Sigma Alpha Iota

SAI PHILANTHROPIES, INC. Our Outreach Dollars at Work By Marilyn Daggett Phoenix Alumnae Chapter Treasurer E ach year, in reviewing the Sigma Alpha Iota National Objectives, we ponder how we as chapters can best fulfill the aims of SAI as we plan our meetings, events and activities. Item number six on the list of objectives tells us to "Advocate for music education through volunteerism and financial support." Often we struggle with the idea of how best to serve music education in our communities above the usual established programs, such as those that SAI Philanthropies, Inc. provides (scholarships, People-to-People Project, etc.). We are all busy people and are involved in our lives outside of SAI, but there are things that the Phoenix Alumnae Chapter has found that they can do with limited resources and time. Last year the Phoenix Alumnae Chapter was able to purchase a dozen research books (and books for limited circulation) for the Music Education Library at Arizona State University. Funding for this project was attained through various projects, one of which was through our annual Silver Musicale and through additional donations that we have amassed over the years. We allotted a certain amount of money that we felt we could manage and contacted Alpha Sigma initiate and alumna Dr. Margaret Schmidt at the university. She and her fellow professors came up with a list of books that they thought would benefit the students. The books were ordered and sent directly to the university, where they were later catalogued and are now housed in a section of the library reserved for music education students. This project will benefit hundreds of students in the future. In January of this year, during the course of a Phoenix Alumnae Chapter board meeting, there was a discussion regarding the local philanthropic project for this year. In the past, through connections, a local elementary school in Phoenix had received several violins through a link between SAI Philanthropies, Inc. and corporate sponsor Kennedy Violins. Although the idea to provide violin or viola outfits to add to that particular school's inventory was discussed in the meeting, members felt that the cost for two violin outfits would only serve two students this year and two students each year after that. Treasurer Marilyn Daggett had an idea that would provide much-needed items for a local inner-city Tempe middle school music program that would benefit more than just a few students. She asked the officers if they thought that providing much-needed instrument accessories for an inner-city school orchestra program would be a worthwhile project. It was an idea that had come to her as she sat looking through a string catalog, shortly after Christmas. When the board members who were present agreed, the wheels were set in motion to provide the Gililland Middle School in Tempe with 22 viola and violin shoulder pads for the students to use with their school-owned instruments. Most of the students in the Gililland Middle School Orchestra Program are either Latino or Native American, and they come to the class with pre-set physical conditions that make string-playing a greater challenge. For example, Native American children often lack the prescribed shoulder definition, which makes holding and playing violins or violas in a comfortable position a difficult goal. They all need the proper elevation and tilt of their instruments in order to play with correct posture and to maximize sound production. Many of the students are also on free or reduced-cost lunch and are therefore unable to purchase quality shoulder pads on their own, so the Phoenix Alumnae Chapter decided to provide the funding to purchase enough shoulder pads for each of these 22 students. As the details were worked out, it was discovered that the orchestra teacher, Tamara Mason (now Tamara Mason-Martinez) was actually an SAI, and she was delighted that our chapter was taking an interest in her students. We discussed the kind of shoulder pads she thought were most durable and ideal for the students and the different size that needed to be purchased. After doing a little research for the best prices, the Phoenix Alumnae Chapter placed the order with a well-known distributor of string materials and accessories. Once the purchase was made and shipment was received, arrangements were made to present the students with shoulder Our gift to the students was a much-needed boost to their self-esteem and ... a proper playing position to maximize sound and ease of performance. pads of varying sizes. On February 9, 2012, Phoenix Alumnae Chapter members Dr. Charlotte Farney, Nan Van Wie, and Marilyn Daggett met at the Gililland Middle School in Tempe, AZ to present a basket full of violin and viola shoulder pads to Tamara Mason and the members of the orchestra class. Because they were so pleased with our gift, Ms. Mason and the school administrators were able to gather the student musicians together in a large ensemble; the principal and the fine arts coordinator for the district were also there for the presentation, as well as members of the Community News and Marketing Office, taking pictures and making notes for a future article in the community newspaper. After the presentation was made, the students serenaded us all with a string orchestra selection. In her classes, Ms. Mason has students playing string instruments of all sizes and construction, from the standard violins, violas, and cellos to electric guitars (with amps) and electric violins. She is able to include all of the students in a playing ensemble. Our gift to the students was a much-needed boost to their self-esteem and an asset in providing the students some assistance in establishing a proper playing position to maximize sound and ease of performance. Of supreme importance, however, was the fact that our gift helped 22 students this year, and will continue to help 22 students each year for years to come. This project was one way that the Phoenix Alumnae Chapter could both use its funds to help support the music education program in a local inner-city school, and meet one of the National Objectives for this triennium. OUTREACH continued on page 26 sai-national.org SUMMER 2012 PAN PIPES 5

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