NC School Band Loses All Instruments in Hurricane

Meet the Jones County Middle School Band from rural Trenton, North Carolina. Typically when a school band poses for photos in a band room, instruments are in the photo. On September 13, Hurricane Florence's destroyed their middle school and everything in it. EVERY BAND INSTRUMENT WAS DESTROYED.  That's what brings us here.

Jones County, NC is one of the poorest in the state. Most families who live there work hard to keep food on the table. Buying band instruments is not an option. School leaders and the students fundraised for years to buy instruments. Finally for the first time, with the help of the North Carolina Foundation for Public School Children, every band member had their own instrument

For the first time in 14 years, the Jones County Middle and High School Bands marched in last year's local Christmas parades as one unit. This marked a big moment for the Jones community. Photos of the band in the 2017 parades proudly hang on the walls of the school. 

Years of raising and saving money, pinching pennies for some to finally "get there" then have it all swept away in one night is a tragedy - even more so because these students live in a culture of struggle and poverty.  Add to that, many of their family homes were destroyed in the hurricane.

Last month when I visited the school and band students, I walked in the band room to see all students gathered around a xylophone someone had donated - the only instrument in the room. 

Please help us replace their instruments. It would be wonderful to have them up an running by December 1 - the date of the local parade. 

$5, $10 or $500. 

Instruments lost below. 
New or gently-used band instruments may be donated if donor will deliver or ship to the school. You may submit inquires through GoFundMe.

2  Flutes - $150 each
2 Snare Drums - $150 each
2  B Flat Trumpets - $160 each
2  Trombones - $160 each
2  B Flat Clarinet - $200 each
1 Piccolo - $250 
2  Alto Saxophone  - $350 each
1  88-Key Electric Piano - $500
1  Marimba - $1300
1 Oboe - $1790
1  Bass Clarinet - $2212
1 French Horn - $2250
1 Tuba - 3790
Several Mouthpieces