First Bikes & Music Instrument Drive Hits a High Note!

When Bikes & Music heard about an instrument shortage affecting the Thomas Kelly High School music programs, only six weeks remained until the start of school. It wasn’t much time to organize a campaign and collect a variety of band and orchestra instruments.

“We had to find a way to help,” says Ryan Gable, co-founder of Bikes & Music. “These band directors have been repairing instruments themselves, on their own time, to keep as many instruments available to students as possible. But there just wasn’t enough to go around.”

Richard Daily, Fine Arts Department Chairman and Director of Bands at Thomas Kelly College Preparatory High School, said the situation has been as a long-running issue. Prior to the pandemic, it was customary for music students to share instruments. COVID-19 stopped that practice, and at the same time, more students were enrolling in Thomas Kelly music programs.

“When Ryan Gable contacted me to ask how they could help, I was excited, but a little afraid to get my hopes up,” says Daily. “Instruments are expensive. I wasn’t sure people would give them away.”

Asking the public for instrument donations was exactly what Bikes & Music did. A social media and press campaign was used to spread the word, and area businesses were sought for drop-off locations. Participating locations included Crank Revolution Bike Shop, North Shore Barrington Association of Realtors, Pat Smarto at Lakes Realty Group, Chris Stephen at Jameson Sotheby’s, Dane M. Pinter at Edward Jones, and StartingPoint Realty offices in Rosco Village and Schaumburg.

“The word got out, and people responded generously,” says Carrie