Devon Scout, Conestoga Student Rounds Up Idle Musical Instruments

TREDYFFRIN TOWNSHIP, PA — Sometimes an Eagle Scout community project is more than a project.

If the magic ingredients are a love of music, a beloved band director's old instruments, and a great non-profit with professional volunteers, just add one supportive inquiring neighbor, and Poof! Kids around Philadelphia who want to learn music have instruments.

Julian Lu's Eagle Scout project was just an idea. It wasn't even his first idea.

"I wanted to do another project before this, but my heart wasn't in it. Since I play musical instruments, I decided to do a project that had something to do with music," Lu said.

"I did some research, and found an organization, Musicopia, that was doing what I was thinking about." He wanted to help kids who wanted to learn music.

Musicopia is a non-profit for music enrichment in the Greater Philadelphia area. It reaches thousands of children every year, with its priority on reaching students who are underserved and who don't otherwise have access to Philadelphia's rich culture.

Musicopia's professional volunteers refurbish musical instruments, and the organization raises funds for repair parts and equipment. Lu' s project will work with Musicopia by seeking out and gathering up instruments that will find new lives with new players who might not have been able to afford them.

Lu, a student at Conestoga High School, is Life Scout at Troop Devon 50. His mom calls Lu "an interesting kid," because he plays multiple instruments and speaks five languages. He plays the trumpet, viola, ukulele, and guitar, and is presently learning piano.

Lu said he recognized a need for instruments in underserved schools in the Delaware Valley, and identified the part he could play in making it happen.

"There are students who are eager to play, and have the talent, but cannot afford to rent or buy one," said Lu.

Lu has been reaching out through Facebook and other media to make the project known and to coordinate the instrument collection process.

But, oddly, his collection of idle musical instruments began accumulating even before he officially launched the project Sept. 1.

A scout since grade school, Lu's often delivered wreaths as part of a yearly troop event. Last year, as Lu was delivering wreaths, he stopped to chat with a neighbor in Devon, Jake Gillis.

"I was telling him about my idea," Lu said. "He stopped, went inside and ran upstairs. He brought out three instruments, and handed them to me."

Another early donation came from the estate of Michael S. Solick, longtime Band Director at Phoenixville Area High School, in years past. Solick had led the Marching Phantom Band to win several state championships, and after he passed away, his wife held an estate sale that included many musical instruments.

Quite a few were sold. The Solick family knew of Musicopia, so when they heard Lu's project was working with Musicopia, they donated instruments. That was in July, before the project was even fully initiated.

Lu's project is about the collection logistics. Donors who see his ad or Facebook page contact him, and he assigns a driver for the pick up, and a point of delivery. Then, he arranges to get the donations to Musicopia.

Drivers are all from other scout families, and other scouts are participating, getting service hours for assisting in Lu's project.

He's been working to set up drop-off locations. Fox Chase Lock & Key stepped up and agreed to take instrument donations during business hours at 7936 Oxford Ave., Philadelphia. The shop is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Calls have been coming in from Delaware, New Jersey and all around Greater Philadelphia, Lu's mom said. Lu is looking to add another drop-off site.

Pickups have not been as difficult. No-contact pickups can be arranged, Lu said, but noted his project cannot accept pianos, organs and child-size drum sets.

Lu's Facebook page for the project has been active. A Phoenixville resident gave two acoustic guitars and another family unloaded the idle instruments their grown children had once used.

People who have an instrument to donate and need it picked up may email Lu here. They may also call (484) 326-6728.