WMU Music teacher completes over $10,000 of fundraising

WINFIELD — Thanks to the dedication of Winfield-Mt. Union’s Music Instructor and donations from around the country, WMU now owns a new electric-acoustic guitar.

For WMU Music Instructor Lindsey Pogmore, a new school year is an opportunity to continue growing the school’s music program through more than instruction. As the first week of October wrapped up, WMU celebrated Pogmore’s 32nd funded project through Donors Choose.

According to the district, Pogmore has now passed over $10,000 in material and equipment acquisitions through her fundraising efforts over the last eight years.

This particular campaign asked donors to help the music program purchase a Martin Acoustic guitar to use for performances in the community.

“With this high-quality guitar, our music program would be able to support students who have an interest in learning guitar and performing for people at school, in the community, and elsewhere,” Pogmore explained the campaign.

“In the past, we have performed at senior centers, adult congregate meal sites, and for some local businesses,” she stated. “The ability to take a guitar along with us to accompany our singing would be a huge benefit and allow us to go to more places where we would otherwise have to find a way to run our sound system for accompaniment.”

According to Pogmore, the program decided to pursue a Martin guitar purchase specifically in hopes that it would last a long time.

“There are others that are less expensive, of course, but we feel that the quality of this instrument justifies the additional expense, and that it will last much longer than a lower quality instrument,” she explained.

Donations to fulfill this project of over $800 came in from Iowa, Missouri, and New York and gift matches from the Allstate Foundation.

Nancy Smith Leach from Missouri donated to the campaign in memory of her late husband John R. Leach, a 1964 WMU graduate.

“I loved the community and the school district, so I am happy to support you in your efforts to help the kids,” Donor Barbara Kelly from Iowa wrote with her donation on Donors Choose. “As a retired AEA consultant, I am glad that I was able to help.”

“Thanks SO much for supporting this project!” Pogmore wrote a note of gratitude to her donors. “We are SO excited about this project, and about having this exciting addition to our program! We hope to get this put to use right away for our first concert this winter! We are all excited about music and are encouraged by your generosity!”

Pogmore looks forward to putting the new instrument to use as soon as possible at the winter concert.

Only a few days after the Martin guitar campaign wrapped, Pogmore was blown away once again by donors’ generosity as they quickly funded just shy of $400 for jazz band music, just over $1,000 for new bells, and $176 for new reeds.

To make the most of her fundraising campaigns Pogmore currently has three others running on Donors Choose while the Allstate Foundation continues to match donations.

According to the Allstate Foundation, they began matching donations Aug. 31 and will continue to match them as long as funds remain for qualifying projects.

Remaining projects for the WMU music program hope to bring the program saxophone mouthpieces, a new bass drum pedal, and bongos.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com