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The Music4Life™ initiative – including the local version called “Highline Music4Life” – has won corporate support from New York-based Nina McLemore, the clothing line for executive and professional women.
McLemore’s boutique store in the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle is providing 15 percent of proceeds until March 15 for purchases by customers who identify themselves as supportive of Music4Life.
“This is a wonderful gift,” says Betty Woods, former President/CEO of Premera Blue Cross and current Governing Board Chair of Music4Life ( www.Music4Life.org ). “From the beginning, Nina has told us how much she values both the arts and education. We are very grateful for her – and her company’s – support.”
Music4Life is the Seattle-based non-profit that acquires “lovingly used” musical instruments, gets them repaired and then provides them to participating public school districts for use by elementary-aged students of low income families. Besides Seattle Public Schools, Music4Life also operates programs supporting Edmonds, Highline, Mukilteo and Shoreline Public Schools. The program acquires used instruments from adults who understand that their highest and best use is to put them back into play. With adequate resources, Music4Life can also buy new musical instruments for school districts.
Nina (pronounced as NEYE-nah) McLemore LLC (www.NinaMcLemore.com) has high-end stores in Nantucket, Palm Beach, Palm Springs, Chapel Hill, Aspen, Chevy Chase and other similar locations. McLemore designs “clothing to address the needs of senior professional and executive women and women who are active in their communities.” She was featured in a Wall Street Journal article in July that referred to her clothing as “a weapon in the wardrobes of authoritative women.” (Click here to see the article.)
The March 1st kick-off event featured live music by a student as a celebration of Music4Life in the Seattle area. Music4Life volunteers were on-hand to explain the program in detail.
One recent national report found that half of all public school students are from income-eligible families that qualify for participation in the Free-and-Reduced-Lunch program. The Seattle area is no exception.
Music4Life enjoys the support of notable music advocates and other community leaders. Gerard Schwarz, world-renowned conductor laureate of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, has endorsed the program, saying:
“This wonderful program begins with children in elementary school at a time when, if they’re interested and talented in any way, they have the greatest chance of success. Many people tell me of the impact that direct knowledge of instrumental music has had on their lives. We intend to give this advantage to all our children.”
In addition to Nina McLemore, Music4Life™ is supported in part by grants from the Hazel Miller Foundation, First Choice Health; 4Culture (the former Seattle-King County Arts Commission); the Knossos Foundation; various local Rotary and Kiwanis clubs; the Highline Schools Foundation; as well as by the law firm of Garvey Schubert Barer; Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Cascade Symphony Orchestra, the Edmonds Center for the Arts; Kennelly Keys Music; Hammond Ashley Violins, the Guitar Store and others.
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