Main fundraiser photo

The Music Battery - Pay it forward!

Let’s drum up support for two very special people in the Daniel Island community... and a cause near and dear to their hearts!!

My name is Laura Mendola.  My family and I have been inspired to “Pay It Forward” after being on the receiving end of a completely awesome and heartfelt good deed by Kris Manning and Braeden Kershner of Black Tie Music Academy. Read about our story in the September 3 edition of The Daniel Island News to understand why I have nothing but praise for these two gifted and compassionate members of our community! 

http://www.thedanielislandnews.com/artman2/publish/Top_Stories_69/Musical_gift_hits_high_note_for_DI_teen.php


When Braeden and Kris discovered my daughter, Bryce, had been going up to their shop on Daniel Island in the evenings to play their outdoor public piano, as a musical escape from her chronic pain condition, they decided to donate a piano and six months’ worth of lessons to Bryce!

But giving the gift of music to my daughter is just one of many countless other acts of kindness performed by Kris and Braeden not only in our community, but all across the Charleston region. They started a non-profit organization in 2014 called The Music Battery, an after school drumline program for under-served youth that provides the tools, facilities, support and performance opportunities they need to achieve their personal goals — all at no charge to participants!

Click here for a sampling of what these talented kids can do!

https://youtu.be/wdKJ2g21ULI

The Music Battery offers a place to nurture the youths’ talent and envelope them in a culture that promotes confidence, security, musicianship and camaraderie. 


Last June, they planned their first big fundraiser for The Music Battery. It was called the Unity Music & Arts Festival and after months’ of work, they were hopeful it would bring in much needed support to keep their beloved program going strong. But three days before the event, tragedy struck at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. In keeping with the theme of “unity” associated with their event, Kris and Braeden decided to donate all proceeds to the Mother Emanuel Fund. It is just another example of their incredible compassion towards those in need. 

When I thought about the amazing ways that Braeden and Kris blessed our family with their incredible generosity, I knew I wanted to find a way to give back. We decided to set up this Go Fund Me account to help show them - and the hundreds of kids they serve - how much they mean to our community! Proceeds from this fund will go directly to The Music Battery. Here’s just a sampling of ways your donation can help:

HOW WILL YOUR DONATION HELP THE MUSIC BATTERY?

$50 will buy school supplies

$100 will buy snacks and water

$200 will buy mallets for the bass drums and quad drums

$500 will buy t-shirts (uniforms) for the kids

$1000 will buy drum harnesses, slings, hardware, and drum heads 

$20,000 will buy the drums: snare drums, bass drums, tenor drums, quad drums, and cymbals

And the donation of a bus will provide a cool ride!

So please join me in drumming up some support for The Music Battery “Pay It Forward” Fund in honor of Kris and Braeden - and the heartfelt way that they are impacting our community each and every day!


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Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $75 
    • 8 yrs
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Organizer and beneficiary

Laura Siebuhr Mendola
Organizer
Goose Creek, SC
Kris Manning
Beneficiary

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