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A newly donated Yamaha “Stage Custom” drum set nicely rounds up the sound equipment needs for up and coming band "Salinovci" - and promises to add decibels and sound volume to the neighborhood.

It's probably safe to say that in most orphanages around the world a premium is put on keeping the noise-level down to a minimum, given the amount of kids all crowded into one place. Not so in Desky Domov Sazava, home of "Salinovci", a band formed under the tutelage of C4C's “Springboard to Life” (STL) music teacher, Michal Nemecek. Michal is the founder of legendary rock and blues group Pumpa, a band with almost 40 years of stage history in the Czech Republic: http://www.pumparock.cz

Asserting that “Every Child has the Right to an Education”, the STL program provides participants with supplemental educational programs and vocational, extracurricular courses to help institutionalized children, growing up without the love and oversight of their natural parents, find their bearings and footing in life. Besides teaching Creative Music Theory, the program also offers classes in Computer Literacy, Household Sciences, Cooking & Baking, Hairstyling and Conversational English to help socially challenged children to adapt to adult life, find employment and integrate successfully into society. In 2009 over 200 children in 17 different orphanages participated in this popular program. Click here for more on STL.

“The drum set was the last piece the band really needed as far as basic equipment goes”, says David Just, who oversees the young folks in the orphanage. “They had been playing with only a rickety old bass and snare drum up until now”, he added.

The Stage Custom set was donated by John Paul Franke (J.P.), 23, son of C4C founder Manfred Franke.

“I could have sold the set, but I felt it was the right thing to just give it away to these talented young people”, smiles John Paul, “money is not everything”. That’s admirable coming from a lad only making a very modest living as an actor.

J.P. had picked up drumming some years ago, but his band fell apart when his band mates moved on to other places, a common occurrence amongst expatriate youngsters. Hobby-wise, he soon switched to studying Martial Arts, leaving the drum set somewhat idle. When he heard about the need for drums in the orphanage, through his involvement as a C4C volunteer, he knew just what to do!

“J.P. is a great guy”, says Misa, the young drummer of “Salinovci”, “we’ll promise to put the drum set to good use”!

Perhaps much to the chagrin of the neighbors… :-)

J.P. setting up the drum set...

...and giving a little introduction

Jamming: Misa and band mate Roman

Band Salinovci performing with old drums