Thursday’s downpour did not keep Thomm Morgan from his mission of walking 130 miles to deliver a clarinet to one foster child as part of the Hope Chest For Kids Inc., “Gabriel’s Song” project. The project matches foster kids with unwanted and unused instruments, and then recruits and screens volunteer talent who can teach the basics. Morgan, a community organizer from O’Fallon, learned about the program from a foster parent, who also teaches music in Moberly. He promised to deliver one unused clarinet that has been gathering dust in his basement to Deanna Arnold’s Music Store in Moberly in an unusual way – Thomm’s Walk for a Cause 2008. He began his walk from his home on Monday and will drop off the clarinet at 8 p.m. today in Moberly. He walked through Mexico on Thursday. His plan is to generate awareness and support for the program along the way. Morgan believes that every unused instrument in Missouri now can have a purpose. His purpose in 2008 is to “Foster Music for Foster Kids.” Area residents who want to drop off unwanted or unused instruments may do so at Mexico Music or Arnold Music in Centralia.


