From the heart

Bill and Wilma Rogers offer music and arts for Alachua youth

Alachua residents Bill and Wilma Rogers are offering a summer arts and music program for economically challenged youth in Alachua.  The program, which is free of charge to children ages 7-16, will be conducted at Alachua’s Cleather Hathcock, Sr. Community Center and the police department substation in the Merrillwood neighborhood.

A music and arts program will be offered in Alachua for economically challenged youths during the coming summer.

Alachua residents Bill and Wilma Rogers decided to offer their time, knowledge and wealth of experience to the artistically-driven children of the area.

Wilma Rogers said it started a couple of years ago when she and her husband realized they wanted to do something to help area children.

“Over the course of the years there was a burning passion, a burning desire to really do something effectively for children,” she said. “We began to think about what it is we have to offer.”

The Music and Arts Programs, also known as M.A.P. will be offered free of charge to children ages 7-16. The program will start on Saturday, June 11 and will be held two additional Saturdays in June, five Saturdays in July and two in August.  Plans are to offer the program at Alachua’s Cleather Hathcock, Sr. Community Center and the police department substation in the Merrillwood neighborhood.

“We’re offering this program for free as well as offering the musical instruments and providing the art supplies,” she said. “We want to teach children the fundamentals of music and the fundamentals of art along with teaching character and values.”

The mission of M.A.P. is to provide quality music and arts education programs for economically challenged youth. This volunteer-driven program will be headed by music and art instructors and was founded to meet the social needs of the community and to help guide the youth.

“We often talked about it, but it got to the point where we said ‘let’s not just talk about it, but let’s do it’. We both have a heart for kids,” she said. “A lot of time people think they need to have this degree or that degree to make a difference, but all you have to do is take what you have, take what you already know, your experience, and help somebody else.”

City of Alachua recreation director Hal Brady said this program will give more children the chance to succeed in the arts.

“This will really help children with pursuing something artistic,” Brady said. “This will be a great opportunity for children to do something without it costing anything. A lot of people just cannot normally afford this type of program.”

He had nothing but good things to say about Bill and Wilma Rogers and how much they have already been able to do for the community. He said they are a great team and have proven time and again how much they care about the youth in Alachua.

The goal of the programs is to teach children the fundamentals of art and music while helping them develop character and values.

Wilma Rogers said being gifted and talented is nothing without good character or some type of value system to operate by.

“It doesn’t take a whole lot. It just takes a caring heart. And that’s where we are,” she said.

In the program, Wilma will handle the art section, teaching line forms, shapes, colors, etc. and even dabble into some graphic design. Bill will take care of the music aspect with teaching kids how to read as well as the basics associated.

Some song writing and a brief “behind the scenes” view of the music process will also be involved.

Wilma Rogers said she’s excited and thankful to have this chance. She said she would love to help provide the youth with a trusting environment in which to learn and grow and to provide the children with the knowledge and skills to help build character.

Wilma Rogers, who already has a degree in Business Administration, will be receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts and Visual Communication as well.

Bill is a world of information and has a world of experience in music. He has a background in music composition, studio recording and studio engineering. He reads music, he teaches music, and he hopes to inspire the kids to develop entrepreneurial skills in music.

The vision of M.A.P. is to build a community in which all youth discover his or her talents and skills. He believes that knowing how to read music can make a lasting difference, it can lead someone anywhere; they can open up a book and play, and a person can keep that forever.

Depending on the youth involvement and response to the program, the Rogers are looking into carrying the program past the summer and into the 2011-12 school year.

“Have you ever had something on the inside that tells you that you have to do this? It’s been a lifelong desire,” Wilma said. “We make a great team and we’re looking to really help the youth in Alachua to help them become better citizens.”