Ukulele Club hosting bone marrow registry drive on Saturday

Last year, the WVMS Ukulele Club performed a benefit benefit concert to raise money for the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation, and to put towards creating comfort carts for oncology patients at Mt. Sinai Children Hospital. Over 200 people turned out to hear the students play an outstanding program of 21 tunes (check it out here), and also enjoyed browsing an array of gift baskets up for raffle.

That event alone raised $4,300! The club raised a total of $7,500 for the cause by their efforts throughout the school year.

This year the Ukulele Club is working with DKMS, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and blood disorders. Their first event will be a Bone Marrow Registry Drive on Saturday, December 10, from 9:00 am until 12:00 pm in the WVMS Cafeteria.

The club has set two goals for themselves:

– Register 250 new people.

– Raise $5,000.

“We are really hoping to get Warwick community members to add their names to the national registry,” said WVMS teacher and Ukulele Club director Shane Peters. “And we hope to raise enough money to donate to DKMS to cover the costs associated with registering members.”

Registering is fast and easy! It’s a quick swab of the cheek and takes less than a minute. Registrants must be between the ages of 18-55.

Anyone who would like to make a monetary donation to the cause through the Ukulele Club… thank you! Checks are happily and appreciatively accepted, made out to Warwick Valley Central School District with “Ukulele Club Donation” in the memo. All donations go directly to DKMS.

Questions about the cause, the event, and donations can be directed to Mr. Peters by email, to speters@wvcsd.org. The Ukulele Club will host one more drive this school year, on Saturday, April 15, 2023.

Mr. Peters and the Ukulele Club have a plan to fundraise annually for organizations that affect the lives of Warwick neighbors.

“Giving back,” Mr. Peters said, “is what it’s all about!”

WVMS Ukulele Club benefit concert – June 17, 2022