Kiwanis Club of Scotts Valley donated $17,641 to Scotts Valley Unified School District in October to help pay the District’s costs of offering music and arts programs in the local public schools.
The donation represents the net proceeds from the 16th annual Music at Skypark concert series presented by Kiwanis. The all-volunteer Kiwanis Club has now donated nearly $270,000 to SVUSD during the 16 years that the Club has been running the community-wide Music at Skypark concerts each summer.
The money has been used over the years to pay for musical instruments, music and art supplies, storage lockers, chorale risers, uniforms, registration fees for competitions and conferences, and other costs of the music and arts programs that might not have existed without these concert proceeds.
Music at Skypark has become a signature event for Scotts Valley.
“Music at Skypark has become a true community event,” according to Kiwanis member and concert co-chair Jim Melehan. “It’s a chance for local folks from throughout the area to gather in a nice park setting and enjoy the best outdoor music around, with lots of good friends, food and drink. We’ve really hit our stride with families especially.”
Melehan added, “I don’t want to forget to thank all our generous sponsors and vendors, and volunteers from Kiwanis, UCSC, SVHS and the community. Thanks too to all the folks who have attended Music at Skypark over the years and bought food and drink to help support music and arts programs in local public schools. Putting on these concerts is a lot of work, but I think I speak for all Kiwanians when I say it feels good to give something back to our community and our schools.”
Sponsors of this year’s Music at Skypark included: Scotts Valley Idol ($2,500 Level) – 1440 Multiversity; Grammy Winner ($1,000 Level) – Bay Federal Credit Union, Cassidy Insurance Agency, Greenwaste Recovery Inc., Phil Allegri Electric Inc., Wenger Paving Inc., Back on Track Cranial Center, KPIG; Headliner ($500 Level) – West Coast Community Bank, Auntie Mame’s, Kings Village Shopping Center, John A. Stevens, DDS Inc., Nannette J. Benedict DDS & Associates, Corrine Cline-Fortunato, DDS Inc., Gateway School, Scotts Valley Dental Wellness, Pure Valley Water, Business with Pleasure, Good Times, Press Banner; Star ($250 Level) – Knox Roofing, Central Home Supply, Scotts Valley Police Officers Association, Coast Veterinary Services, Scotts Valley Property Management, Stevensons Landscaping Inc., Anthony Giannotti Vision Care, King’s Paint, LifeAid, Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry, Scarborough Lumber Co., Scotts Valley Market, La Selva Tree & Landscape, Edward Jones.
Vendors at this year’s Music at Skypark (who donated a substantial portion of their sale proceeds) were: Cruise Coffee Café, Togo’s, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, Los Gallos, Laughing Monk Brewing and Leo’s U-Save Liquors.
Bands who performed for reduced fees were: Extra Large, The Houserockers, The Inciters and Fishhook.
“The generosity from the community and the Kiwanis Club has made an enormous difference in the music programs at Scotts Valley Unified,” said Lacey Cohen-Villa, SVMS and SVHS Band/Choir teacher. “These funds have helped us with our small, but necessary, supplies such as sheet music, practice tracks and reeds. They have also helped us with larger financial needs, such as the SVMS and SVHS bands and choirs getting new shirts and participating in local music festivals. These opportunities especially give our students a chance to receive feedback from highly trained musicians and educators and hear from other bands/choirs in the area. We are forever grateful for the community support the music and arts program receives each year.”
Scotts Valley Kiwanis is a service organization (currently up to 24 members and growing) dedicated to improving lives and building community in Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley. Their focus is local youth.
In addition to Music at Skypark, the Club participates in an annual Big Brothers/Big Sisters holiday gift buying, Santa luncheon and bowling event, sponsors a Boy Scout troop and Cub Scout pack, participates in Adopt-a-Highway clean-ups of Highway 17, supports The Landing (Scotts Valley’s performing arts center) and the Scotts Valley Senior Center, provides high school and middle school awards including annual scholarships for graduating high school seniors, sponsors youth Kiwanis service clubs at UCSC, SVHS and SLVHS, makes donations to local nonprofits and participates in other social and community events.
Scotts Valley Kiwanis Club meets weekly on Wednesday mornings at 7am at Auntie Mame’s Restaurant, 3103 Scotts Valley Drive. Anyone interested in Kiwanis is welcome to attend. Visit svkiwanis.org for additional information.
