Melanie Rieck, piano teacher and Keyboard Artist/Choir Assistant at Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, urgently needs to replace her beloved Yamaha U-3 upright piano, which suffered water damage when a leak came through a wall from the nearby laundry area. Later, the technician discovered black mold inside and an unstable wooden pinblock. The piano can no longer be tuned; it is not repairable. In effect, it is on hospice--still capable of making sounds, but getting worse every day.

For months, Allstate had reassured Melanie that replacing the piano would be covered. However, when a comparable model was found for just under $10,000, Allstate revealed fine print in the policy, saying they would only cover $1,000 because the piano was "intended for a business purpose." Melanie is short of funds she needs to acquire a quality acoustic instrument for giving lessons and preparing for her own performances. Playing the piano feeds her soul as a musician, and it's the way she enriches the community. GoFundMe goal is $11,000.00