In August, during our beloved Musical Theatre program at Kamloops United Church, an unexpected fire forced us to evacuate 40 children, 7 staff members, and our office dog, Mozzie. Thankfully, we were able to finish the program safely at Kelson Hall.

What many may not know is that in addition to our office at the United Church, we also rent basement space for instrument storage. While the fire itself destroyed rented production supplies, costumes, participant belongings, and show materials, it also left our instruments vulnerable to extensive damage from smoke, humidity, and water. When we were finally able to assess the storage space, we discovered that nearly two-thirds of our instruments had been impacted, many beyond repair.

We are incredibly grateful for the generous support we’ve received so far—it has been instrumental in helping us start the process of replacing what was lost. However, we are still only about halfway to fully restoring our instrument collection. Our goal is to ensure that every young musician in our programs continues to have access to the quality instruments they need to learn and grow.

We will keep working toward replacing everything lost, and every donation—big or small—helps us get closer to that goal. If you’re able to support us, we deeply appreciate your generosity. Thank you for being a part of our musical community!