Earlier this summer, veteran Randy Williams attended the American National Bank Downtown Farmers Market and saw a booth advertising Operation Melody.

The program was created about three months ago to pair veterans with musical instruments. Williams filled out an application to receive a free instrument donated by a member of the public.

“When I heard about it, I couldn’t believe it,” said Williams, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1987 until 2007. “I’ve been learning to play the fiddle, but I want to learn to play the guitar.”

Williams will soon get that chance.

Sept. 1, Williams picked up his tuned guitar from Wendy Hoffman, president of the Grand Valley Blue Star Mothers. The Blue Star Mothers is overseeing the program.

Although the local chapter of Blue Star Mothers is accepting donated instruments from the public and applications for instruments from area veterans, Hoffman did not take credit for creating Operation Melody.

That idea, Hoffman said, came from Doris Harper of Fruita, a 74-year-old musical fanatic who called in June to donate her used guitar, banjo, mandolin and accordion to veterans.

“I got to thinking, ‘What am I going to do with all these things?’ ” Harper asked. “I don’t play them. My kids don’t play them. They were all in good order.”

Hoffman thought Harper’s idea of creating a program to pair veterans with musical instruments was a marvelous one. But Hoffman didn’t know of a program like that in the Grand Valley, so the Blue Star Mothers created it from scratch.

“We are just getting it off the ground,” Hoffman said. “We have to get the word out to veterans.”

Hoffman and Harper believe music is therapeutic and beneficial to everyday life, which is why they are both supporters of Operation Melody. Williams feels the same way. He loves music and plans to ask his Fruita fiddle instructor to give him guitar lessons.

Operation Melody is currently open to veterans, but Hoffman said if the Blue Star Mothers receive an application from a man or woman on active duty, she wants to send that serviceman or woman an instrument from the Grand Valley.

Hoffman realized that some of the instruments donated may not be in working shape, so the Blue Star Mothers is looking for people to donate their time and services to repair musical instruments.

“We will make sure everything is ready to go when we give it to the veterans,” Hoffman said.

While Hoffman continues to get the word out about Operation Melody, she has two accordions, a saxophone and a mandolin in her living room ready to be paired with a veteran. If the program expands, Hoffman envisions a time when Operation Melody could include other arts and entertainment materials.

Harper has contributed the most instruments to Operation Melody so far, but she would be fine with that changing — soon.

“I just wanted to do something that amounted to something,” Harper said. “I know it made me feel good.”

To donate a musical instrument to Operation Melody, call 242-3845 or e-mail Grand Valley Blue Star Mothers at info@gvbluestarmothers.org.
To apply for an instrument through Operation Melody, call 242-3845 or go to www.gvbluestarmothers.org.
To donate time to repair a musical instrument, call Wendy Hoffman at 242-3845 or e-mail info@gvbluestarmothers.org.

Email MELINDA MAWDSLEY