SYO needs your support during COVID crisis
December 2020
Dear friends,
At this time of year, I often reflect on the things for which I am grateful, and this appreciation has been magnified by the unprecedented circumstances of the last few months.
This has also been a very difficult time for the arts, and it is no less challenging for the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra. Our inability to safely conduct our 2020-2021 season – including being able to rehearse and perform together -- has all but eliminated the SYO’s means to generate the revenue we need to keep the organization sustainable.
Without player fees or concert ticket sales we are responsible for all the fixed expenses of operating the organization without any income.
You can help.
As you know, youth orchestras create a community where musically inclined students can thrive. And regardless of whether a player goes on to study music, chemistry or engineering, a youth orchestra experience can be a positive guiding force in socialization and development.
The SYO has provided incredible musical experiences and opportunities for youth in our community for 62 years. We want to ensure that the SYO will be able to continue offering that opportunity!
Will you please consider making a tax-deductible gift to the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra Inc., so that we can continue to offer a program that supports and encourages musical endeavours in our community while keeping the cost as low as possible for families?
For our current members, we encourage you to consider donating all, or part, of the registration fees you would have paid this year. As a donation to a registered non-profit organization, your gift will be eligible for a tax-deductible receipt.
And for our former members and their families – our treasured alumni - I sincerely hope that the SYO or Saskatoon Junior Symphony was a positive influence in your life that provided incredible musical experiences and opportunities.
You can help us keep your musical alma mater strong!
We have partnered with CanadaHelps to provide a safe and easy method of donating online (www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/saskatoon-youth-orchestra-inc).
Or, you are welcome to use e-transfer (treasurer@syo.ca) or send a cheque (Box 21108, Saskatoon, SK, S7H 5N9).
Your generosity will mean so much to generations of young players to come. We appreciate donations of any size and encourage you to consider making monthly or annual gifts to the SYO, if you have the means.
I’d like to wish you a happy, healthy and safe holiday season – even though it will likely look very different than in years past. Together we can get this terrible and extremely challenging COVID-19 pandemic.
On behalf of the board of directors, with gratitude,
Ian Krips,
SYO Board Chair
P.S.: Please feel free to share this information with others who may wish to support the SYO, including local business operators. We would be happy to work on a sponsorship package tailored to any need. Contact our Executive Director, Paul Sinkewicz, at info@syo.ca to find out more.
SYO Identity Statement
The Saskatoon Youth Orchestra Inc. provides opportunities to develop and nurture musical excellence by participating in a vibrant youth orchestra program. Through coaching, rehearsal, organizational involvement and performance opportunities, we offer youth, between the ages of 10 and 25, a welcoming, inclusive environment to develop their skills as musicians and to grow as community members. In the process lifelong friendships are formed. We strive to positively impact the lives of our participants and supporters while contributing to the variety of cultural experiences available to citizens in Saskatoon and beyond.