Jasper Endows Today and Tomorrow (JETT) presented a $2,500.00 grant August 11th to Strings, Inc. of Jasper, Indiana. Strings, Inc. is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to providing professional, personalized violin instruction for students in southern Indiana. Under Rafaela Schaick’s direction, the organization has served students from Dubois, Spencer, Orange, Pike, Daviess, Gibson, Martin, and Crawford counties. Local school districts in these counties do not offer stringed instrument instruction in their schools.
“Strings, Inc. plans to set up an endowment for their organization to be more self-sustaining,” said Phalong Zehr, JETT Granting Committee member. “The Dubois County Community Foundation requires $5,000.00 to begin an endowment. Strings, Inc. fundraised $2,500.00 and asked JETT for a grant to cover the rest.” “Even though we are funded through tuition and individual contributions, it’s not sustainable for us to ask for more money every year,” said Schaick. “The JETT grant is a way to start that endowment where we can be sustainable.”