Music in the Park

Old Town Clovis Kiwanis president Brian Heryford (left) presents a check to fellow club members Debbie Young (center) and Lori Reed (right) to help fund a musical instrument project at Dry Creek Park. (Daniel Leon/Clovis Roundup)

The Kiwanis Club of Old Town Clovis is fundraising for “Musical Instruments in the Park,” a project centered around permanent, freestanding instruments that allow people of all ages to express themselves through the use of music.

The instruments – designed and manufactured by Freenotes Harmony Park in Colorado – will be installed at Dry Creek Park near Clovis Botanical Garden. There will be a total of six specially designed instruments that will include chimes and drums. In addition, the concrete foundation will make the area handicap accessible.

On Wednesday, April 11, club president Brian Heryford presented fellow Kiwanians Lori Reed and Debbie Young with a check for $24,000 to make the purchase of the instrument package for the project. The donation will cover a majority of the cost for the instruments and two benches. A covered structure to provide shade over the instruments will be funded later down the line.

Studies have found music to be beneficial to both children and adults by enhancing mental well-being and allowing expressions of emotions. Reed envisions the project serving as a venue to “feed their imagination.”

“By the time it’s finished, it should be beautiful,” she said. “The instruments themselves are good for community, they’re actually located at parks around the world. They were developed by a musician and they’ve been known to help with autism, depression and anxiety so they’re just an all-around good thing to have in the community.”

The project will break ground the first weekend in June.

To donate to the project, contact Lori Reed at (559) 307-1829 or Debbie Young at (559) 281-6662

Daniel Leon: A native of Woodlake, Daniel Leon is a recent graduate of Fresno State with a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. Daniel served as Sports Editor at The Collegian, Fresno State’s student-run newspaper, prior to joining the Roundup. Got a story idea? Email him at editor@clovisroundup.com
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