WHO WE’RE WORKING WITH
Operation Happy Note is a volunteer effort to send musical instruments to our deployed service men and women throughout the world. The have been kind enough to allow our Operation Iraq & Roll to function under their umbrella
Steve and Barb Baker from Fergus Music started Operation Happy Note after their son was deployed to Iraq. They had sent him a guitar and then a buddy wanted one. These soldiers were so pleased with having these instruments over there that Steve and Barb wanted to find a way to get more instruments to our troops, hence “Operation Happy Note”.
Since March of 2005 the couple has sent hundreds of instruments including guitars, mandolins, banjos, violins, harmonicas, and accessories. Steve also wrote a lesson program with CD for those who don’t know how to play.
Operation Iraq & Roll Meets
Operation Happy Note
I’ve spoken with both Steve & Barb and they’re ecstatic that members of the CBG Forum are offering to help support our troops via donation of our custom-built instruments. They’ve checked out this website (and is true with most everyone) were blown away with the look, style and sound of a CBG
In short, the deal is this. If it makes music, Steve and Barb will take it.. CBG’s, Diddleys, Cookie Tin Banjos, mandos, fiddles, blues harps….anything you can think of is fair game. They’re also looking for stuff like flutes, saxophones, keyboards…really any type of horn or woodwinds.
WANT MORE INFO? ASK NBC NEWS
If you want a little more info, on Friday, September, 7, The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams on Friday Sept 7th,did a story on Operation Happy Note. Here’s a link to the story by NBC contributor Allison Stewart.
http://dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/09/07/351118.aspx
Ok...Here's the Part You've Been Waiting For
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE A CIGAR BOX GUITAR
Thanks to Steve and Barb, this is simple as all get out. Their organization, which has been getting quite a few monetary donations thanks to the national press coverage, handles all the cost of shipping the instrument overseas. All instruments are sent to soldiers who have requested them.
Also, if you know a soldier who might want an instrument, just forward it to me and I’ll get them on the list.
Ok….here’s the scoop in a few simple steps
1: Build the CBG (or whatever you’re building)
2: Pack it up as you usually would and send it to the following address:
Operation Happy Note
122 E. Lincoln Ave.,
Fergus Falls, MN
56537
3: Both myself, Steve & Barb suggest that (if you want) you stick a personal note to a soldier in with your instrument. Tell them a little about the CBG. Tell them a little about yourself. Maybe give them some playing tips. If you’ve got a business card, thrown that in as well. Most important…give them your e-mail address. Our new found friends at Operation Happy Note tell me that a lot of the men and women like to send back pictures with their new guitar.
Also, and I highly recommend this, give them the address of the CBG Forum on Yahoo and invite them to join us. Hell…how cool would it be to have a few thousand more folks entering the ranks of the CBG Prim-Rock Revolution?
4: Your donation IS tax deductible. If you are interested in the deduction, write Steve and Barb a short note describing your instrument and telling them its value. Include your return address, and they’ll send you back the needed receipt.
AND THAT’S IT! ALL WE HAVE TO DO NOW IS BUILD!
OH...AND ONE FINAL IMPORTANT THING.
First off. If you would like to contribute a guitar or other instrument, write me at blinddoughboy@yahoo.com and let me know. I like to keep Barb and Steve up to date on what to expect.
Last but not least, my Yahoo IM name is Blinddoughboy (pretty damned original…ain’t I?)
FORGET THE POLITICS!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!