Earlier this year, children in the Philippines received recorder-style folk flutes crafted under the direction of award-winning musician John Zeretzke, founder of the Flutes Across the World workshop.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Circle V Ranch hosted the workshop to teach campers aged 7 to 13 to craft two flutes, one to keep and one to donate to an underprivileged child in the Philippines. Under Zeretzke’s direction, campers learned to sand, shape, decorate and play the flutes. Each camper enclosed a note and picture of themselves along with their donated flute.
In January, Zeretzke and Claire Padama of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul traveled to various underprivileged areas to distribute more than 200 flutes.
“Our Circle V Ranch campers through the Flutes Across the World project have connected, in a uniquely caring and educational way, with Filipino children in need. These wonderful flutes communicate the happiness and learning that occurs when children give other children the gift of music,” Padama said.
For the past four years, Zeretzke has donated flutes to underprivileged areas in the Philippines, Central America and Haiti. For more information about Flutes Across the World, please visit flutesacrosstheworld.org.
