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6 | FEBRUARY 6, 2015 WWW.MASONCOUNTYLIFE.COM Music boosters raising funds to add scholarships By ARLA SHEPHARD MASONCOUNTYLIFE Forthepastnineyears, the North Mason Music Boosters Club has provided badly needed resourcesintheformofmusical equipment, uniforms, contest entrance fees and muchmoretomusicteachers and students in the North Mason School District. This school year, the booster club wants to take theirsupportonestepfurther by providing at least threescholarshipstograduating North Mason High School students who have demonstrated a commitmenttoplayingmusic. Theboosterclubishosting a smoked brisket dinner fundraiser at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Mary E. Theler Community Center, withcomedianAlexZerbe toraisefundsforthescholarships. “College costs so much now,” said Gene Johnson, president of the North Mason Music Boosters. “We just want to help kids. There aresomanykidswhodon’t even apply for school because they don’t know how to pay for it.” Johnson joined the booster club as president in 2007, oneyearaftertheorganization formed. His daughters have attended North Mason schools theirentireeducation,and the family enjoys playing music—hisdaughtershave participated in band since sixth grade and both take piano lessons, while Johnsonplayswithlocalbands SwingFeverandtheBackwoods Windjammers. AfriendofJohnson’sfrom theWindjammersfirstpersuaded him to join the newly formed club. “One of the other musicians said, ‘You should come to a meeting, we need help,’” Johnson recalled. “I was looking for more ways to getinvolvedintheschools. Themoreinvolvedyouare in your kids’ education, the better the schools will be.” During Johnson’s tenure, the group has gone from an annual budget of about$10,000ayeartonow around $60,000 a year. The club, with about eight active members, raises money through fundraisers and selling concessions at basketball and football games. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NORTH MASON MUSIC BOOSTER CLUB TheNorthMasonMusicBoosterClubsupportsmusicprogramsatallfourNorthMasonschools,includingtheHawkins MiddleSchoolMarchingBand,picturedhere.TheclubishostingafundraiserSaturday,Feb.7,toraisemoneyfornew scholarshipsforNorthMasonHighgraduatingseniors. Thefundsaredividedto support all four schools, Belfair and Sand Hill Elementary schools, Hawkins MiddleSchoolandNorthMason High. Aboutfiveyearsago,the district cut music funding from all the schools, optingtosavemoneybykeepingthemusicteachers,but nixing each music teacher’sbudget.Withoutmoney for instrument repairs, new equipment, uniforms and entrance fees, the schools relied even more on the music booster club for support. “Our mission is to generate interest and money and involvement in all four schools,” Johnson said. “Eachhastheirownunique challenges and needs. But moneyisuniversalforallof them.” More than 300 North Mason students participate in a music program of some kind,whetherit’sthehigh school marching band, choir, jazz and other bands,
WWW.MASONCOUNTYLIFE.COM FEBRUARY 6, 2015 | 7 Symphony director touts community benefits of the arts By ARLA SHEPHARD MASONCOUNTYLIFE When Matthew Blegen moved to MasonCountyaround15yearsago, he fell in love immediately with the vistas, the recreational activities and the allaround sheer beauty of the community. Andyet,heregularlyencounteredapersistentstigmaabouthisnewhome—theidea thatMasonCountyisabackwardscommunityinthehicks,withlittletoofferitsresidents or visitors. “Beinganewcomerandseeingthecommunitywithfresheyes,Ididn’tunderstand whythiswasanarrativewetold,”Blegen shared with members of the North Mason Chamber of Commerce, at the chamber’s Jan. 28 luncheon. “What are the stories we tell ourselves?” Blegen is the new executive director of the Bremerton Symphony and is working onadoctoraldegreefromtheUniversityof Washington,wherehisresearchfocuseson how arts participation can build community economically and educationally. He encouraged North Mason business ownerstothinkabouthowworkingwith arts programs might positively impact their business and the economy of the greater community. Whilemanystudiesshowthepositiveimpact participating in arts can have on an individual’s stress levels, depression and even immune system, not many think of the arts PHOTO BY ARLA SHEPHARD Matthew Blegen, executive director of the Bremerton Symphony, explains how music and the arts can improve the economic health of a community, at a North Mason ChamberofCommerceluncheon,Jan.28, at the Mary E. Theler Community Center in Belfair. Blegen’s doctoral research at theUniversityofWashingtonfocuseson how arts can help redefine a community’s narrative and build stronger relationships among businesses. as critical during tough economic times. “Wetendtothinkofartsasa‘gettohave’ andnota‘needtohave,’it’smorethesprinkleontop,”Blegensaid.