With the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s no secret that funds have been limited for nearly all, including schools. Because of this, The Helper Project wished to help the students at Sally Mauro Elementary in their musical arts department. They wrote a grant request to the Beverly Taylor Sorenson Foundation and were awarded funding for the project.
Shalee Johansen of the Helper Project began working with others that could assist, such as Mark Dickey of Lee’s Music in Price, to provide for the local children. Through this venture, students at Sally Mauro were given recorders for their recorder program. They were also purchased for students to take home for practice or Zoom classes.
“It was really successful,” shared Johansen.
At one of her visits to the music room, Johansen noticed that all of the keyboards and headphones were quite outdated and many of them did not work. Due to the generosity of community members, the full grant award was not used on the recorder project, so the remaining funds, along with donations from other organizations in the state, were pooled, and The Helper Project was able to gift new keyboards and headphones to the students, and Butler was given a weighted keyboard with recording equipment.
Johansen stated that the venture was very heartwarming. “It is a great opportunity for the local students who would otherwise not be exposed to this because of limited funding in schools.”
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- Photo courtesy of Shalee Johansen
