A cancelled music lesson turned into an act of kindness for Long & McQuade Musical Instruments employees.
Earlier this month a young music student was unable to attend a scheduled class because of an unexpected hospital stay. When the student’s mother alerted Long & McQuade that the musical instruments in the pediatric unit at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital could use some attention, employees Darren Nilsson and Scott MacLeod packed up their tool kits and drove straight to the hospital where they re-strung two guitars and took one broken guitar back to the shop with a promise to return it repaired.
The following day the pair arrived at NRGH with their store manager, Jason Friesen, and the three men not only returned the broken guitar, but delivered two new guitars, two ukuleles, 10 packages of strings, and four wall mounts to store the instruments.
The three-quarter size strings will suit young fingers of children with various musical experiences who are also staying in the pediatric unit.
“Coincidentally, I had just watched a documentary on Oliver Sacks a renowned scientist who studies the healing effects of music therapy, and we thought this was something we could do to help,” said Friesen.