Baylee Caudill Memorial Instrument Drive

Hi, my name is Elena Storelli, or fearne to my friends. With the incredible support of Sara Moore and others, I am organizing this instrument drive to honor the memory of my partner, Baylee Caudill.

This instrument drive aims to provide as many instruments as possible, whether stringed or not, to music programs in Durham Public Schools. The schools will be prioritized based on need, and any surplus instruments or equipment donated will be sold. 100% of the proceeds from any sales will be donated to the Trans Lifeline to aid the many, many trans people with stories like Baylee’s.

If you have an instrument in good condition or in need of minor repairs to donate, there will be 3 donation sites open from December 19th-January 20th. We will have additional volunteers assisting with instrument intake on Monday, January 16th. You can bring your instruments to Music & Arts at 3603 Witherspoon Blvd #112 in Durham, Music Go Round at 855 Bass Pro Ln in Cary, or Indie Strings on Dominion St in Durham. You can drop off an instrument any time in the donation window, but we will have additional volunteers at Indie Strings on Monday, January 16th (MLK Day) to assist with instrument intake. On all other days, donations can be brought to Indie Strings by appointment only, visit them here or call (919) [phone redacted] to schedule.

Come prepared with an estimate of your instrument's value. We will also provide you with a contact sheet so that we can let you know where your instrument ends up once they have all been distributed!

If you don't have an instrument to donate, monetary donations are welcome and will be used to repair the instruments! 100% of surplus donations will be donated to Trans Lifeline. If you would prefer to donate directly to Trans Lifeline or would like to learn more about the organization, you can find them here.

Baylee was a joyful and passionate person with a creative soul and lifelong love of music. Baylee first started playing viola at Carrington middle school and was taught by Sara Moore from then until they graduated high school. In that time, Sara instilled a deep love for stringed instruments that persisted for the rest of Baylee’s life. They left behind 8 instruments and a list of many more they hoped to collect. Music was always one of Baylee’s favorite escapes and forms of expression. I already miss hearing them practice the same 7 Dead Kennedy's and Maneskin songs on the bass over and over again.

Baylee had a bright smile and contagious laugh. They had a gift for storytelling and could tell anyone stories about drag, video games, or LGBTQ+ history at a moment’s notice. Baylee befriended every animal they met, from the most rambunctious of dogs to the most cautious of cats. Baylee was also deeply compassionate and had a profound, innate sense of justice. They always stood up for the little guy and were a fierce advocate for the marginalized. The best way I can imagine honoring their memory and the joy and love they gave other people is by sharing their love of music and community by making it possible for more kids to learn about and make music.

Baylee was a beloved member of their community, and their light will carry on in us forever.

#Translivesmatter