RAK Round #2

It’s been almost a year now that our neighborhood RAK group has been finding novel ways to spend $400 each month to the betterment of humanity. It’s been so much fun each month to guess what the spenders will do with the money and then to find out what they actually did.

The year has included massage for the elderly, reusable shopping bags given away, “free” gas, a sewing machine given to a young Guatemalan mother, an Arlington clinic waiting room makeover, the start of an education fund, warm gloves for homeless men, and so many other things that touched the lives of young and old in our world.

It’s time to find out who wants to go for a second year. I’m already starting to think about how to spend my money the next time it’s my turn.

Here’s my current idea. Remember this little girl from Glenda’s shower? M is the daughter of the woman who cleans our house, who now has another daughter just a month old. M often comes with her mother when she’s not in school. She quietly colors or reads or practices writing. But she is always drawn to my piano when I sit down to play. Her mother has said how much M would like to play the piano some day.

So I started looking on line and making inquiries and I think I may be able to get a used piano for my $200. It will not be a concert grand, but it may be fine for an 8-year-old girl who is just learning.

There seems to be the occasional piano that just can’t accompany a family who is moving or splitting up or for whatever reason doesn’t need it any longer. I saw several possibilities in the classifieds. Then I called the guy who installed our piano humidifier, whose father just happens to be closing a prominent piano store in Old Town. According to the son, he still has 60-70 pianos to get rid of and he might be interested in seeing that one was earmarked for little M.

I’m in no rush. In fact I don’t even know when my turn will next fall, but probably not before January. So if you run into anyone wanting to get rid of a good used piano at the right price, please let me know. I’m sure one will turn up just when I need it!

My next request will be for beginning piano books. I will have to look for “Teaching Little Fingers to Play”, which may be somewhere in my attic.

I suppose I should also check to make sure M’s family has enough space in their apartment for a piano.