This weekend, local seventh grader Sadie Brett-Chin spearheaded the fundraiser, UKE Can Help, for the charity Ukuleles Kids Club. This special event was hosted by Wright Music, where Sadie has been taking ukulele lessons with Cameron Underhill for the past three years.
The Ukulele Kids Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 2014 by Corey Bergman and his wife Edda. They provide music therapy and donate ukuleles to children’s hospitals nationwide. Two hundred dollars can give five children a ukulele and a teacher who provides music therapy. Children learn to play the ukulele, they compose songs with the help of a music therapist and, in many cases, children write their own lyrics. Every child takes an instrument home and small ukuleles are given to siblings. All proceeds go directly to the donation of a ukulele and lessons for a hospitalized child. Their mission is to help children through the gift of music. The outcome is clear in the videos that were shared during the fundraiser. Hospitalized children were learning, smiling and laughing while playing their instruments, the power of music was unmistakable. As of February, 125 pediatric hospitals have received donations and after two years, 1,800 instruments were donated. As of today, there are 125 hospitals on a wait-list. Because of this charity, so many children get to play a genuinely fun instrument.
Sadie’s love for the ukulele began when she was ten. She saw the instrument, asked her parents for one and then paid for it herself. She joined the Ukulele Kollective Experiment (otherwise known as the U.K.E.), a club sponsored by Wright Music, where she and others take lessons, are exposed to many playing techniques and play together. She also practiced in the band and the orchestra at Salem School and performed in their Spring concerts.
As part of her Bat Mitzvah project, Sadie decided to organize UKE Can Help. She summed it up in one heartwarming sentence, “When you share the joy of the ukulele and the happiness it brings, you know you have contributed to something good.”
The event was very much like the ukulele—fun, spontaneous and motivated by the love of music and the spirit of helping. Sadie, her sister Sophie and her brother Henry performed. Sadie played her ukulele and they all sang for family, friends and people who stopped by. Her teacher also performed and gave lessons to anyone interested. Sadie was joined by fellow U.K.E. members Raj and Diego on Friday as well as Myles and Tyler on Saturday. Hannah, shopping in the store on Friday, came back early Saturday morning to share her amazing ukulele and vocal skills. There was a lot of musical talent in the store this weekend and equal support.
With the help of Sadie’s mother, the owner of Wright Music, Jonathan Watkins, and a wonderful staff including store manager Chrystal Conklin, Sadie’s intention was realized. Her love of music brought so many people together for a cause that means so much to her. Thanks to the generous support of the Port Washington community and especially Wright Music, Sadie was able to raise over $700, from walk-in guests alone, to donate to the Ukulele Kids Club.
If you would like any additional information about the Ukulele Kids Club, go to www.theukc.org. Information about Wright Music can be found at www.wright-music.com.
