Tale of a Dreamer Child Series – Samantha

Music Rescue Project – The Elville Center for the Creative Arts, Inc.

Blog No. 77 – Averting a Shutdown of a Different Sort: The Cultural Arts Starvation of Our Children

By Stephen R. Elville, J.D., LL.M., Founder

As the year winds down, our thoughts naturally turn to family, friends, gratitude, those less fortunate, our veterans, the elderly, the beliefs we hold dear, and of course—taxes. Uncle Sam never sleeps. But before we reach that final year-end sprint, it’s important to pause and consider something else happening across our communities as 2025 comes to a close.

This has been yet another year of significant change. And once again, the Elville Center for the Creative Arts, Inc.—powered by its donors, volunteers, partners, and Executive Director Jeffrey Stauffer—has been on the front lines of what I call the Great Music and Cultural Arts Shutdown. This “shutdown” is not temporary. It is not seasonal. It is not political.
It is an ongoing stagnation—sometimes outright starvation—of our children’s access to the cultural arts.

To understand this crisis, let’s meet Samantha.

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Samantha’s Story (and Sam’s)

“Samantha” is a fictitious name, but her circumstances are painfully real. We could just as easily call her “Sam,” because what she faces is shared by children of every background—boys and girls alike.

Sam is twelve years old and comes from a disadvantaged household. Sometimes these children come from financially struggling families; sometimes from homes where both parents work incredibly hard just to stay afloat. Regardless of circumstance, these children share something universal:
a rich imagination, a deep curiosity, and a natural pull toward music, art, movement, creativity, and expression.

A child’s mind is a sponge—ready to absorb the joy, confidence, academic tools, discipline, and cultural experiences that music education provides.

But at Sam’s school—where caring teachers devote ten months of their year to nurturing children—scores, sometimes hundreds, of students wait in quiet frustration because they want to participate in music programs but simply cannot.

Why Not?

Many of us remember the robust, well-funded school music programs of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. But that model is all but gone. Today:

• 300–400 students at a school may want to play an instrument …
• Yet many have no instrument and no way to get one.
• Many cannot afford reeds, strings, or repairs.
• Their families cannot pay for private lessons.
• Some schools have eliminated music programs entirely due to lack of funding.
• Other schools still have teachers willing to run after-school programs—but with no instruments and no budget, their hands are tied.

This, sadly, is the reality for countless children in Maryland and across the country.

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A Glimpse of Hope

Samantha is one of the lucky ones. The Elville Center learned of her dream to play clarinet. After outreach and some persistence, Jeff Stauffer connected with a generous donor—someone whose French Buffet Crampon clarinet was ready to begin a new life in a child’s hands.

That connection changed everything.

Because her school still offers music classes, Samantha will now be able to participate next year—something that would have been impossible without that one instrument donation. But questions remain:

• How will she afford lessons?
• How will she get to them?
• How will she escape the limitations of her household to pursue her passion?

These are the barriers children like Sam face every single day. And they are the reasons the Elville Center exists.

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The Reality: A Cultural Arts Desert

Many children live in what can only be described as a musical and artistic Sahara—a world where opportunities dry up before they ever begin. They look upward, hoping someone might help them break through the glass ceiling created by economic hardship, school defunding, and lack of resources.

To illustrate this, let me share one unforgettable scene:

Walking through a middle school hallway in a well-known Maryland community, I entered a dim, aging music room. Empty seats. Empty stands. Broken cellos frozen like statues. A cracked upright piano. A sound system long dead. Eight or nine small keyboards stacked on a shelf—waiting, like the children themselves.

The music teacher arrived, enthusiastic yet exhausted by the impossible odds:

• The cellos? Broken and never repaired.
• The piano? Broken.
• The sound system? Broken.
• Violins, trumpets, flutes, clarinets? None.
• One bass guitar? Broken.
• More than 300 students eager to participate—but no instruments, no funding, no path forward.

This is not an isolated case. It is the norm.

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The Questions That Matter

So I must ask you directly:

Do you support the ongoing dismantling of school music programs?
If your answer is No, then consider this:

Will you stand by while children lose access to instruments, lessons, and cultural arts experiences that shape their futures?
If your answer is again No, then I invite you to read on—because you can help stop this.

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How You Can Make a Difference Today

The Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)

The QCD is one of the most powerful charitable-giving tools available—especially at this time of year.

Key Points:

• Are you 70½ or older?
• You can donate up to $108,000 directly from your IRA to a qualified charity like the Elville Center.
• If married, each spouse can give—up to $216,000 total.
• The funds must go directly from your IRA custodian to the charity.
• QCDs count toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD).
• QCDs reduce your taxable income, potentially lowering Medicare surcharges.
• QCDs do not provide a separate charitable deduction.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to support children while also receiving meaningful tax benefits.

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Other Ways to Support the Elville Center

1. Outright Cash Gifts – immediate, impactful.
2. Gifts of Appreciated Stock – avoid capital gains while giving generously.
3. Donor-Advised Funds – a simple way to support our mission.
4. Testamentary Gifts – through your will or trust.
5. Life Insurance Gifts – naming the Center as beneficiary or policy owner.
6. Charitable Remainder or Lead Trusts – strategic legacy planning.
7. Volunteer Time – your presence and service matter profoundly.

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A Final Word: The Time Is Now

If you believe our children deserve music in their lives—if you believe their dreams, talents, and imaginations deserve nurturing—then join us.

The Elville Center for the Creative Arts exists to meet a need that never ends. With your help, we can:

• Provide instruments
• Fund lessons
• Support teachers
• Strengthen school programs
• Partner with organizations supporting children and adults with disabilities
• Build an endowment ensuring long-term sustainability

If you would like to discuss a significant gift or endowment, please contact us.

Today is the day.
Help the Elville Center for the Creative Arts ensure that children across Maryland can rise above circumstance and pursue their musical dreams—not someday, but now.

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