The NAMM Foundation's Wanna Play Fund Raises Money to Repair Donated Instruments in Joplin, Mo.

The NAMM Foundation recently made a donation through its Wanna Play Fund to the band at Joplin High School in Joplin, Mo., to ensure that repairs to donated instruments damaged in the recent devastating tornado were made by the time band camp began this week. The local high school and most of its instruments were demolished in that disaster. Classes this year will be held in an uninhabited department store until the school’s reconstruction is completed sometime in 2014.

Members of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), Palen Music Center and Hoover Music provided their services to make sure that the local school program survives. The Wanna Play Fund donation will enable the local retailers to acquire the parts necessary for the numerous repairs. Local media drives including that of KOAM (Fox) helped to rally locals to donate their personal damaged instruments for repair and use at the school.

Funds donated by the NAMM Foundation to Joplin High School were raised through the sale of a compilation CD called I Wanna Play! organized by former Gov. of Arkansas Mike Huckabee and country recording artist Aaron Tippin who, along with his wife Thea, wrote the original title track for the CD. Artists on the CD also include Lorrie Morgan, George Jones, Neil Sedaka, Ray Price, Ronnie Milsap, Tracy Lawrence, Louise Mandrell, John Anderson and Darryl Worley. The mission of the NAMM Foundation's Wanna Play Fund is to put musical instruments into the hands of kids who otherwise would not have them. One hundred percent of the profits go towards that goal.

Additional funds for the Joplin high school band will be raised by Fox News’ Huckabee show the week of August 20-27, following the August 20 airing of the show when Gov. Huckabee will feature a story about the repair and distribution of the repaired instruments at Joplin High School, and how this effort will affect students in the band program at the school. Local sales of the I Wanna Play! CD in Joplin will benefit the local community.

About the NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a non-profit organization with the mission of advancing active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs from the international music products industry. For more information about the NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.

About the Wanna Play Fund
The NAMM Foundation’s Wanna Play Fund was established in 2009 in collaboration with Gov. Mike Huckabee, who is devoted to advancing access to music and arts learning for all children. In October 2010, Gov. Huckabee launched the I Wanna Play! CD in collaboration with the NAMM Foundation at www.wannaplaycd.org, a compilation by leading recording artists who donated their musical talents to advance the cause of the Wanna Play Fund. All proceeds will benefit the Wanna Play Fund. For more detailed information about the Wanna Play Fund and the programs that the NAMM Foundation’s initiatives support, and to access funding guidelines and details, visit www.nammfoundation.org or e-mail grants@namm.org. CD purchases and/or donations to the Wanna Play Fund can be made by visiting www.wannaplaycd.org.