Playing it forward with Guitars for Kids Thunder Bay
CBC
A new charity officially launching in Thunder Bay next month hopes to help kids in need develop their musical talents.
Guitars for Kids Thunder Bay will offer donated and refurbished guitars as well as lessons for free to disadvantaged and marginalized youth in Thunder Bay.
“I think if you ask anyone who loves music, especially a guitarist or somebody who plays any instrument, piano, could be drums, could be anything, at some point in their life, it got them through some tough times, right?” said Brooke Pilley, Guitars for Kids Thunder Bay’s president.
“Even if the kid doesn't become the next Eddie Van Halen or Jimi Hendrix or whatever, I think at least they'll know that somebody out in the community was looking out for them, thought about them, cared about them, wanted to give them an opportunity," he said.
Pilley said Guitars for Kids Thunder Bay came out of a discussion he had with Dan Walsh, one of the founders of the original, Waterloo-based Guitars for Kids organization.
“I just built a guitar for charity with one of our local animal rescues, and shared that on an online forum,” Pilley said. “Somebody said, ‘Hey, if you like doing charity work and guitar stuff, you should talk to this guy Dan.’”
Pilley said he had a long phone call with Walsh, who offered to support him and share some of the lessons from starting his own organization 14 years ago in Waterloo.
Walsh also sent what Pilley called a Guitars for Kids starter pack of 25 guitars to help get the local branch going. Since then they've started receiving guitar donations, he said.
If the guitars need any repairs, they turn to local luthiers, including Perry Chan, owner of Thunder Bay’s Monkey Guitars.
“I thought it was a good opportunity just to give back,” Chan said. “Anything comes in damaged … I'll take a look at it, or I'll assess it, if it's repairable.”
Guitars that are too damaged will be turned in to art projects, Chan said.
“Nothing’s wasted,” he said, adding that most of the guitars donated so far have been in good condition.
“It's usually electric guitars, because they're solid,” he said. “Acoustic guitars, heat and humidity is a big factor. Too little humidity, there's issues. Too much humidity, there's issues.
“But for the most part, just little nicks and scratches. Some character, as I call it.”
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