Gasparilla brings music to kids in need

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Gasparilla Music Foundation makes a huge difference in the lives of Bay Area children with its Recycled Tunes program, which collects used instruments, then donates them to kids who need them. 

Members of the Tampa Bay Boulevard Elementary School Pop Band benefit from the Foundation's work. They practice after school everyday.

The band is the brain child of the school's music teacher, Daniel Shea. She says seeing the students gain love for playing and listening to music, especially music they've never heard before, is very rewarding. 

The rewards couldn't happen if it weren't for the work of many volunteers, as well as people willing to donate to the cause.

"A wonderful opportunity for the community to dig out of their closet, that instrument that has been sitting and collecting dust, and have it loved by a kid again," Shea said.

Ray Roa works for Gasparilla Music Foundation. He said his team works hard to get the instruments tot he children, and their work has paid off. 

"We collected over 100 instruments and we have placed 300 instruments to date, in area schools," Roa said.

The foundation is having a program this weekend to gather more instruments. For more information, visit www.gasparillamusic.com