Boys & Girls Club Blog

September 6, 2022

This summer, the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh received a grant from Guitars 4 Gifts, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides musical instruments to underserved groups, to purchase ten ukuleles for a summer music program.

Twenty fourth-grade members from the Club’s Peace Adventure program have been learning to play the ukulele since the beginning of the Club’s summer program in June. For some Club members, learning to play a musical instrument is brand new since the purchase of an instrument and lessons can be costly and not feasible for everyone.

Learning a musical instrument has a positive impact on children in many ways. Through being presented with a challenge like learning an instrument, youth grow their skills set and work towards goals they want to achieve. They learned how to read basic music tablatures and how to care for the instrument. It also offers them an outlet to express themselves.

“It’s been a few years since the Club has been able to offer a music program,” said Jessica McKenna, the Boys & Girls Club’s coordinator for the program. “I can already see the positive impact this program has made on our members in just a few short months. For some, it’s been a great stress relief tool, while others have used it as a way to make new friendships. It has even helped bring some of our members out of their shells!”

The Club’s goal is to be able to continue this program during the school year and into next summer. Thank you to Guitars 4 Gifts for allowing the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh to provide this program to our youth.

Jessica McKenna
Graduate & Career Coordinator and Summer Music Program Lead