Community Chest Spotlight: Grundy Area Arts Council

The 2014-15 Sewanee Community Chest Fund Drive is underway. The power of people helping people makes a difference in the life of the community. Sponsored by the Sewanee Civic Association, the Community Chest raises money yearly for local charitable organizations serving the area. This year’s goal is $101,000. To date, 66 percent of the goal has been reached.

This week we shine the spotlight on the Grundy Area Arts Council.

The purpose of the Grundy Area Arts Council is the coordination, communication, promotion and development of cultural activities in Grundy County and the surrounding areas. Emphasis is placed on reaching an underserved population and supporting local arts, artists and resources.

The GAAC is requesting $500 this year to be used for the Guitarsome project. Guitarsome is an innovative music project designed to help erase this area’s existing socioeconomic barriers one guitar at a time by developing skills and taking pride in musical traditions inherent to the cultural history.

Guitarist Lucas Finney began this program in early 2014. Using web conferencing soft ware, students in three Plateau schools were able to learn how to play the guitar. Assistant instructors were also placed in these schools to provide hands-on instruction. Th e project is currently in Phase II, extending to other elementary schools in the tri-county area. It is estimated more than 1,300 will benefit from this program.

The funds raised will be used to cover the services of the teaching assistants and technical director, transportation costs and web-conferencing fees.

Since 1908 the goal of the Sewanee Community Chest has been to help citizens by funding the community. The Community Chest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations are tax-deductible. Send your donation to Sewanee Community Chest, P.O. Box 99, Sewanee, TN 37375.  AmazonSmile donations are also accepted.