Store Owner Steps up to Help Band Program

With all the talk of cuts at the schools, one business owner wants to step in and help.

Stan Houston, owner of , has offered to take over financial responsibility for a conductor for the fourth- and fifth-grade band program in .

"It's a natural for us," he said. "It's an easy way to give back to the community."

Houston already pays for five teachers during the first nine weeks of the school year who teach the budding musicians the basics of using their instruments.

"They instruct the kids in the proper methods of maintaining instruments and the proper way to put them together and take them apart," said Houston. "These teachers show the kids the fundamentals of their instruments."

Houston wants to make sure the band program stays strong in Benicia and is willing to put his money into the program where he thinks it will do the most good.

"Glen Walp and I are both aware that the fourth- and fifth-grade band program is the whole feeder program for the Benicia Middle School band program," said Houston.

"And that is why the middle school and the high school walk away with high scores at music competitions." 

Houston has high praise for Benicians. "I have to hand it to Benicia, where the whole community is behind music education," he said. "Parents should especially be given credit for this."

The fourth- and fifth-grade music programs teach young musicians to play brass, woodwinds and percussion.  The instruments include trumpet, trombone, clarinet, saxophone, flute and drums.

For Houston, the money is is an investment in the community as much as it is an investment in the schools.

"The donation value of what we're already providing is about $2,800," he said. "The added cost of the conductor will probably come to several thousand dollars. But it's worth it for this community."

"Some businesses spend lots of money on advertising," said Houston.  "I'd rather spend my money on my customers."