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Richard Salazar President
831-722-9147
Volunteer Teachers
Lucas Wiley
Mike Keller
Will Clark
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Graduation...!!! was held at the GHWR Youth Center in Watsonville. Students were awarded their guitars and certificates for completing and eight week course. The class performed their newly learned skills for family,friends and community luminaries, including law enforcement officials and the Superintendent of the district schools. A big round of congratulations to all of our young people for committing to our music program and finding their inner strengths. Play on! A great big thank you to our volunteer teachers Will Clark, Rosemarie Echelson, Mike Keller, Mike Miller and Jay Holiday for volunteering to share their time and skills with youth in our community. Some came from out of town to make a difference for our students. Our teachers also performed solos of thier own which impressed us all. Bravo! Thanks also to the Parks and Community Services and the staff and director of the youth center, for allowing us the use of their fabulous facility. Let's do it again! Let me hear you all say,"I am a guitar player! I am a musician"!
Richard Salazar
President Santa Cruz County - e-mail - Ghiamia2K@aol.com
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Richard Salazar |
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Dru - Morgan and Hernan - Power Rock Trio |
Dru - Morgan and Hernan - Power Rock Trio |
Matt Cole |
Watsonville chapter at a recent guitar drawing at the Ritchie Valens Winter Dance Party. Mello Center in Watsonville. participating in the drawing were local students,volunteers, Teacher Matt Cole and Richard Salazar , volunter Mike Keller, GNG pre show entertainement provided by Dru, Morgan and Hernan- power rock trio.
The Winter Dance Party Music Scholarships and Awards has awarded Guitars not Guns a Music Grant for this year in memory of Richie Valens. Every year, scholarships are awarded to deserving students and music programs in memory of Richie Valens,Buddy Holly and J.P.( the Big Bopper) Richardson. The Santa Cruz-Watsonville County Chapter teachers,students and volunteers of Guitars not Guns are grateful for the support the entire Valenzuela Family has shown Guitars not Guns over the years. We thank you for "keeping the music alive". - Richard Salazar - http://www.ritchievalens.com/
Will Clark is the lead teacher for a new Watsonville guitar music class that is under way. GNG has partnered with the City Youth Center G.H.W.R and Parks and Recreation. Will, who is bilingual and classically trained, brings a fresh new approach to teaching our students. Thank you Will, for your time and particpation and making a diferrence for youth in our music program. Welcome to the GNG family of volunteers!
We still need volunteer team teachers for our classes. Only minimal skill level required for our beginner program. If you can play a few chords we need you for as little as 1 hour a month. Volunteers for other help and guitar donations or student sponsorship would be welcomed. Help us continue our all volunteer non profit music program for youth in our community.
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Lisa Morales,David Spencer and Roberta Morales took time out from their Northern California tour to play for our student's,family,teachers and friends in the beautiful flower garden at the YWCA in Watsonville.
http://www.sistersmorales.com/
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- Watsonville Graduation - - Photos 0f the - (FLYING MONKEY'S ) Guitars not Guns Guitars Watsonville had it's graduation ceremony at the Callaghan Park Cultural Center 225 Sudden Street, Watsonville.
Students received certificates of completion and provided a brief presentation.
Guitars not Guns Organization was the recent recipient of the Ritchie Valens Family
gift. The Valenzuela family donated monies to help keep music alive and to support
young people to get involved in positive activities. At the recent Tribute to Richie Valens
concert held at the Mello center, Guitars not Guns students were brought on stage to
acknowledge and inspire their interest in music.
The all-volunteer organization, Guitars not Guns, used the money to purchase
instruments for youth referred by local community non profit agencies. " We have referred several youth to GNGand have seen the positive benefits of having youth engaged in
pro-social activities in our
community"
says Linda Perez, Executive Director of PVPSA,
Ms. Perez praised the contributions of the volunteer instructors who team teach the
youth how to play the instruments and how to express themselves through music.
The public is encouraged to attend and support this positive celebration for empowering our communities youth. . . . Newspaper article (CLICK HERE)
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front row students: Joann Gutierrez, Vereditt Gutierrez,Marleena Brown,Dennice Ochoa,Brenda Gomez,Nancy Gomez,Scott Evans(teacher),Brandy Lopez,
back row: Martine Mendoza,Sergio Rocha,Fred Piper(teacher), Adan Gomez( teacher),Jay Holiday(teacher),Mike Miller(teacher),Mike Keller(teacher),Lucas Willey(teacher) |
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photo left - These graduating students were also presented with a certificate for membership in the Ritchie Valens fan club by family members Mario Ramirez and Bob Morales( fan club president). |
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Photo left-Jay Holiday has been inspirational to the young people in our classes.. . Photo right- Kip Allert lead teacher for the Watsonville /Santa Cruz county class has been with us since 200 |
Volunteer teachers Kip and Richard hold the GNG banner for this photo of our graduates. |
Los Lobos Band These students got to go back stage at the Los Lobos concert in Watsonville, CA to meet the band. |
Hernan entertained the graduating class at Ramsay Park Family Center 1301 Main Street, Watsonville, CA |
Watsonville's first graduating class. |
GNG students march in Watsonville parade. |
. Guitars Donated: Thanks to Mike Miller and his band "Pocket Change" for their generous donation of Washburn equipment to be used at our upcomming raffles. |
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