Ashland Schools Foundation

Public schools throughout America are in a situation where they are short of funds for extracurricular activities and even accredited programs like fine arts and music.  This is the case with the music department at Ashland High School, where they are using forty year old instruments which are in desperate need of repair and have gone without new band uniforms for nearly twenty years.  It spite of this situation, Ashland High has continued to produce many very accomplished musicians and maintained a level of talent which is second to none for a public school.  They have achieved this through dedicated and overworked instructors and a community that believes that the world would be a pretty dismal place without music.

This last September, REAL ESTATE DEPOT decided to hold a fundraiser for the Ashland High School Music Department and we teamed up with PASSPORT 2 ASHLAND to sponsor the 1st Annual Musicale in the Park.  We called upon members of the business community to make contributions in the form of cash, service, products or discounts.  We sold coupon books and raffle tickets at the entrance to cooperating local businesses.  The response from the community was incredible.  In about three weeks we were able to raise $6,420.19, which was presented to the Ashland High School Music Department through the ASHLAND SCHOOLS FOUNDATION.

On the last Saturday of September we held a free concert, MUSICALE IN THE PARK, at the band shell in beautiful Lithia Park.  The beginning and advanced jazz bands, marching band, chorales and orchestra provided two hours of wonderful entertainment.  The entire process was one of the many things that make us so proud to be a part of this remarkable community.

We and PASSPORT 2 ASHLAND plan to make this an annual event and feel that with an earlier start it will be even bigger next year and will continue to grow through the coming years.  We know that without the participation of the various businesses and the entire community, this would not have been possible and we are so grateful that Ashland, Oregon will never let the world become a place without music.