Avon/Canton Chamber of Commerce’s Post

Even as the world shifts constantly around us, our history grounds us in deeply rooted values. The below letter was written by The People's Music School's founder, Dr. Rita Simó. We discovered it in a recent excavation of our storage unit. Handwritten in June 1976, mere months after the original school opened in February, the letter highlights values that continue to define us nearly fifty years on: Our #community has always been there for us from far and wide, donating a big new rug here, a French horn there, a shipment of records all the way from Boston. Rita never skimped on #excellence, insisting that our students were constantly practicing and performing, putting on a flute and piano recital just five months after the school's grand opening. Rita’s #creativity shines through as she draws on resourcefulness to build her bold new enterprise. She took every #opportunity to say yes, to draw people in, to be open to whatever may come her way. And how could all of this happen without #hardwork, exemplified in this precise moment by the dirt under our fingernails as we dug through 48 years of history? These values - which we acronymize as #ECCHO - ground us to this day. Whatever evolves or is disrupted, values matter, and we are always guided by them. What are your organization’s guiding values? What are your own? How do they show up in your histories, your current actions? #musiceducation #values #history

Danny Kean story here, nearly 40 years of free music for all, read below and support if you can: On the road for almost 40 years, the same pickup truck with a piano in the back shared freely with everyone. After 20 years as a fee based performance vehicle, for the last 18 years the Traveling Piano has been operating with no fees, tips or commercial affiliation... no hook and with nothing but with pure Musical Fun, Friendship and Respect through Empowerment and Inspiration. Piano Man Danny Kean with his first pup Bo-ner in spirit and now Traveling Piano pup Mo, they have been focused on community outreach and especially for those struggling in life. Over 100,000 people have been on the piano seat and all through one-on-one individual musical interactions. Having originated in Philadelphia, PA the Traveling Piano has established itself now as a Downtown Las Vegas for the last eight years. Travels have happened throughout the entire Northern Hemisphere of America. The journey has been blogged daily since 2006 on the Traveling Piano's website www.travelingpiano.com The Traveling Piano operates in the most simple way possible without financial reserves, obligations, expectations, salaries or self-serving agenda for attention. 100% of all contribution is put into the truck, work and equipment. Online fundraisers happen only when the situation becomes dire for truck and equipment needs. The act of not accepting contribution in person with the Traveling Piano experience keeps the agenda pure. It creates trust and opportunity for healing in vulnerable environments where communities are severely hurting from tragedy. Giving freely without an exchange leads to intimate and personal interactions of trust and is a huge aspect of why the Traveling Piano's work has been successful. Currently the Traveling Piano truck is in a dire situation. Funding is necessary in order to continue operation. Specifically, a new carburetor and brakes are needed and for the sake of present-ability, serious cosmetic work as in a paint job, new front window and a replacement dashboard to get the speedometer and emergency lights working. The heat is destroying the piano and its sound system and a backup keyboard and speaker is necessary. Over the years people have suggested a new vehicle. This will not work considering the Traveling Pianos unique life and deep emotional and personal history. Cleaning it up and restoring its parts is the only way to go. The world needs the Traveling Piano's mission of truth in spirit. It is a safe space with positive energy and love and lets not forget the fun for all who come in contact with it. We all need fun now especially, eh? Will you help keep it alive? Please contribute... again and again. Just once is great too! And please share this contribution link on your social media and in groups. Spotfund: https://lnkd.in/e54Ra5hk Website: https://lnkd.in/ecXeC6Ji Venmo: Dan Kean @travelingpiano

