Lanham Music donates to create new club at Lindbergh

By Ashley Luthans

A new after-school club has been formed at Lindbergh Elementary School with help from a local business.

More than 20 ukulele kits were donated by Lanham Music to help form the club.

Sara Verduzco, an employee at Lanham, said the business wanted to give back and bring music to everyone.

“We love music, and we love people learning music,” Verduzco said. “And so any opportunity that we have to just like give everybody that … we just want to see that culture thrive in St. Joe. So, we try and make that accessible to everybody.”

Aaron Old, Lanham’s owner, said music is a universal language, and he is happy to be able to spread joy and communication through the instruments.

“I have seen firsthand people that are not verbal or maybe just don’t communicate in the same way that other people do and music can be an outlet for them,” Old said. “They say it’s another language.”

The ukulele club encourages students to have fun while learning how to play.

Fourth-grader Weston Barrett, who already has his own ukulele, said the instrument is a way to bring music to his family.

“I have multiple (ukuleles) so I could teach my brother, too,” Barrett said. “It’s just a fun instrument.”

Third-grader Danica Moyse explained why she joined the club.

“I thought it’d be fun making new friends and learning how to play a new instrument,” she said.

Moyse has big plans for her future with the ukulele.

“My mom said that maybe I could be famous if I learned,” she said.

Students can customize their ukulele with paint and decorations.