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… and play the Blues - with the support of Lucie Bila and KYTARA.CZ

Learning to read notes, play music and properly pluck guitars is one of the various (and most popular) aspects ofC4C’s Springboard to Life (STL) program. C4C’s two teachers of modern and creative music, Michal Nemecek and Standa Jedlicka, have been relating the finer skills of “music-mania” to an enthusiastic bunch of would-be-music-stars, for the better part of six years now – with admirable success! The 40 currently participating children and youth are residents of orphanages DD LEDCE, DD SÁZAVA, DD PYŠELY, DD RACEK & DD NOVÉ STRAŠECÍ. Classes are also planned to commence in DD KLANOVICE in 2013.

And recently, Czech Pop Diva and national icon Lucka Bila lent her support and patronage to STL’s musical initiative, in cooperation with KYTARA.CZ - who donated eight Spanish Guitars, one electric Bass Guitar and two electronic organs worth CZK 50.000 to the program. Lucka got busy and sent personal greetings and autographed CDs to all participating kids to encourage them to go on. Coming herself from Kladno, C4C’s home, gives her a special connection with the program.

Lucka Bila’s patronage of C4C’s Springboard to Life initiative already dates back to 2007, when she lent her support to the kick off celebration of the program by participating in a C4C awareness campaign and posing for the 2008 C4C Calendar, realized by celebrity photographer Ondra Picha.

“Lucka is always happy to give you her patronage as she really believes in your programs”, says Jiri Kouble, her manager of many years. “She even has the C4C calendar picture hanging in her living room.”

“Even though all of STL vocational programs are broadly popular with the kids, the music classes seem to beespecially trendy with the children”, muses Petr Kovarik, C4C’s STL program manager. Besides the creative music classes, Petr also oversees STL’s computer literacy, foreign language skills, household sciences (baking and cooking) and modern hairstyling classes. (For more on STL’s various aspects, click here)

And if you think music is just for fun, with no other benefits attached – think again: Take Roman Kadlec, for instance, who learned music under the tutelage of C4C’s Michal Nemecek in the Sazava orphanage – Roman now makes a living playing with the popular Pop Band “Czech It” as the lead guitarist.

“Czech out” their music here: http://bandzone.cz/czechit

Says Roman: “If it wouldn’t have been for C4C and the influence Michal teachings had on my life, I wouldn’t be playing with “Czech It” today!”

And we would like to finish this article by expressing a heart-felt “Thank You” to all of our supporters, sponsors, partners and friends alike who “walk the walk” with us, help us to make a difference in the lives of so many children less fortunate than others and give them a chance to succeed in life!

Graduation Time! Standa and his music students, DD Ledce

Klaudie - Encouragement from Lucka Bila!

Teacher Standa and new recruits in Ledce orphanage

Teacher Michal and graduating class in Sazava orphanage

Standa and his students in Nove Straseci orphanage

Roman and his band Czech It