This week Fitzy welcomed DEBBIE ELEA into the BayFM 93.9 studios to talk about a recent grant Geelong Connected Communities provided to the BLUEBIRD FOUNDATION.
Debbie, who is Treasurer at the Bluebird Foundation, described how a $2,000 ARTS & CULTURE Grant would help her organisation run a special 10-day Summer School for musical educators in early January.
“The educator who is coming over from America for this summer school is Dr John Feierabend (pictured above), who is a world-renowned music educator,” Debbie said.
“So the grant we received from GCC allowed us to bring John to the summer school and allow for the costs to be kept low for the people who will be getting the opportunity to work with John.”
Deakin University, who is a ‘Program Partner’ of Geelong Connected Communities, is also assisting in this event, providing accommodation for those involved and facilities to conduct the summer school.
The summer school will help train up musical educators so they can pass on unique knowledge to the young people who participate in the Foundation’s fully-funded school and playgroup programs, as well as the “user pays” community workshops.
Debbie described the Bluebird Foundation as a “small group with big ideas” and spoke to the Bay 93.9 team about the important role The Arts can play in maintaining general wellbeing.
“It allows people to use their imagination. So many people are in awful situations, so we find that something like this provides a sense of freedom,” she said.