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~Donate~
In 2007, we were able to give $500.00 to a Kennebunk college student that is studying music education, which assisted the student in purchasing books for the spring semester. Yearly, we continue to grant a scholarship at Kennebunk High School for a college bound student planning to study music. Not only did we donate iPods to The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in 2007, but we continue to check in with the hospital to be sure they have enough iPods for all of the children who are in for treatment. Every spring, Rusty Rocket sends out applications to elementary, middle & high schools in Cumberland and York counties of Maine. Our board of directors reviews all applications and decides which schools will be recipients based on need for their program, dedication to their students and passion for music. Rusty Rocket believes that music is a gift - and with the gift of music, you have a gift for life. In 2009 we were very fortunate to raise enough money to donate to 4 separate Southern Maine schools in need! November 13, 2009 ~ Biddeford Intermediate School & JFK Elementary School - Andrea Wollstadt: Mrs. Wollstadt is the chorus instructor at BIS and the general music teacher at JFK, both in Biddeford, Maine. We presented her 4th & 5th graders with a USB microphone, with the intention of having her students composing their own music with programs such as "Garage Band" and also to record what they've done! We were also able to provide her kindergarden class with a small guitar, with the intention of providing the students with an opportunity to learn how to play at an early age, as well as in a music therapy setting.
November 24, 2009 ~ Biddeford Intermediate School - Jillian Cote: Ms. Cote is the band instructor for 3rd, 4th & 5th graders at Biddeford Intermediate School. We presented her band program with a $500.00 check to assist her in either buying instruments or helping students rent them. Ms. Cote's longterm goal is to provide every needy student with an opportunity to play in band at BIS.
Rusty Rocket's Scott Danis, Biddeford Intermediate's band instructor Jillian Cote and chorus teacher Andrea Wollstadt.
December 17, 2009 ~ Acton Elementary School - Catherine Finch: Mrs. Finch is the former general music, band and chorus teacher for K-8 at Acton Elementary in Acton, Maine. Since having a child, Mrs. Finch has decided to be a stay at home mom, but her application made such an impact on Rusty Rocket, that we were more than pleased to have given to a very deserving program, regardless. We donated 18 acoustic Fender Squier Guitar Packs to start a guitar program to a program that has endured music program budget cuts by more that two-thirds from 2007-2009. And we couldn't have been happier doing it!!! Please see the newspaper article from Sanford News here.
Students from Acton Elementary's K-8 school learn to play the acoustic guitars donated by Rusty Rocket on December 17, 2009. January 13, 2010 ~ Casco Bay High School - Kathie McCatherine: Ms. McCatherine is the music teacher at Casco Bay High School in Portland, Maine. We donated a $500.00 check to the 9-12 grade music program so that an African Music Program can be studied at the school. Casco Bay High School is an urban school with much diversity and 25% of the students are of color. In her application, Ms. McCatherine asked for a djembe drum, 2 congas, music and and African music CD and book, so our donation was to aid in the establishment of this program. It is the school's hope that the new program will allow the African American students to share their heritage with the other students and teachers and will spark the participation and curiosity of the entire community. Rusty Rocket hopes for the same!
Scott Danis and Laura Drown of Rusty Rocket present music teacher Kathie McCatherine of Casco Bay High School a $500.00 check on January 13, 2010.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Past Donations: On November 17th, 2008 we were very pleased to present George Shabo of Old Orchard Beach's Loranger Middle School with 24 Fender Squire Guitar Kits for his 4th, 5th & 6th grade music program. The department endured some major budget cuts this past school year, and it was in desperate need of some help. We couldn't have been happier to be able to donate to such a program and to an individual with such a passion for teaching kids the gift of music! Scott Danis of Rusty Rocket helps Brendon Norwood get ready to demonstrate one of 24 acoustic guitars donated to the school by the Rusty Rocket Foundation Monday in Old Orchard Beach. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In June of 2007 at the 5th Annual Tribute to JD concert, we were able to donate a number of instruments to 3 different music programs at schools throughout southern Maine. It was a very rewarding experience to present the following instruments to the music teachers for their music programs which were in need: Massabesic Middle School - Hagstrom Electric Guitar & Fender Amp Email info@RustyRocket.com if you have an instrument you would like to donate to our instrument program. We would like to send out a big Thank You to Buckdancers Choice of Portland and Midtown Music of Biddeford all of their support & generosity! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Also, in March of 2008 we presented an iPod nano to Olivia Sayer, a 5 year old girl from Kennebunk who was diagnosed with a brain tumor for the second time. Unfortuntately, surgery is not an option, so for six weeks Olivia underwent proton radiation therapy in Boston, Massachusetts. We feel that presenting her with an iPod enabled her to listen to her favorite music and helped her stay positive and upbeat during her hospital stay. We also presented the family with a $500.oo Sunoco gift certificate to help with travel expenses.
Olivia Sayer and her new iPod Rusty Rocket's Lisa Danis presenting Olivia with her iPod We cannot continue to grant these charitable donations without your help! So, please support our cause by attending 8th Annual Tribute to JD on June 12th, 2010 and/or participate in the tth Annual JD scramble this fall (see more information on the Events Page), or contribute on-line now! Or if you prefer, you can mail a check or money order to Rusty Rocket Corp. PO Box 2688 Kennebunkport, Maine 04046. If you would like to make an online cash or credit card donation to Rusty Rocket, please click on the button below and you will be taken to our secure donation form with PayPal. Also...
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Every year since 2005, Rusty Rocket has donated to children, students and music programs in need throughout southern Maine, and our goal is to continue to do so for years to come.
