Gibson Guitar Sponsors "Guitars Not Guns" Program

Press release
Source: Guitars not Guns

Guitars not Guns announced today that musical giant Gibson Guitar has become the official guitar sponsor for their youth music program. They are grateful to Gibson Guitar for their enormous generosity and incredible support. Guitars not Guns Founder, Ray Nelson finalized the agreement with the Gibson Foundation on April 26, 2006. The Gibson Foundation is looking forward to working with Guitars not Guns over the coming years to help bring their message to a broader base and to assist in providing a wonderful alternative to violence for foster and at risk children across the country. Nelson and his entire staff are overwhelmed by Gibson's support. The three year sponsorship agreement includes a guitar donation to help offset the organizations events and programs, website announcements, and monetary assistance.

Ray Nelson has this to say about the students Guitars not Guns serve: "We may not put clothes on their backs or food in their stomachs, but what we give our students is something that is good for the soul, and it can last a lifetime. If you have some spare time or a spare room invite a foster kid into your home. You'll be glad you did."

About Guitars not Guns
Guitars not Guns Mission Statement: Provide free guitars and free lessons to children in foster care, to at risk youth, and to other deserving children. The organization serves kids and teens between the ages of 8-18. No child is turned away for lack of funds. They are not anti-guns. They are anti-gun violence, especially in schools, and they offer an alternative to violence.

Each chapter purchases guitars and class lesson materials for students with donated funds and monies raises through benefit concerts or fund raising projects. They supply each student a guitar and a soft shell guitar bag, which usually includes a guitar strap, electric guitar tuner, and guitar picks. The number of teachers per lesson depends on the number of students. An average class session is eight weeks with eight students and three teachers, a main instructor and two assistant instructors. Students are assigned homework each week and are expected to practice thirty minutes per day. At the end of their first eight-week session, students, who have been diligent with their studies and who have attended class regularly, are rewarded ownership of their guitars and are encouraged to continue taking class sessions.

The guitar is one of the most popular, affordable and portable instruments available. Foster kids and at risk youth are often moved from home to home. A guitar is an easy instrument to carry; it becomes their "best friend" and constant companion in their ever-changing world. Guitars not Guns gives young people the gift of music and helps provide them with a better direction to go, inspiring students to embrace music instead of a life involved with substance abuse or with gangs. Most young people are hungry for music; many are in need of positive role models, and many truly need healthy attention. Guitars not Guns staff serve as youth mentors in their communities, encouraging students to believe in themselves. They teach students to trust that they can learn how to play guitar. They allow students to repeat sessions so they can reinforce their learning. Receiving the gift of music and also the gift of learning how to make music is no small gift. Music can redirect and calm troubled young lives, and it can give at risk youths something excellent to embrace during an often difficult time in their lives. Studies claim that music can raise IQs and build up self-confidence and self-esteem. All of this has a very significant and positive impact on the lives of students and also on the communities where they live.

Support of Diverse Communities: Each Guitars not Guns chapter serves students of all ethnicities, genders, and religions. They must be foster kids, at risk youth, and other deserving children and teens who cannot afford a guitar or guitar lessons. (Some students do own guitars, but cannot afford lessons.) Guitars not Guns is a non-denominational organization, and the program is available to students with any/all beliefs/faiths. Chapters are happy to join efforts to provide their music program with most community youth groups, after school programs, youth music "camp" programs, and church youth outreach programs.

Desired and Expected Measurable Outcome: A pattern is developing, which indicates that their measurable success depends on the number of students who graduate from their "First Level" sessions and the number of students who then repeat the "First Level" sessions or move on to the "Second Level" sessions. They encourage advanced students to volunteer as Jr. Assistant teachers with beginning students. Additionally, they offer their students multi-creative arts projects, music jams with teachers, and they invite professional musicians, teachers, entertainers, producers, and other music related professionals to speak to students to make them aware of the job opportunities a life in music can provide. The organization is five years old and has served hundreds of students. Until 2006 most chapters were in California, but the organization is now rapidly going cross country with pending chapters in several states.

Proposed Chapter Plan & Use of Funds: Their plan is to serve 8-18 year-old kids and teens in the neighborhoods where they live. Many students do not have transportation and must be able to walk to their class facilities. Guitars not Guns secures volunteer teachers to teach on-going class sessions. Funds received from donations are used to buy guitars and to pay for class materials. Funds raised from Guitars not Guns benefit projects and benefit events are mainly used to buy guitars and pay for class materials, but they also use part of those monies to help their teachers pay for car gas expenses. Their teachers donate their time and talents, but many do need help to pay for car gas expenses. They also use part of the monies they raise to help pay for class graduations, student photographs, and start new chapters, among other expenses.

How Business Employees and Community Residents can join Efforts with Guitars not Guns: There are numerous opportunities for employees and residents to join efforts with Guitars not Guns to serve deserving children. Employees and residents can volunteer as guitar teachers if they play guitar. They must take a "Live Scan" fingerprint check with their local police department to teach class sessions. Volunteers are needed to help with benefit events and benefit fund raising projects. Businesses can co-sponsor free music jams with students, summer BBQ's, cookouts in the park, and benefit music concerts. Musicians who have their own bands can perform at benefit music concerts.

Guitars not Guns is a 501 c 3 federally exempt non-profit organization. Their West Coast headquarters is in San Jose, California. Their East Coast headquarters is in Peachtree City, Georgia. They have California chapters in the following counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Monterey, Santa Clara/San Jose, Santa Cruz, San Joaquin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Solano. They have one established chapter in New Mexico. They have chapters pending in California and other states: Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Ray and Louise Nelson, founders of Guitars not Guns and long-time residents of San Jose, California, moved to Peachtree City, Georgia, in December 2005.

Official Website for Guitars not Guns: www.guitarsnotguns.org.

About Gibson Guitar
Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Gibson's digital guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in more than 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.'s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Valley Arts, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Slingerland, Maestro, Baldwin, Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer. For more information please visit: www.gibson.com.