“Moreandmoreresearchshowsthatcommunitieswithahigher degree of arts participation are more resilient during tough times.” Onesuchbodyofresearchcomesfromthe nonprofit Americans for the Arts’ “Arts & Economics Prosperity IV” nationwide study, whichfoundthatin2010,ayearinwhichunemployment hit 9.7 percent, the arts industry generated $135.2 billion in economic activity. Of that $135.2 billion, $61.1 billion came fromnonprofitartsandcultureorganizationsdirectly,while$74.1billion,ornearly55 percent, came from revenue generated by audience members spending their money elsewhere, like on hotels, restaurants and travel. This type of research fascinated Blegen and correlated with what he himself experiencedonthelocallevelinMasonCounty. As the former director of the Anna’s Bay Chorale in Union, Blegen motivated people withawiderangeofmusicalabilitiestowork together and challenge themselves, in the process forming strong relationships with one another that strengthened the community. In 2012, the chorale was invited to perform Handel’s “Messiah” at the Lincoln Center in New York City, an eye-opening trip for many ofthemembers,someofwhomwerehigh school students who never dreamed that beingfromSheltonthey’dgettobepartof somethinglikethat. “Arts participation is one of the most effectivewaystobreakupthat(negative)narrative,” Blegen said. Smallbusinessownerscantakethisknowledgeanduseittotheiradvantage,continued Blegen,whohasabackgroundinmarketing. Some businesses “soft sell” items, meaningtheysellthetypeofproductthatanindi- vidualmightbuyatanygiventime,suchas household products or dinner out at a restaurant,whileotherbusinesseshave“hardsell” items, such as cars or legal services, that an individualdoesn’tneeduntilthey’reinthe marketforanewcarorlawyer. Businessessellingsoftsellitemsneedonly tobeattherightplaceattherighttimeand business owners can offer incentives and deals to entice new customers, Blegen said. Meanwhilebusinesseswithhardsellitems mightrelyonmorelong-termbranding,so thatwhensomeoneisinneedofanewcar, they think immediately of that particular business, he added. Whenitcomestothearts,abusinesssellingasoftsellitemmightthinkaboutpartneringwithanartsorganization,forinstance arestaurantmightofferadinnerandashow deal with a local performing arts group. “Whenavisitortriesoutalocalestablishmentwhilethey’reintownforanevent,it increases the likelihood by 22 percent that they’llcomebackwithinthenext12months,” Blegen said. Abusinesswithhardsellitemscouldthink aboutsponsoringorsupportinganartsevent togettheirnameassociatedwithapositive community contribution. “Iwouldjustencourageyoualltothink abouthowyoupartnerwithschoolsand musicprograms,”Blegensaid.“Thepoint is to make our community healthier and to have more community pride.” themiddleschoolbandor grade school bands and music classes. Theboosterclubhaspurchasednewmarchingband uniforms for the high school marching band, a new equipment trailer that the bandcantakewiththemon theroadtohousebulkyinstruments and equipment, and new T-shirts for the elementary Mallet Masters percussion group. Theclubcontinuestopay for contest entrance fees forthehighschooljazzand marching bands. “Not everyone is an athleteandIthinktheband kidsgetsoclose,”Johnson said. “Quality equipment and quality uniforms are important, it helps them care more. The kids really come together in band, and that’spartlydueto(band teacher) Chris (Drewry).” Superintendent Dana Rosenbach reinstated the music teachers’ budgets this school year, but the booster clubstillwantstocontinue to support the schools. For the past three years, the club has consistently talked about setting up a music scholarship, and this year, the budget finally seemed to be healthy enough to support that, Johnson said. “As my oldest daughter got closer to graduating, we started looking around for scholarships,” he said. “We realized there really aren’t any music scholarships. Our group has always said we should do it. It’s time. We’ve gotten to the point where we’re solid now.” Theclub’scomedynight fundraiser is the first time theclubhasheldanevent outside of the high school andit’salsothefirsttime the club will be able to servebeerandwine. “We’ve tried many different fundraisers, like a hamburgerfeedandpasta night,” Johnson said. “We’ve got high hopes for this one. Theler has more visibility and they’re pro-school.” Tickets for the event cost $20perpersonandinclude smoked brisket, homemade scalloped potatoes andCaesarsalad. Canal Heating and Cooling, Manke Lumber and John L. Scott of Belfair have been ongoing sponsors for the booster club. Next year, the booster club will likely focus on raising money for new uniforms for the middle school marching band. “New uniforms and equipment, it does make a difference,” Johnson said. “Thekidsfeelbetterabout themselvesandwhenthey see their parents put in theextraefforttosupport them,theyputintheextra effort to succeed.” To purchase tickets for the comedy night brisket dinner fundraiser, which also includes a dessert and silent auctions, visit nmmbccomedy.bpt.me or call GeneJohnsonat275-8276. For more information on the North Mason MusicBoosterClub,visitthe club’s Facebook page.
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