Martinsville Bulletin: 'Program puts instruments in students' hands'

Martinsville High School Band Director Brian Joyce (left) and Bassett High School Band Director Trey Harris (right) hold up instruments that have been donated to the Rooster Walk Music Instrument Program, which puts much-needed instruments in the hands of young, aspiring musicians.

Used band instruments can be donated to program at Woodall’s Music, Denton Music or the Rives Theatre

By BEN WILLIAMS
Bulletin Staff Writer

Area residents with musical instruments cluttering the attic, take note: The Rooster Walk Music Instrument Program is ready to put that old clarinet or dusty trombone in the hands of a young aspiring musician.

According to Rooster Walk co-founder Johnny Buck, instruments can be dropped off at Woodall’s Music and Sound or Denton Music Company. When instruments are donated, Rooster Walk serves as the clearing house and contacts Martinsville High School Band Director Brian Joyce and Bassett High School Band Director Trey Harris to see if they have a student in need of the instrument.

The late Todd Eure is shown with his wife, Courtney Harrington Eure, and children Leah Ruth Jordan Eure and Daniel Carter Edwin Eure.

“If they want it, Rooster Walk has donated money to the Henry County School System and the city school system specifically to repair these instruments,” Buck said. “Mark Denton with Denton Music Company has agreed to do all the repairs at a great bulk repair rate. Then they become the property of the Henry County band system or the city band system for entry-level band students in their first two years. The student doesn’t own the instrument; it’s a loaner for up to two years.”

Buck said that the program was created in 2014 with donations made in memory of Todd Eure, a 2000 Martinsville High School graduate who grew up with Buck, William Baptist, the late Edwin Penn and the late Walker Shank.

Buck and Baptist created Rooster Walk to honor the memory of Penn and Shank; when Eure passed away, they wanted to find an appropriate tribute for him, as well.

“He was in the (Martinsville High School) jazz band for three years, along with me, William and Edwin,” Buck said. “Jazz band was still playing the same keyboard they had been playing in the early ‘90s. We partnered with Todd’s employer (American Global Logistics) and matched them on raising the money to buy a new keyboard. Once the keyboard manufacturer realized who was buying it and what it was for, they cut us a really good deal and we had money left over. Then we said, ‘Well, what are we going to do with this? It’s not Rooster Walk’s money. It was raised in memory of Todd.’ That’s where this program started.”