~January 2007~
Letter from Gayle Punch
Byron Martin, our 2006 recepient - Upcoming Events - Volunteers Needed

Dear Friends:

I am encouraged by the support you have given. As a dialysis patient it is easy for me to do nothing but I will not. I have to build up the vision of the Punch family Foundation. I use a wheel chair for mobility. I am limited on getting out and net working like I should. This is where you can play a major role. Join our newly formed friends Group.

We need chairpersons for committees. We need ads to be sold for our 2007 Benefit recital and we need donations for the silent auction. The silent auction is a separate fundraiser from the Benefit Recital. They are held at the same time.

You can also host an evening of entertainment in your home, church or synagogue to assist our fund raising efforts in 2007. We will have a wine Tasting Event in February and we need Co Chairs and a sponsor. Funds raised will help provide funding for the “Gayle’s Gift” grants for up to $500 .00 for music students. At any time you can also make a contribution to our Scholarship fund. Please encourage your friends to join our friends group.

This year’s recipient of our foundations scholarship is Byron Martin. A BT Washington class of 2006 student, he is now a freshman at Oklahoma City University. He will study Music and Composition

Byron Martin is grateful for this assistance and can now look forward to buying the music he needs to purchase and the strings he can purchase. He now has a way to purchase books for his second semester and a great burden is now lifted.  As a result of a $1000.00 scholarship that you helped to make possible by supporting the Punch Family Foundation Byron will be off to a great start for his spring semester.

In June a music student sent me a wish list for items needed for the fall. The list included evening apparel for performances, a suit for presentations, and a pair of black sneakers. Her wish list was forwarded to a donor. His gift of $250.00 allowed the items on her wish list to be purchased.

I personally went in a wheel chair and shopped for this student the merchandise was then shipped to her school. I look forward to seeing her in performance in the evening gown.

Why join me? As a parent of a former music student I have first hand knowledge of the additional expenses that major scholarships do not cover. If you are poor it can make a music student loose their dream and talents to just simply “get a job” leaving their education behind.

A gift of $20, $35, or even fifty will help a student in pursuing their dream and continue their music studies. Maybe you can be a donor whose gift can help music student study music in Italy or attend Aspen this summer for music studies.

Join me in making the impossible possible. My on come is below poverty yet I believe that it was not by chance that music became a life changing catalyst for my family. My son went from the hood to the Eiffel tower because of music. You can read more about his efforts at wwwm.richmondpunch.com. My daughter will attend Texas A&M in Commerce in January she will complete her BA in Music Education with a music scholarship.

We have to help others reach their potential with music as the stepping stone.

I’m inviting you to join me in supporting our efforts. You can purchase CD’S of the recital; donate items for our silent auction.  Join our advisory board.

Sincerely Yours,

Gayle Punch