Mandolin Cafe Launches CBA Scholarship Fundraiser

[NewsFetcher]

Mandolin Cafe Launches CBA Scholarship Fundraiser
http://www.mandolincafe.com/news/publish/mandolins_001145.shtml

Mandolin Cafe to help raise funds for the California Bluegrass Association and their first Winter Music Camp, February 15-18, 2010.

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[Scott Tichenor]

I'd like to publicly thank all of our visitors and members that donated to this good cause. You may have forgotten about this, but we haven't! Back when we launched this in early November we rapidly raised $2,000 that is going towards scholarships for talented young musicians so that they can attend this camp. CBA has always been very generous with funding their camps but this is the first year for this Winter event and it strained their budget a bit, but the Cafe's members and visitors came through and made it happen.

Tomorrow the camp opens and some very fortunate and thankful young musicians will get getting a chance to learn from the likes of John Reischman, Roland White and Dix Bruce.

Thank you!

[Scott Tichenor]

More information. Here's a bit about the participants that received scholarship assistance. Since they're all under the age of 18 I'm not publishing names, just initials. This is from my contact with CBA:

D.T., 15. His letter of request this year said, "My name is <name removed>, and I love to play the mandolin and love bluegrass in general. At the Grass Valley Camp, you were very kind and generous and gave me a scholarship to the camp because I love bluegrass so much, and I really appreciate that. The problem is that my parents can't afford the winter camp coming up, and I am hoping that for this camp I could get a scholarship like I did last summer. I really love bluegrass and it would be great for me to go to another great camp and have lots of fun like I did last year. If you do consider I will be overjoyed."

H.P, 17, who wrote "I'm a 17-year-old student who is passionate about bluegrass music and would love the opportunity to attend this camp and receive good mandolin instruction."

C.F., 9, who I didn't get a letter from, just talked to his mom.

I will ask all these three kids to write something for me after camp (camp is this week, starts tomorrow) and I'll get that to you.

[Scott Tichenor]

Here's a note forwarded to one of the organizers for the CBA's Winter Bluegrass Camp that just passed. When our membership donates to these causes, there are most definitely real kids involved who get to experience a wonderful opportunity that otherwise might pass their way. Just posting part of the email, this from a parent:

Dear Ingrid,

Orrin and I thoroughly enjoyed that final concert at Winter Camp. We are very grateful, as are Marshall and David, that you and the CBA allowed them to attend this camp with full scholarships. When the twins performed, we could instantly see improvement in both of them. It was obvious how much fun everybody had/was still having together and what a wonderful opportunity this was to grow musically. The location was beautiful.