A Drummers World is granted non-profit status for fundraising
By Melinda Harrell
Published in News on June 3, 2016 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Kourtney Larry, 10, performs with the A Drummers World Drum Line dance team to kick off Relay for Life of Wayne County at the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fairgrounds on Friday, May 21.
A Drummers World acquired its 501(c)3 non-profit status, giving the organization that offers drum, dance and character guidance to youths the opportunity to pursue other types of funding.
Alando Mitchell, founder of A Drummers World, said getting the non-profit status will help A Drummers World with the acquisition of community donations which will allow the organization to grow its programs.
A Drummers World provides youth an opportunity to, not only learn how to play the drums, but also teaches dance, character development and offers mentorship.
"First, we have our drum line classes, where we work with youth," Mitchell said.
"We also work with them on character development skills, like respect, sharing, responsibility, integrity. We are instilling in our youth these skills early, it will help us create better citizens now and in the future."
Though the drum and dance classes teach the basic skills of the art and work ethic, but those classes need to be taught with equipment and instruments that are in working order, Mitchell said, which is also a reason he sought 501(c)3 non-profit status.
"I have been trying to get (the status) on and off for about year," Mitchell said.
"I felt that it would be more appropriate to serve our community by way of donations to fund equipment replacement."
Mitchell said that some of the organization's instruments are in ill repair, which become a problem when the advanced drum line is engaged in a community performance.
"We want to upgrade our symbols," he said.
"They are in bad shape. Sometimes our symbols fall apart as we are playing and marching."
He hopes now that the organization has a legitimized non-profit status that the community will be more generous with its donations.
With the tuition for classes at $15, Mitchell was depending solely on the students' caregivers' ability to pay to keep A Drummers World going.
But, Mitchell said, relying on that as the sole source of funding can prove to be inadequate and inconsistent, which is why community support is key.
Mitchell also said A Drummers World will grow programs.
He said Sunday A Drummers World will open up registration for three new classes, majorette, marimba and ballet at the Paramount Theatre before its spring recital.
The registration will begin at 2 p.m. with the show starting at 3 p.m. Tickets for the recital will also be on sale at the box office.
Mitchell said the recital will also feature the drum line performance, dancers and a live band as well as a James Brown impersonator and one of Brown's original drummers, Sam "The Man" Lathan signing autographs.