MELVILLE, NY, February 28, 2011 — Korg USA is proud to be a gear sponsor of the U.S.-based charity Guitars Not Guns, which aims to provide guitars and lessons to foster children, at-risk youth and other deserving children in a classroom setting with qualified teachers, as an alternative to involvement in violent activity at school and on the streets.
The charity’s goal is simple: to combat gang violence and other self-destructive behaviors with guitars. By providing children and teens with guitars and lessons in a fun atmosphere, Guitars Not Guns engages the students’ creative potential. They also teach students to care for and tune the instrument, and to that end, Korg USA has twice donated a variety of hand-held guitar tuners to several of the charity’s California chapters for students to use and keep. To date, several dozen Korg tuners, as well as metronomes
and effects processors have been distributed; this number will grow as the charity continues its work throughout the U.S. and Canada.
About Guitars Not Guns:
What started as a two-location program has now expanded into many states across the U.S. and into Canada. Founded in 1992, Guitars Not Guns is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that offers free guitar lessons in an eight-week program. They purchase new, quality beginner-level guitars and assign these to youth in the class. If the students complete the course successfully and attend the graduation and small performance at the end, they get to keep the guitar and are encouraged to go to the next level. The program runs on 100% volunteers, and by reaching out to the music community, artists and suppliers, their efforts have provided many opportunities for youth to engage in a pro-social activity in their community. The charity has also gotten some guitarists and other musicians in the county to drop by and volunteer some of their time and share music talents as well.
For more information, please visit www.korg.com and www.guitarsnotguns.org.
