Helper Middle School has a good band program, but one of the problems is that not all the students who want to learn to play have access to an instrument to learn on.

“We have a number of students who want to be in band, but cannot afford to rent or buy instruments,” said Principal Mika Salas recently.

At a Carbon County School District Board Meeting, late last year board members issued a challenge to school community councils in the district to look for items their schools may need so that they could help to secure those things. At the February meeting the need for the instruments at the school was presented as one of the things that the council at Helper Middle School thought could be addressed. The board awarded the school $500, the limit they had set on spending through the message they had conveyed, for the purpose of securing those instruments. However, anyone who has priced woodwind and brass instruments knows that they are very costly and that $500 would not go very far toward the purchases needed.

Along with Superintendent Steve Carlsen, Salas and the community council are now asking residents who might have working instruments that have stored away and are not being used, to donate them to the school district. Salas said what they need the most are flutes, clarinets, trumpets and saxophones.

“We understand that the instruments may not be in the best shape,” said Salas. “However, what we are going to do is use the $500 that the board gave the council and make every effort to utilize local music professionals to repair them.”

Those with possible donations are asked to contact the school district at 435 637 1732 so that any instruments contributed can be utilized in the most efficient manner possible across the district.