FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Andrew J. Groveman
Senior Vice President
Belz Enterprises
(901) 260-7348

 

 

 

At Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center Aug. 16-17
PLAY IT AGAIN MEMPHIS RADIOTHON
BROADCASTS LIVE
Rock 103's Drake & Zeke to Collect
Musical Instruments for Area Children

MEMPHIS, Tenn., (Thursday, August 15, 2002) – Friday and Saturday, Aug 16-17 from noon to 6 p.m., Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center will be jammin' to the sounds of classic rock as Drake & Zeke, radio personalities with Memphis' Rock 103 broadcast live from the complex in support of Play it Again Memphis.

Play it Again Memphis is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing musical instruments to children across Memphis and Shelby County who want to participate in their school's band or music programs, but cannot afford to rent or purchase an instrument. During the radiothon, community residents will be urged to donate their no-longer-played instruments, which are refurbished by Play it Again Memphis and put into the hands of area children. In exchange for their musical instrument, donors will be given Ticketmaster tickets to their choice of a music concert, sporting event or special production and a dozen roses from Pugh’s Flowers.

"Talent comes in many shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, budget constraints and a shift in funding priorities have made it difficult for students to be exposed to the benefits of music education," said Michelle Slack, executive director, Play it Again Memphis. "It is our mission to enable as many children as we possibly can to discover their talent and passion."

Slack added, "The beauty of Play It Again Memphis is that we are a community effort. It takes the citizens of our community digging unused instruments out of their attics, garages and the deep recesses of their closets to make this happen."

As times goes by…that saxophone or flute stored in the garage could foster… the beginning of a beautiful friendship…between a child and their love of music that will last a lifetime. Studies show music education is much more than learning notes to a song, positively impacting student's achievement scores and promoting the development of teamwork skills and abstract reasoning. Indeed, kids who might otherwise be at risk of dropping out of school can often be motivated to stay involved in school through music.

So…round up the usual suspects…that old oboe in the attic, or clarinet in the closet and come downtown to the Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center at Third Street and Peabody Place on Aug 16-17. If you don't…you'll regret it, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and maybe for the rest of your life…or a child's life.

"Memphis possesses a rich legacy of great music, with downtown at the heart of Memphis' music scene, so the Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center is pleased to host the WEGR/Drake & Zeke Play it Again Memphis Radiothon," said Andrew J. Groveman, senior vice president, Belz Enterprises, developers of Peabody Place. "We want to encourage everyone to come downtown and bring your used musical instruments to help inspire our community's children to learn, to play and to love music."

Other Play it Again Memphis events slated for this weekend at the Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center include a "happy hour" from 5-7 p.m. on Friday evening featuring the band Beg to Differ, and an "after party" from 5-7 p.m. featuring Jo Jo Jeffries. In addition, on Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, kids can enjoy magician Doug Sparkman, face painting and more fun things at Muvico 22 Peabody Place Theaters.

For persons who don't have a musical instrument to donate, Play it Again Memphis also accepts cash donations in exchange for incentive prizes.

Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Belz Enterprises is a leading innovator in real estate development with interests throughout the South, including Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center at 150 Peabody Place. Throughout the United States, Belz develops, owns and/or manages more than 30 million square feet of industrial/warehouse/distribution centers, shopping centers, office buildings, mixed-use centers and corporate campuses. The company also owns a group of premier hotels including the Peabody Hotels in Memphis, Orlando and Little Rock.