Guitars For Kids Program- Hapers Ferry, WV

April 4, 2012

Guitars For Kids Program, Jefferson Co., West Virginia

Until recently I was at a loss to find my venue to what to do with my guitar playing skills until friends and family asked me one day, “why don’t you just do what you love”. Which for me is playing guitar. I have been unemployed for three years now and was very perplexed to what to do to make a new career or living during these trying times. I thought to myself then, what are my natural skills that I have to share that would be of any value to others.
There were only four loves that I had and had any length of experience with. One was the great outdoors, (hiking and camping), two was herbal research and practitioner, three was architecture and the other is playing guitar. Since playing guitar came first at the ripe old age of 12, I have always chosen this skill as my first and predominate love.

It was after opening an “open mic” near Charles Town, West Virginia, (which is located at the Mission Road Community Center near Shannondale, West Virginia), that things started to gel. The community here is in the Blue Ridge Mountains has always had a close knitted “grass roots feel”, as the people here are very friendly. Since then people come to together to share their love for music and open jams which led to kids getting interested in learning to play the guitar. So with the help of Jennifer B., (a very strong activist in our community), that teaching guitar at the “Mission” took off.

Now, along with open mic, I teach guitar for the Jefferson County Adult Continuing Education Program thanks to Judy S., who I met at the “Mission” while instructing guitar to one of my students. Then one day it happened. During a class a 10-year-old girl was faced with not having a good guitar to play with. She wanted to learn so badly that she asked for help. Many parents want to buy their kids a good guitar but find it hard to shell out extra money and therefore find themselves perplexed of what to do. So after seeing this lovely girl’s face look at me, (which I still can’t get out of my mind completely), tears leaked out from my eyes. It then struck me so suddenly what needed to be done. It was after seeing these kids that wanted so much to learn to play guitar and how much it meant to them that the Guitar For Kids Program was born.

What we do is collect any and all guitars siting gathering dust in people’s garages and closets and ask them to donate them to the program. We then collect them and have volunteer artisans fix and repair the guitars and donate them back into the community. Now kids do not have to go without this possibility of never learning how to play the guitar again!

It’s with many special thanks to all the wonderful people who donate and the volunteers that work diligently on fixing these guitars.
If you have any guitars you would like to donate and are located in Jefferson County, West Virginia, please contact:
Rick Cooper @ Ph. (240) 344-9598 or Email: artisanenterprises.cooper[at]gmail.com
A donation Center is now open every first Saturday of the month from 11:30am to 1:00pm at:
The Mission Road Communtiy Center(MCCP) Shannondale, WV located just off route 9 on Mission Road ,(The Old Stone Building on the right hand side.)
You can also write to:
Artisan Enterprises
Guitars For Kids Program
P.O. Box 938
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425

Rick Cooper is a musician and local music instructor and activist, if you would like to support him, become a student support or the guitars for kids project in Jefferson County West Virginia can be reached here at Alterjounal.org

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