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THEY SIMPLY ASKED!!! Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, James Ingram, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Willie Nelson, Al Jarreau, Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, Daryl Hall, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, Kim Carnes, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Dan Aykroyd, Harry Belafonte, Lindsey Buckingham, Mario Cipollina, Johnny Colla, Sheila E., Bob Geldof, Bill Gibson, Chris Hayes, Sean Hopper, Jackie Jackson, La Toya Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Randy Jackson, Tito Jackson, Waylon Jennings, Bette Midler, John Oates, Jeffrey Osborne, Anita Pointer, June Pointer, Ruth Pointer, Smokey Robinson. Collectively, this group represents BILLIONS of records/albums sold. They represent BILLIONS of dollars generated. In January of 1985, Harry Belafonte decided to raise money for those starving in Africa. So he enlisted a few close friends, and asked them to reach out to their friends. They had ONE NIGHT to get all these entertainers together and record We Are The World. They did and it was a smashing success. Some of us are old enough to remember that is was special, even in real time. This project gives us so many wonderful lessons. Here are just a few: 1. Harry Belafonte simply asked his friends for help. This may seem unimportant, but don't overlook its power. Do you ask your friends for help? 2. Mr. Belafonte had a LOT of credibility with his friends and peers. Do you have credibility? 3. The vision and "bigness" of this project was quickly and properly conveyed. Do you properly lay out vision? Does your team "get" it? 4. Logistically, it was like herding cats. But they found an open window, directly after the American Music Awards, when most of these stars would already be right there in L.A. Do you look for opportunities of convenience? 5. Knowing that he would be dealing with a lot of HUGE egos, Quincy Jones hand wrote a sign and hung it over the door that read: "Check Your Egos At The Door". He also didn't allow any assistants, managers, etc. in the studio. ONLY performers. This put everyone on equal footing and made them more comfortable. How do you lead your team which is full of lots of different personalities? 6. No one got paid for this project. No one! How do you inspire people to think outside themselves? Do you create an environment of excitement that people just want to be a part of? #askgreatquestions #wearetheworld #leadership #friends

Many clients in the #art world rely on #events as both a source of income and recognition. The #liability involved in these events varies by type, size, #activities, and alcohol. AIP helps to provide coverage for your event. https://bit.ly/3KNOHJs

I am having a fun raiser (yes fun) for my film on the use of force "Resisting" at Tealee May 17, 18 and 19. The flyers are attached to this email. The link will have all of the details as well. https://lnkd.in/g9VxSuMx We would love to see you at one of the events or if you can't make it please consider making a donation. Director donnie l. betts is approaching RESISTING with an unwavering commitment to truth-telling and giving voice to those who have been unseen and oppressed. With a deep understanding of the impact of over-policing as a Black male artist, betts sees this film as an extension of his lifelong dedication to sharing authentic stories that are often overlooked or silenced. In the spirit of accountability, the film ensures the voices of the protagonists and impacted communities are respected and accurately represented. Ultimately, RESISTING aspires to create a transformative and healing experience for audiences. By courageously exposing the failures of the system and inspiring collective action, the documentary aims to contribute to policy change, raise awareness, and foster empathy and understanding. It seeks to ignite a revolution of the human heart, leading to a more just and equitable society, liberated from the grip of over-policing. RESISTING stands as a testament to the power of storytelling and the potential of film to challenge societal norms and catalyze meaningful change. With wide-reaching free and trusted accessibility, public media paired with a planned robust impact campaign would be the perfect home for this film to galvanize audiences. The question is What does or can the future of policing look like?

So at the end of week 4, I have walked a total of 95,542 steps, that’s 326,562 steps since 1st May! Definitely the festival helped to push up those extra steps! Only a few more days left, if you would like to sponsor me, the link is below #10kstepsaday #10kstepschallenge #10kstepseverydayinmay #motofoundation #thanks #giveback @moto.way https://lnkd.in/e7wGKfQg

My escape.   I can still feel the tingle of excitement from our concert last Saturday.   Chelmsford Cathedral: Wow, what a venue. What an acoustic! We raised money for charity too which made the occasion even more special.   Choral singing has become a big part of my life over the past 10 years, or so. Being a member of 3 choral groups keeps me busy. My eclectic taste in music helps. And I can (occasionally) hold a note. This helps too 😊   A big boost to my singing endeavours came from being told (by a non-expert) that I couldn’t sing. Ironic, I know.   How many of us have taken onboard the advice of non-experts?   I guess, all of us have at some point in our lives, because the advice and opinion came from someone close to us and carried merit and value.   In my humble opinion, it’s always best for us to listen to our gut. Then, if we need advice, only seek it from people active in the space we are wishing to move into.   Blood, sweat and tears. Hard yards. Expertise. Experience. Yep, all are crucially important qualities in those we look up to and admire.   Step 1. Seek advice.   Step 2. Go away and add our own twist.   Step 3. Leverage both to create our own life-fulfilling experiences.   Perfect.   Thank you for reading. Enjoy your day.   #GutFeeling #Wellbeing #ChoralSinging PS: image is courtesy of Colin Michael on Unsplash