Used Musical Instrument Drive

Increasing Music Opportunities for Our Youth

Saxophone. Creative Commons, courtesy Wikimedia

The Performing Arts Committee of the Kiwanis Club of Pullman launched its first drive for all types of “gently used” musical instruments—except pianos and organs—in August 2014. It is run in conjunction with the Stuff the Bus school supplies drive.

How can you help this effort to give more young people the chance to learn and perform music in our school programs?

  • Do you have an instrument no longer being played? Plan to donate it during Stuff the Bus in August or contact the Kiwanis Performing Arts Committee to donate at any time.
  • Donate tax-deductible funds for refurbishing instruments to the Kiwanis Performing Arts Fund of the Pullman Education Foundation.

Contact the Pullman Kiwanis or Ted Weatherly or Marie Dymkoski, committee co-chairs.

We look forward to your donations. Thank you very much!


2022 Update

A total of 19 instruments and two instrument accessories were donated to the Gently Used Instruments Drive organized by the Kiwanis Club of Pullman in August 2022. Included were 1 Drum (Snare) and Stand, 3 Flutes, 1 Alto Saxophone, 1 Tenor Saxophone, 1 Trombone, 5 Trumpets, 1 Trumpet Stand and 6 Violins. More young people will be able to perform in school music ensembles this year, thanks to these generous contributions, say Ted Weatherly and Marie Dymkoski, Kiwanis Performing Arts Committee co-chairs.  Gently used instruments can be donated at any time.

2021 Update

A total of 20 instruments and two instrument accessories were donated to the Gently Used Instruments Drive organized by the Kiwanis Club of Pullman in August 2021. This was a record number. Included were Clarinet (3), Cymbals with Stand, Drum, Flute (5), Guitar Bass, Guitar Acoustic, Guitar stand, Music Stand, , Percussion instrument, Saxophone (2), Trombone (2), Trumpet (2) and Violin. More young people will be able to perform in school music ensembles this year, thanks to these generous contributions, say Ted Weatherly and Marie Dymkoski, Kiwanis Performing Arts Committee co-chairs.  Gently used instruments can be donated at any time.

2019 Update

Eight instruments were donated to the Gently Used Instruments Drive organized by the Kiwanis Club of Pullman in August 2019. Included were violas (4), clarinets (2), 1 alto saxophone, 1 percussion bell set, and 2 music stands.

This brings the total of instruments donated since the start of this effort to 77. More young people will be able to perform in school music ensembles this year, thanks to these generous contributions, says Ted Weatherly, Kiwanis Performing Arts Committee chair.  Gently used instruments can be donated at any time.

2018 Update

A total of 15 instruments were donated to the Gently Used Instruments Drive organized by the Kiwanis Club of Pullman in August 2018. Included were one each of the following instruments, or more if noted:  Cello, Clarinet, Guitar, Saxophones (2), Violas (2) and Violins (8).

This brings the total of instruments donated since the start of this effort to 69.

Ted Weatherly, Kiwanis Performing Arts Committee chair, says more young people will be able to perform in school music ensembles this year, thanks to these many generous contributions of musical instruments. Gently used instruments can be donated at any time.

2017 Update

A total of 8 gently used instruments was donated to the Gently Used Instruments Drive organized by the Kiwanis Club of Pullman in August 2017. Included were one each of the following instruments, or more if noted: Saxophone (2), Antigua Winds; Trumpet, “Zephyr” case; Clarinet, Evette; Violin, Becke; Youth Drum Set; Small guitar; and Snare Drum.

This brings the total of instruments donated since the start of this effort to 54.

Thanks to these many generous contributions, more young people will be able to perform in school music ensembles this year, according to Ted Weatherly, Kiwanis Performing Arts Committee chair.

2016 Update

A total of 14 gently used instruments was donated to the Gently Used Instruments Drive organized by the Kiwanis Club of Pullman in August 2016. Included were 2 trombones, 1 saxophone, 1 trumpet, 4 violins, 1 cello, 1 guitar, 1 clarinet, 1 set of cymbals, 1 drum set and 1 xylophone. Many more young people will be able to perform in school music ensembles this year, thanks to these generous contributions, according to Ted Weatherly, Kiwanis Performing Arts Committee chair. Kiwanis funds refurbishing instruments if needed so they are ready for our community’s youth. The drive was run in conjunction with this year’s Stuff the Bus school supplies drive. Helping kids is the goal of Kiwanis, in Pullman and worldwide.

2015 Update

A total of 12 gently used instruments was donated directly to the Used Instruments Drive organized by the Kiwanis Club of Pullman in August 2015 in conjunction with this year’s Stuff the Bus. Included were 4 flutes, 2 saxophones, 1 euphonium, 1 cello, 2 violins, 1 guitar and 1 drumset. In addition, the Pullman Education Foundation, a partner, encouraged people to donate used instruments and a number were donated directly to Lincoln Middle School.

Thanks to these generous contributions, many more young people will be able to perform in school music ensembles this year, according to Ted Weatherly, Kiwanis Performing Arts Committee chair.

2014 Report

We are happy to report that more than 20 instruments of various kinds were donated in 2014. The drive will be held again with this year’s Stuff the Bus on August 13-15, 2015, and beyond.

The drive was held in concert with the Pullman Public School music teachers and the Pullman Education Foundation. Teachers Katherine and Joe Covill assessed the instruments and were able to immediately use all but seven instruments with their students. Of those, five required repair and two were beyond repair, according to Ted Weatherly, Performing Arts Committee chair.

The Covills advised that they had young students already awaiting instruments and the ones donated helped fulfil their needs. Katherine Covill mentioned that a small donated cello specifically met the immediate needs of a particular student.

The five instruments were repaired, thanks to the monetary donation of the Kiwanis Performing Arts Committee, individual Kiwanians who graciously donated money, and a donation from Atom Heart Music. Atom Heart Music also coordinated the repair efforts.