Fall 2024
Dear Bedford families,
Another school year is off to a great start. The marching band has performed at several football games and is preparing for competitions. Lane school students are starting to learn how to play their string and band instruments. The high school has started rehearsals for the fall play, and our wonderful music teachers are hard at work. Bedford is lucky to have such robust and exciting music programs in our public schools!
Bedford Patrons of Music Students (POMS) exists to support our music department faculty and students at all four public schools. Through fundraising at Bedford Day, the Snack Shack at BHS home football games, and the JGMS and BHS spring musicals, we provide grants and other financial support for curricular and extracurricular needs.
Our largest annual fundraiser, however, is our Annual Appeal, which you’re reading now. Donations to our Annual Appeal help POMS offer tangible resources, including:
- Stipends for every music teacher in the district to support classroom activities;
- Wish-list items requested by the music teachers to enhance their curricula;
- Affordable and easily accessible private music lessons for students from K–12;
- Supplemental funding for costumes and other costs for extracurricular musical activities, including the JGMS and BHS musicals; and
- Scholarships for BHS graduating seniors.
Last year we were particularly excited to be able to sponsor the purchase of new, more modern-looking marching band unforms, to replace the 25+-year-old ones. Check them out at a game or parade! This was made possible by your support of POMS.
POMS continues its focus on financial aid, to ensure that every child who wants to explore music can do so without money posing a barrier to study and performance. With your help and donations, we will continue to provide financial aid for private lessons, as well as instrument rentals during the school year so students can participate in grade-level ensembles.
Your support of POMS has a direct impact on music education in Bedford. Will you continue Bedford’s tradition of strong community funding for student music by contributing to this year’s Annual Appeal?
POMS is a 501(c)(3) organization, and your donation may be tax-deductible. Thank you for joining in POMS’s legacy of support by participating in our 2024–2025 Annual Appeal.
With best musical wishes,
Christine Anderson, POMS President
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Please donate online or mail contributions to POMS, ℅ Bedford High School, 9 Mudge Way, Bedford, MA 01730. We appreciate online giving, to ensure your donations can get to work as soon as possible.
Download the POMS 2024 Annual Appeal, if you prefer to mail in a hard copy.