Check out this mobile ukulele wall I built for camp...

Bob Bledsoe

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Some of you know that I volunteer at Camp del Corazon every summer on Catalina island as a counselor. I started a music program there - basically any kid (or counselor, nurse, doctor etc...) who wants to learn ukulele gets to.

We now have TWENTY ukes for camp thanks to Mim and Ohana! I got tired of having them all in boxes and having to pull them out and box them back up several times a day while on the island so I got some PVC pipe, paint, netting and built a wall. I'm pretty happy with it. The paracord loops stay on the headstock and the kids will just clip the ukes in and out of the carabiners.

Also, notice the sopranos. I was concerned that the younger campers might gravitate towards our new colorful concert ukes (which I'm hoping the teenagers will play) so I had one of my teen campers who is a really great artist design stickers to make the sopranos super kid friendly... Don't worry, the uke still sounds fine with a sticker on the soundboard ;-)

I leave for camp August 29th. Super excited.

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What a wonderful thing to do for the kids. Keep up the excellent work.
 
I have found that out of my 330 choir students, the "alpha" types gravitate towards larger instruments. In our case, bigger does mean better (quality or sound) majority our instruments are cheap, cheap Mahalos--and the other are Watermen (thank you, again Kala). We have 1 Caramel concert and 3 Caramel tenors.

So the alphas will run/jump/hurdle to get those bigger instruments. And the alphas in my class will often not even play with us or sing along--it is just a status/superiority thing over the other students.

Yes, teaching middle school is fun. I now assign those instruments by need or grade in class (e.g. A student).

I'll be interested to hear how this goes for you!
 
Looks Awesome Bob!

But what do you do when it rains?? You might want to keep a few tarps handy, maybe rolled up and tied to the TOP of the hanger frame with a bungee (bunjie?) cord or something...
 
I have found that out of my 330 choir students, the "alpha" types gravitate towards larger instruments. In our case, bigger does mean better (quality or sound) majority our instruments are cheap, cheap Mahalos--and the other are Watermen (thank you, again Kala). We have 1 Caramel concert and 3 Caramel tenors.

So the alphas will run/jump/hurdle to get those bigger instruments. And the alphas in my class will often not even play with us or sing along--it is just a status/superiority thing over the other students.

Yes, teaching middle school is fun. I now assign those instruments by need or grade in class (e.g. A student).

I'll be interested to hear how this goes for you!

Wait til those alpha kids see a guitar - minds blown!
We've got 10 sopranos and 10 concerts plus I bring 3 of my own with me. I rarely have a group that large so hopefully everyone will be happy with what they grab off the wall.
 
Looks Awesome Bob!

But what do you do when it rains?? You might want to keep a few tarps handy, maybe rolled up and tied to the TOP of the hanger frame with a bungee (bunjie?) cord or something...

Thanks Booli! Fortunately there is a little hut/cabin that this will be stored in over night. I don't remember it ever raining in the last 5 years during camp but you never know. If it does, we'll drag it back into the hut and play in there.
 
It sounds like you've got a great program.
It sounds like thanks need to go to Mim and Ohana, too, as you've said.
I hope that everyone is inspired by their time with the ukuleles and music.
 
It sounds like you've got a great program.
It sounds like thanks need to go to Mim and Ohana, too, as you've said.
I hope that everyone is inspired by their time with the ukuleles and music.

It's pretty amazing to watch the growth of the ones who really latch onto it. They come back to the island the next year with their own ukuleles. It really becomes a big part of their lives sometimes... And this is just a small part of camp, in between rock climbing and snorkeling and archery, etc... It's made a big impact.
 
I love that kind of thinking. Great idea.
 
Bob, that looks great! It's wonderful what you're doing for the kids. I'm curious to know how many of those kids recognize you from your appearances on kids' shows?
 
Bob, that looks great! It's wonderful what you're doing for the kids. I'm curious to know how many of those kids recognize you from your appearances on kids' shows?

Hi Soo!

Sometimes they recognize me. We all have camp names (my camp name is Rockstar) and the kids aren't really supposed to know us off the island. Last year one of the younger kids came up to me and goes, "Rockstar did I see you on Jesse?" And my standard answer is "what are you talking about? I live on this island and just wait here for you guys to come back to camp. That's all I do all year"... He gives me a blank look and goes "I saw you on Jessie, Rockstar. I know it was you because I saw it and it was for sure you Rockstar, I know it was".... one of the teenagers walks by and goes "Dang Rockstar he's calling you out".
Hahaha!
 
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