ST JAMES CITY, Fla. — A free music program on Pine Island is still recovering after Hurricane Ian destroyed their instruments.
Hear what the co-founders told Fox 4's Bella Line about the rebuild and community support:
Gregory and Warren Van Kirk, who founded the Monday Music program more than 10 years ago, lost nearly everything when the hurricane hit.
"Not only did it flood from the bottom, it also rained through the top. So everything we thought would might be okay kind of got everything kind of got destroyed," Gregory Van Kirk said.
Despite the setback, the brothers remain determined to keep the program running for the Pine Island community.
"We can make music with sticks and snapping and clapping, so that's not gonna stop," Warren Van Kirk said.
The Van Kirk brothers have received some donations and got creative with limited resources, but they're still working to fully restore the program while simultaneously rebuilding their own hurricane-damaged homes.
"It is what it is, and we'll definitely make it through it, and we're happy to still be providing the program," Warren Van Kirk said.
"Last time we did a fundraiser, I think we bought a couple 100 harmonicas and we donated them to the Pine Island School," Warren Van Kirk said. "So it depends how much, what level we reach, what exactly we'll do with it, but it mainly just for general costs. Keep the instruments working."
The Monday Music program meets every Monday from 6-7 p.m. at the Beacon of Hope and is free for anyone to join.
"It's a little little kick or a little little downer for a minute, but it's not gonna stop the music or what our intentions are," Warren Van Kirk said.
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