Henry County native and up-and-coming cellist, Brittni Leigh, recently reached out to her Facebook friends and family, asking for donations for her birthday to an organization that is close to her heart, Henry for Music.

  “Facebook lets you do a fundraiser for your birthday every year, so I chose Henry for Music because I am happy that it exists and I want more people to know about it,” said Leigh.

  Henry for Music, a non-profit organization, assists eligible Henry County students that are in a band, orchestra or class but can not participate because of the cost of purchasing or renting a musical instrument.

  For parents, the program is very influential, as Henry for Music allows them to foster their children’s love for music without being put at a financial disadvantage.

  “My daughter, Joycee, signed up for Henry for Music when it first started. She put in a request with Jerry [Hesselink] to play the cello. We had wanted to send her to music lessons in the past but we just couldn’t do it. The cost for the rental was too much, especially in lieu of the lessons themselves. We were assured that there would be an instrument for her to use and that we would be allowed to take it home for practice once she learned to care for it,” said Dawn Fritz. “Joycee was really nervous the first day,  but the staff at Henry For Music is like a big family. They’re very inclusive and encouraging and know how to make you feel comfortable. Their extensive knowledge is invaluable. Joycee has since grown to be a confident cello player. We are thrilled to be a part of Henry for Music. It’s such a fantastic program. Without it, we never would have been able to allow Joycee to explore her love of music to this extent. It’s been a huge blessing to our family.”

  The organization receives most of its funding from grants and donations. The Henry for Music staff is volunteer based and their time is donated in support of the program. However, any grant funding and donations made to the program directly support the teachers, mentors, instrument refurbishment, concerts and performance opportunities and outings.

  “We were very happy when Brittni did the fundraiser for us. It is rare that we have someone who is touched by us enough to start their own [fundraiser],” said Kevina Franklin, Marketing Specialist for Henry for Music. “That shows us that the kids that we are working with are doing an excellent job reaching into the music community of Henry County.”

  Henry for Music, along with providing instruments to students, also runs a Youth Orchestra United program, teaching students that do not have access to orchestra instruction. They currently have Level One and Level Two orchestra classes, as the program has only been in place for two years. About 15 students participate at each level of the class, but just under 60 participate in the Henry for Music program itself.

  “The Youth Orchestra is a three year commitment. After those three years of working with us, receiving instruction, they are gifted that instrument for life. Students can either choose to pursue a degree in music on that particular instrument or they can gift it back to Henry for Music for another student,” said Franklin.

  Leigh sees her journey of playing the cello reflected in the children that participate in the Henry for Music program, as the children in the program may not have access to an orchestra program in the public school system for a variety of reasons.

  “The year that I was supposed to enter into [the orchestra program] in the sixth grade, [my school] almost cancelled the program. I think it was due to a lack of funding, which would have made my life very different if I had not been able to start playing cello,” said Leigh.

  She is currently attending Florida State University’s College of Music and is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance. Leigh is also one of the founding members of  a group called Västra, an all-female Scandinavian Folk Trio, at Florida State University.

  Leigh first heard about Henry for Music from its founder and director, Jerry Hessilink, a while back but remained updated about the progress of the organization while she was away at college.

  “Jerry messaged me about a year and a half ago, letting me know what he was doing in the county for music and he would always keep me updated on their progress and what was going on with the program. I was so glad to hear that someone cares about the orchestra programs in Henry County,” said Leigh.

  Leigh, with her Facebook fundraiser, donated around $200 to Henry for Music. She also donated her time to the students in the Youth Orchestra United program by acting as a mentor for the class period, playing music, showing off some string instrument techniques and answering questions from the students.

  “It was amazing and super emotional experience. I started very similar to them in the county. It was through a public school program, but I was still studying the same music, learning the strings, getting some lessons individually in groups,” said Leigh. “Their sound is very similar to what my sound was when I was at their stage. I hope the kids don’t give up on their music, that they stay humble, stay kind. ”   For more information about Henry for Music, email info@henryformusic.org, call 770-342-9045 or visit their website, www.henryformusic.org.