Recycling Band Instruments Nurtures Goodwill and Tax Deduction :)
March 23, 2006

Spring cleaning helped me discover once again the lovely Cello and Trumpet that my grown children used to play. I sighed when I recalled how much pleasure these instruments had given so many people. Then I sighed again when I realized that there is no sound sadder than that of a silent instrument. They haven’t been played in years, and the kids no longer want them. I could save them for sentimental reasons, but that didn’t seem rational, especially when considering that these instruments could be helping someone build skills, gain confidence or simply enjoy the pleasure of playing or hearing music.

I thought about selling them through eBay, since that seemed to offer the best chance of finding someone who would want them. But there wasn’t much profit in that, and shipping them could damage the instruments and is also quite expensive. It became increasingly clear that the most efficient way to get these instruments into the right hands would be by donating them. There are a few national programs to do that, but none seemed quite the right choice, especially when considering that I would face some of the same problems that I would if I sold them.

Then I called Liberty High School, where I was connected with Ms. Jason, the Instrumental Music Director. I told her what instruments I had and asked if they could use them. Wow, could they ever!

Ms. Jason explained that the budget for acquiring new instruments was very small and that they were in desperate need of a number of playable instruments. Specifically, they could use Saxophones; tenor, alto and baritone, Trumpets and a Tuba. They could also use a full size piano in good condition. In fact, they would be delighted to accept any instrument in playable condition.

Donating the instruments doesn’t just help the schools; it can help you with your taxes. With your donation, you will get a form to use for a tax deduction.

For more information call Liberty High School directly at 410-751-3560, or call the Music Hotline at 410-549-6213, where you can leave a message about donating.

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