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Talk of The Town: Piano teacher to receive a big thank-you for his years of compassionate instruction
Music teacher to receive a big thank-you for his years of compassionate instruction
I've always wished I could play the piano. I never took lessons as a child, or as an adult. But I did convince my husband to buy a used piano several years ago. I figure even if I never learned to play, my children could. And they love it. They frequently entertain us with pounding renditions of the theme songs for Batman and Spider Man.
For the past 65 years Grant Malme of Racine has taught and inspired thousands of piano students. To celebrate his retirement and 85th birthday, the Racine Music Teachers Association is inviting the public to attend an open house May 6 in his honor.
The open house will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Great Hall of the DeKoven Center, 600 21st St.
After studying at Carre Musical College in Racine, Grant earned a bachelor of music degree from Chicago Musical College, studying there with the famous Rudolph Ganz. In the 1940s, he served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in France, where he often entertained troops in dance bands.
For many years Grant taught at the Racine College of Music in Uptown. He later maintained a private piano studio, often teaching over 50 students per week.
In 1999 Grant received the Racine Arts Council Award, in recognition of outstanding contribution to the arts. To help commemorate Grant's celebration, Racine Mayor Gary Becker has proclaimed May 6th "Grant Malme Day." The Racine Music Teachers Association hopes that all friends, colleagues, former students and well-wishers will stop in at the open house and honor a man who inspired music in the lives of many in the community.
Money for Bunnies
For the past five years Norway Evangelical Lutheran Church's Sunday school children have been participating in an annual fund-raiser for the Heifer International Project. This year, the children raised an amazing $4,100, enough to donate 207 rabbits in their Money for Bunnies themed event.
The Sunday school has been collecting money since September for the rabbits. Classes have received cotton-tail candy prizes for obtaining their goals of $180. One class has now doubled its room goals by raising over $360 and received a special prize.
Recently, Erica and Cathy Haglund brought bunnies to the Wind Lake church for the Sunday school children to see. Erica is a member of the Kan-Do 4-H Club. Burlington area resident Mary Alice Rubach, the lead volunteer for the state of Wisconsin for Heifer International Inc., was also there to talk about a new rabbit project in China.
The church children have raised money over the past five years to donate chicks, ducks, cows, bees and sheep to Heifer International. Since 1944 the project has helped more than 4 million impoverished families become self-reliant through the gift of livestock and training for its care.
To learn more about Heifer International, visit their Web site at http://www.heifer.org
This is a column about local people and the good things in their lives. Please share your positive news about people, retirements, anniversaries, birthdays and celebrations of all sorts.
Send to: Marci Laehr Tenuta, The Journal Times, 212 Fourth St., Racine WI 53403; fax to (262) 631-1780 or e-mail to:marci.laehr@lee.net
It also would be helpful to enclose a telephone number, should more information be needed.
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