Two major events for the Highline Music4Life program are being held in
Des Moines in September. The Poverty Bay "Blues & Brews" event will be on Saturday, Sept. 10th at the Des Moines Beach Park beginning at noon and will feature several prominent "Blues" groups, including Left Hand Smoke, Rod Cook & Toast, Little Bill & the Blues Notes and the Fabulous Roofshakers.

The second event will be the Highline Music4Life "Instrument Collection Day" on the following Saturday, Sept. 17th, at the Des Moines Marina. This will be the first of what are intended to be annual springtime events to ask adults who have unused musical instruments in their garages or attics to donate them to the Highline Music4Life program. Both events are community-wide activities that are inspired by Des Moines Rotary with the active support of the Burien-White Center and SeaTac Rotary clubs.

"This will be our second annual 'Blues & Brews' event," says organizing chair Steve Swank of Des Moines Rotary, "and we expect it to break last year's record attendance. There are several local breweries that will be represented and the 'Blues' music should be terrific." Free parking is available and tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Details are available online at http://www.dmrotary.org/events.php .

"Used musical instruments are needed by all Highline students," says Stefan Nelson, the district's new Cultural Arts Specialist. "Our program starts with fifth and sixth graders, but is designed to help as many low-income students in the upper grades as possible. We can restore nearly any musical instrument. All that's needed is for someone who has a used musical instrument and understands the unique role it can have in a child's education to decide to put it back into play."

Used musical instruments will be collected at the Sept. 17th special event
at the Des Moines Marina beginning at 10:00 a.m. They may also be dropped off during normal business hours year-round at any Kennelly Keys Music store, the KeyBank branch at 22033 Marine View Drive South in Des Moines, the Windermere office at 401 SW 152nd St. in Burien or with any of the Rotary clubs involved.

Highline Music4Life is an ongoing community-wide activity to acquire musical instruments, supplies and repairs for low-income elementary (fourth and fifth grade) students in Highline Public Schools. It is a collaboration by Highline Public Schools, the Rotary Club of Des Moines, the Highline Schools Foundation and many individuals and businesses that are partnering to expand music education for all children in the Highline School District.