietta.
The event brought together over 100 people to bring awareness and raise money for music education programs for local schools in the Southeast region, where Flat Rock Middle School in Fayette County would be one of the main beneficiaries.
For a music program that has grown from 30 to 140 students in six years, Kelly Gallman emphasized the importance of the cause. “Music and art education are getting slashed from budgets, but they are as integral to a student’s learning as math and science,” said the director of the Flat Rock Orchestra.
The walk-a-thon was held during Music in Our School month as declared by the National Association for Music Education. The mission is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children and to remind citizens that school is where all children should have access to music.
“The event is a way to get involved on behalf of not only the students, but also teachers,” said race coordinator and vice president of special programs Belinda Baker. “We want to be able to help the music programs thrive and schools, teachers, and the students need the community to get involved.”
Baker encouraged the community to continue fundraising and raising awareness for local schools. Additionally, she encouraged the community to write to respective congressmen or senators telling them why the music needs to be kept.
The event raised over $3,000 and $1,000 went to Flat Rock Middle School Orchestra, Georgia Washington Middle School Band in Montgomery, Ala., and Murphy Middle and High School in Murphy, N.C. each.
The money will help Flat Rock buy stools for the bass’, get essential care for instruments, sheet music, and so much more.
“It is great for the community to become a part of a great cause that benefits our kids,” added Gallman.
To learn more about Music in Our School month, visit musiced.nafme.org.
In other news: Taqueria Tsunami Latin‐Asian Kitchen presented the Georgia Red Cross $3,000 for local disaster relief on Friday. The money will allow the Red Cross to respond to an immediate need by providing food, shelter, and other essentials for families affected by local disasters across Georgia.
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