Guitars for Kids
Cambridge-based program expands to Kitchener, Waterloo
WATERLOO REGION — It has been four years since the not-for-profit Guitars for Kids program started up in Cambridge.
This year, it has expanded to offer kids in Kitchener and Waterloo a chance to own a guitar.
“We started out in Cambridge and our specific mandate was to essentially take in old, used, donated guitars,” said Dan Walsh, president of Guitars for Kids/Cambridge Live Music.
“We take them in, refurbish them and then we put them into the hands of children who may not normally have access to such a thing.”
Community groups reach out to the notfor-profit when they’ve identified children who could benefit from a guitar and Guitars for Kids supplies both the instrument and a free lesson. So far, the organization has handed out about 200 guitars to children and teens.
“Sometimes a guitar is just that thing to keep them going,” said Walsh, who got his first guitar when he was 12 and hasn’t put the instrument down since then.
“The coolest thing for me is if one of these kids winds up being one of the world’s next (great) guitar players.”
Now, with the expansion of the program to the entire region, the not-for-profit needs a little more help repairing guitars.
Cambridge’s Brian Gardiner of Guitar Repair, has been doing the work on his own since the organization’s inception and will continue to refurbish the instruments south of Highway 401.
But for all the guitars that need repairing north of the highway, Conestoga College students will now be offering their assistance.
Dwayne King, owner of The Guitar Corner in Kitchener, started teaching a continuing education guitar repair class at the college this fall and soon realized his students needed more guitars to fix.
Walsh was in the store shopping one day and King asked if his students could help out.
“He has a problem where he needs guitars to fix for his program (and) I have a problem where I have a whole bunch of guitars that need to be fixed for my program,” said Walsh. “So it’s a great handshake deal.”
And so far, the relationship has been a success. King and Walsh recently teamed up to give 20 guitars to the Waterloo Wayside outreach centre run by the Emmanuel United Church.
But the Guitars for Kids program can always use more guitar donations to help keep the program running and expanding.
On Nov. 26, the organization is hosting its third annual Guitars for Kids Fundraiser at the Preston Legion on Westminster Drive North in Cambridge.
From 1 to 4 p.m. guests can listen to live music played by the Vat Blues Band and students from the Queen Street Music School and E-Bolt Music.
There will be a silent auction of made-inCambridge cigar box guitars, vendors offering goods, and a raffle of guitars decorated by local artists.
“(Donated) guitars that are not reparable, we give them to local artists around Cambridge and they either paint them or wood burn – any kind of artistic thing,” said Walsh.
Admission is free to the event and there will be food and drinks available for purchase.